Relaxed on the plush couch, Justus felt sleepiness creeping in after a satisfying meal. His attention drifted to Azaria, immersed in an ancient-looking book she had taken from her bag. Intrigued, he tried to read the book's title, perplexed by Azaria's seemingly old-fashioned choice. It puzzled him that Azaria, a modern high school student, was engrossed in such archaic literature. In a typical scenario, she would have followed the conventional high school routine — attending classes, developing crushes, and so forth. "What? Curious?" Azaria caught Justus' gaze and playfully waved the book, prompting her question. Justus shook his head, stifling a yawn. "No, just looking at the book's title makes me sleepy. I'd doze off if I tried reading it." With that, he subtly shifted closer to Azaria, hoping to lessen the distance between them. Sensing Justus getting nearer, Azaria hesitated but refrained from moving away. Despite her instincts urging her to retreat, she allowed Justus to dra
The chaos continued unabated. Azaria's composure remained serene as she scanned the crowd, her eyes eventually finding Justus in the audience. A faint smile played on her lips, as if silently communicating a message. Then, Kason Savage gracefully positioned himself at the piano, filling the air with enchanting melodies. Azaria's voice, pure and ethereal, blended seamlessly with the elegant tune. "But all you want is not my heart..." Listening, Justus felt a wave of confusion wash over him. The melody and lyrics were not unfamiliar, but what astounded him was that the song Emmett Rutledge couldn't sing was now beautifully performed by Azaria. Despite lingering questions about Kason Savage, Azaria's singing held every ear captive. The audience fell silent, enveloped in the cheerful love song, intensifying the atmosphere. Beside him, Lilyana asked eagerly, "Justus, who do you think Azaria likes?" Justus found the topic uncomfortable. "What are you talking about? Azaria can't possibl
Justus abandoned the idea of seeking help in the simplest way. If the butler had no intention of perishing with him, Justus believed he could find a way out using his skills. He pretended to continue dozing off, and the butler visibly relaxed, gripping the steering wheel and driving further into the outskirts. It was already midnight, and beyond the suburbs were only undeveloped, abandoned factories. When Justus pretended to open his eyes, he saw thugs approaching the car from outside. Leading them was Raiden Dominguez, his once handsome face now marred with various scars, giving him a menacing appearance. He spotted Justus and smirked cruelly, as if he had been waiting for him there for a long time. "Justus, long time no see." "Raiden, it has indeed been a while." Justus remained casual, displaying no signs of being the kidnapped victim. Several others beside him brandished machetes, putting him in a vulnerable position. Raiden Dominguez continued, "Don't worry, I'm not here to
Even if the Wallace family wasn't lacking in funds, Justus wouldn't tolerate anyone threatening him in this manner. He continued to enjoy his breakfast. The butler, sounding puzzled, asked, "Young master, is the soup to your liking today?" Justus glanced down and realized he had finished all the plain soup. He smiled and remarked, "It's quite good, but it's missing a bit of a bloody taste." The butler trembled at his words, unable to comprehend their meaning. Justus chuckled and walked away. Returning to his room, he planned to don his school uniform and casually attend the art festival as originally intended, then discreetly eliminate the butler following Raiden Dominguez. Despite Derek Wallace's previous disdain, Justus couldn't resist the urge to open the long-neglected cabinet. Inside, he found meticulously crafted outfits, each tailored by renowned fashion designers exclusively for him. After a moment of contemplation, Justus decided to ask Azaria for her opinion. Justus: Wha
Azaria's voice remained calm, but beneath its composure lay a chilling undertone that sent a shiver down Justus's spine. The idea of outmaneuvering Azaria felt as daunting as planning her downfall. Justus felt a pang of unease, his brows furrowing in response. Azaria casually asked, "So, are you coming? We haven't had a proper conversation in ages." There was a glint of anticipation in her eyes, her proactive approach both intriguing and challenging for Justus. He feigned hesitation, managing a smile, "I'm genuinely worried my father might break my legs." Azaria's smile deepened with meaning, "Don't worry, soon enough, no one will dare to harm you." That smile carried an unspoken message, making Justus wonder if Azaria had started her company early in high school because of him. However, he kept such self-indulgent thoughts to himself. Seeing Azaria's expression returning to normal, he abandoned the earlier domineering CEO facade and teased, "Azaria, have you been reading the roman
Amidst the night's chaos, nobody was aware. After a half-day of classes, Justus had initially planned to return to the company, focusing on the internal testing preparations for 'Pinnacle.' However, his attention abruptly shifted to strategizing with Azaria. Justus made an impromptu decision to alter his plans on the spot. Daisy Bradford, with her icy demeanor intact, finished her meal and then messaged Justus, inquiring about his needs. "Could you assist me in eavesdropping on my butler Marco Trevino's phone?" Justus asked. Daisy Bradford looked even more puzzled, struggling to understand Justus's sudden interest in his family's butler. Unable to divulge the imminent danger he faced from Marco Trevino, the butler, Justus crafted a casual excuse, "Here's the situation: the butler's wife and I are quite friendly. She approached me suspecting her husband, Mr. Trevino, of having an affair. He frequently stays out late and carries the scent of another woman." Daisy Bradford relished t
The Vice President of the Guitar Club listened to Justus's introduction with a puzzled expression, trying to make sense of Justus's sudden surname change to Justice. Despite the confusion, she chose not to probe further, sensing something in Justus's demeanor that made her hold back. The trio continued their relaxed stroll around the campus. During their walk, they ran into friends, all of whom assumed that the secretary was Justus's sister. Justus felt a wave of embarrassment, while the secretary couldn't help but feel suspicious. Despite her curiosity, she refrained from questioning Justus and instead engaged in casual conversation about the school's architecture. Just in the nick of time, Lilyana exclaimed, "Justus, I finally found you," clearly flustered and troubled by something urgent. Justus, surprised but appreciative of her sudden appearance, remembered that Lilyana had been assisting with logistics at the martial arts club in the afternoon, which made her unexpected presenc
As time slipped away, Justus honed eighty percent of the performance, ensuring their live show was primed for success with Azaria's collaboration. A sigh of relief escaped Azaria as she realized there was only half an hour left before the arts festival began. While grabbing snacks from a nearby store, they unexpectedly ran into a visibly distressed Kason Savage. He questioned Azaria about her unanswered calls. Azaria, devoid of emotion, explained her situation, saying, "The disk was completely destroyed, and even the backup was deleted." This unexpected turn of events exceeded their expectations. There was a backup that could have been played directly from the computer, but it suffered the same fate. Moreover, only someone from the four major families would stoop so low as to employ a hacker for such a trivial matter. Justus suppressed his laughter, once again grateful he met Azaria first. If Kason Savage had the opportunity to exploit this situation, Justus would probably find himse