***** “Please forgive me!”Bang!!! Edgar cried out and then slammed his head against the hard ground like someone who had lost his mind, sobbing hysterically. “Please forgive my ignorance and stupidity!!!”He began to plead desperately as though his life depended on it, knowing that he couldn’t afford to lose this job.He had already gambled everything… his entire life on it.Before this moment, Edgar hadn’t even been bothered at all by his previous actions, even still thinking he had done only the right thing for his future development. But now…He knew he wouldn’t have what it takes to live again as he had already arrogantly severed all ties with everyone he had ever known—Friends, colleagues, superiors. Even his wife and children, thinking they would only drag his progress and divine grace back.Before being called into the office the previous day, he had still been the loving father and husband… joking with his colleagues, and showing respect to his boss just as he always
*****Even though the Audi A6 had already passed through the towering wrought-iron gates adorned with symbols of power, affluence, and grandeur, marking the entrance to Oceanview Estate, the interior was eerily quiet.After all the emotional turbulence and clashes they’d faced just beyond the gate, it would have made sense for them to be lost in conversation, reliving every moment. Yet, what filled the car was a profound, almost reverent silence.Everyone—from Dorothy in the driver's seat to her boss beside her, Grace, to Xavier's parents at the back, and even Xavier, who was normally the embodiment of calm—sat as if frozen in time, each person’s mouths widely open enough to swallow a swarm of bees, but none of them noticed.Right now, they all looked like villagers who had spent their entire lives in some remote, underdeveloped countryside, suddenly transported to the heart of a dazzling metropolis—seeing wonders they never thought were possible in their lifetime.While they had
*****It took a moment for everyone to return to their senses after hearing Xavier, finally closing their mouths when they realized they were on the verge of drooling.“You… this…” Both Laura and Dorothy muttered in unison, finally processing their son’s words and their jaws dropped.While they hadn't fully understood why their son had brought them to the home that was supposed to belong to him and his wife on the day of his marriage, they had assumed it was simply to show them the place, never expecting in their wildest dreams that it was so they could leave together.‘Does he even think about his wife?’ They thought and the two subconsciously exchanged stunned glances.Although they could see the admiration in each other's eyes, knowing full well they both loved the villa, there was also a silent understanding between them—a hesitation.Deep down, they recognized that, as beautiful as this place was, it wasn’t meant for them.Realizing they were on the same wavelength; the co
*****"This... are you... are you truly the owner of this mansion—Villa Number One?" After a long pause, Dorothy, finally unable to contain her shock, confusion, and question again stammered, breaking the silence that had enveloped the three of them.Xavier, hearing the question, turned his head and stared at her for a moment, as if processing the inquiry.His expression remained blank for a moment until suddenly, a mischievous grin slowly spread across his face, followed by a lighthearted, playful chuckle"What do you think?" he asked teasingly, winking mischievously at Dorothy, but then not waiting for her to respond, he recalled something and instantly continued, smoothly changing the topic with his tone remaining playful and his voice laced with amusement."Don’t you think this place is far too shabby and insecure for someone as important as your boss?" he asked and in the following second, both Dorothy and Grace were left speechless for a moment, staring dazedly at Xavier, u
*****“Father, I have something urgent to report to you,” a rather distressed and confused Nico abruptly declared as he entered the secondary living room of the Sky family estate, which although a luxury on its own by lower family standards, the room seemed dull and ordinary compared to the grandeur of the first-rank or even the second-rank families that have first rank families as their backer.The old Patriarch of the Sky family, who was lounging lazily in a recliner while sipping his tea and watching the news immediately shifted his gaze to the side upon hearing his son’s tense voice, a frown appearing on his aged features.“This has something to do with that little wench, right? Has she brought trouble to the family again?” he inquired in a gruff tone, suspicion lacing his words, and as soon as Nico heard his question, he hurriedly nodded his head but then shook it again after what felt like another thought.“Huh?” the old man’s frown intensified in confusion. “What’s the mean
*****“This...” Nico’s expression couldn’t help but grow grim upon noticing his father’s reaction to the report.He had never heard of the Bloodfang group before today, yet, seeing his father’s current response, it was clear that the organization wasn’t an unknown one as he had initially assumed, but something scarier, probably than Nightshadow.‘But why is there no record of it anywhere though?’ he pondered for a moment before pushing the thought aside and refocusing his attention on his father.“Do you know them, Father?” he asked gravely, startling the old man from his thoughts.‘This...’ The elder man swallowed hard, realizing that his back had become unconsciously soaked with cold sweat. It was as though he had just heard of the most terrifying and dangerous group to ever exist.Letting out a deep breath, he focused his gaze back on Nico. “No,” he replied, leaving Nico unable to react for a moment after which his jaw dropped, looking perplexed. He had never expected this re
*****Laura and David couldn’t believe their ears for what felt like an eternity, staring in a daze at Xavier as though he had just delivered the worst news to have ever existed.While the two had sensed that something didn’t seem quite right with Xavier and Grace’s sudden marriage, they had never anticipated that the two would part ways so quickly—on the very day of their wedding, not even waiting for a day or two.After a brief moment of silence, Laura finally managed to process Xavier's report and in the following second, she seemed to have suddenly experienced a panic attack.Her breathing grew rapid and her chest started heaving hysterically up and down, as though she were on the verge of departing with the grim reaper and joining the underworld, and seeing this, both Xavier and David were instantly alarmed.“Wife!!!”“Mother!!!”The father-son duo cried out in distress, rushing over to Laura.“Are you okay?” they both inquired, their concern evident, and only then—hearin
*****“Boss, are you really going to move in with tha... with him?” Dorothy's voice, though barely above a whisper abruptly shattered the silence in the Audi A6 as it sped away from the stunning Oceanview estate.She had been forcing herself to hold back the question, but now, she couldn’t keep it in any longer, and as soon as Grace, sitting in the back seat, with her countenance already returning to the cold goddess of the business world known by everyone, heard this question, she was jolted back from her thought and glanced briefly at Dorothy in the driver’s seat, then turned her gaze back to the passing scenery outside the window.“Hmmm.” She responded indifferently before returning to being lost in her thoughts again.….What he said earlier was nothing but the truth,’ she thought, her brows knitted together. ‘If we live desperately, grandfather and his relatives will soon see through our marriage, and the troubles will never end,’ she sighed inwardly.In truth, Grace had al