Arthur alighted from the cab in front of the estate.
Staring at his home, a heavy sigh escaped his lips as he clutched his bag and walked through the gate into the house.
As he climbed up the stairs, Arthur heard voices coming from the east wing.
He stopped in his tracks as he listened carefully-
"Ahh... Don't stop."
Naughty moans and sighs made Arthur's heart start pounding fast.
He walked to the east wing, and for a moment, the moans stopped.
Arthur's eyes traced the rooms in the hallway, unable to detect the room the moans were coming from.
He sighed, thinking he must have misheard.
He walked towards the last room, but then-
"Hmm, baby, right there, Yes! You've bit the spot." A woman's voice pierced his ears, making Arthur's heart melt as if heated.
Tears trickled down his cheeks as his lips parted-
"Daphne." He muttered silently as he took quiet steps to the room and gently opened the door.
The woman's hands wrapped around a man's neck as she groaned in pleasure, bobbing up and down on the man's thighs.
The subtle wind blew her hair upwards, revealing her face to Arthur.
It was Daphne.
Arthur felt the muscles of his heart tightened. His voice was coherent as he screamed-
"Daphne!"
The woman's gaze instantly fixed on Arthur's, but instead of shock, her eyes were filled with disgust.
She sighed, rolling her eyes as she bent to pick up her nightwear on the floor.
She wrapped it around her body and said, "You are back."
"Daphne..." Tears rolled down his cheeks as he watched Daphne not affected by her adulterous act.
Arthur and Daphne's relationship wasn't built on love. Arthur was an orphan, adopted into the McKinney family by their grandfather, Mr. Lin.
Arthur was only loved and treated well by Mr. Lin. Despite being an adopted son of the family, the McKinney never allowed Arthur to work in the family's business.
They never recognized him as one of them, especially after his marriage to Daphne.
Arthur never cared about the McKinney businesses. He wanted to make a name for himself instead of being called a social climber all his life.
Seeing that there were not many men who deserved his favorite granddaughter, Daphne. Mr Lin betrothed Daphne to Arthur.
It's been three years, but still, it was only Arthur's heart that had softened towards Daphne.
He loved her so much that he could risk his life, but Daphne's hatred only grew stronger over the years.
To Daphne, Arthur was a nobody but a stumbling block who stood between her and her dreams.
She sat on her lover's thighs and wrapped her hands around him as she asked-
"What are you doing here, Arthur? It's not as if we share the same room?" She raised a brow.
Arthur's heartache grew with each moment as Daphne's indifference cut through him like a blade.
He had believed that his inability to provide for her was the reason she never loved him.
But seeing her unrepentant attitude, it occurred to Arthur that he had been fooled.
"You're a cheater, Daphne!" Arthur's voice trembled as he hurled the accusation at her, his eyes filled with anguish.
Daphne, leaning on her lover's chest, let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Cheater? Oh, Arthur, I can only cheat when I have a husband. But I don't regard you as my husband."
Her words were like a dagger through his heart. The woman he had loved, cared for, and tried to protect had no respect or affection left for him.
The realization was a crushing blow.
Daphne's lack of remorse further fueled Arthur's anger and sadness. "I'll divorce you on the grounds of adultery," he declared, his voice trembling, his hand clenched.
"Everyone will know how shameless you are."
"You wouldn't dare!" Daphne laughed and, walked closer to him and whispered in his ears, "No one will believe you, Arthur, or have you forgotten, I'm the good daughter of the McKinney's. I'm a saint."
Arthur swallowed as his chest tightened further. He took out his phone and turned on the recorder.
"They will believe what they see."
Daphne's eyes reddened. Her steps quickened as she approached Arthur.
"Give that to me." She screamed, trying to take Arthur's phone, but he shoved her, and she fell on her butt.
"I will show everyone." Arthur took in a deep breath, but then-
He noticed Daphne's lover was no longer seated. He had suddenly disappeared. Arthur's gaze wavered in doubt, but he couldn't find him.
When his gaze met Daphne's, who was still on the floor, a devilish grin appeared on her cheeks.
Arthur suddenly felt as if someone was behind him, but before he could turn, the man, George, punched him and grabbed the phone.
Arthur gasped in pain as he stumbled around.
"I will expose you, Daphne." His voice quivered, and his nose was bleeding. He tried to wipe it off.
Daphne felt threatened by Arthur's threats. She walked to her closet and stepped out with a gun.
"Hello, Arthur," She smiled.
When Arthur's gaze met hers, he stumbled backward.
Until now, there were a lot of words he would use to describe Daphne, but he never thought she'd be a killer.
Cold showers ran through his spine as she closed the distance between them. Her lover blocked the doorway.
He stared at how beautiful she was; despite their fight, he would never hurt a hair on her head, but it wasn't the same for her.
She would sacrifice him for her selfish reasons. As she pointed the gun at him, his heart bleed more painfully than the bullets that pierced through his skin, making him fall flat on the ground.
His life flashed before his eyes as he thought if this was the end.
'I should never have married Daphne.' He passed out.
Daphne walked closer to him and kicked his hand, but Arthur didn't move.
"Arthur is dead." Daphne smiled. She hasn't been this happy in three years.
For a moment, the past three years flashed before her eyes. She remembered how she begged her grandfather not to allow her to marry Arthur, and instead of rejecting, Arthur accepted the proposal.
Daphne had hated him since then.
"I will have my security take care of this," George said to Daphne, who quietly sat on the bed.
In no minutes, the security arrived, and George opened the door, "Take him far from the estate."
"Yes, sir"
They threw Arthur in the van and drove far from the estate.
The van stopped on the bridge, and they carried him out. Arthur seemed to have regained consciousness, but the securities cared less. They threw him across the bridge.
Splash!!!
Arthur's body hits the water's surface.
As he was about to lose consciousness, It was as if a hidden power within him burst forth.
His body tingled with a strange energy, and his vision blurred.
The pain from his broken bones seemed to melt away as a surge of power surged through him.
Suddenly, Arthur found himself elevated from the river.
He was no longer drowning in the river; instead, he was floating above the water's surface.
His eyes widened in amazement as he looked down at the vast expanse of the ocean beneath him.
He was floating, his body carried by an invisible force he couldn't comprehend.
Arthur had no idea what was going on. His frightened little heart was beating rapidly as he thought-
"Am I dead? Is this the afterlife?" He looked behind him, but there was no one.
'I drowned.' He concluded, tears dripping down his cheeks.
As he hovered over the water, he tried to control his movements, but it was as if the force within had a mind of its own.
He glided effortlessly through the air, carried by an invisible current.
The night sky was filled with stars, and the moon cast a shimmering path on the ocean's surface.
Arthur was confused about what was happening to him. When he looked forward, he saw the water opening up to make a way as he glided through.
When Arthur fixed his eyes at the end of the opening ahead, he saw someone in white, but the person's feet didn't touch the ground.
A rush of fear went through his spine, tightening his heart muscles, and suddenly, he started to get dizzy and blacked out in no minutes.
"Arthur!." A hoarse voice called out, but Arthur was unconscious. The stranger walked up to Arthur and tapped his cheeks, making Arthur sneeze.Arthur's muscles felt like no blood was rushing through his veins."What is happening to me?" He was shivering.His lips parted in extreme curiosity, and his eyes, which felt as though it have been clenched shut for a day, suddenly opened. He found himself standing in the middle of the ocean, and all he could hear was the sound of his feet at every movement and the splashes of water like raindrops. "Where is this place?" Twitching of great fear rushed through his spine, making goosebumps all over his body as his eyes kept gawking around. "Arthur," The same voice called out to him again, and when Arthur's gaze drifted around, it suddenly met that of a man with long white hair.Arthur's heart skipped at that moment. "Who are you?""Arthur," The man's smile widened, "You have been chosen, my descendant."Arthur could only stare in bewildermen
Nicole's throat tightened as she heard Arthur's words. She stared at him and after a while she asked with great difficulty-"How will you help?" Arthur didn't know what to say, but his lips opened faster than his brains, and the words that came of his lips was, "I know a bit of medicine." Nicole's eyes narrowed slightly at Arthur's words as if to study him.He didn't look like a doctor or a man with any capabilities. "I'm sorry, but I think you're just being grateful, there's no need to do anything." She forced a smile.Arthur mereky stared straight at her, without saying anymore words. He couldn't think of a way he could pay back her kindness. He had already given up when he noticed the sudden nervousness on Nicole's face. Her calm countenance suddenly became overshadowed with clamor making author curious. "Is everything alright?" He asked.When Nicole saw the second message on her screen staring her grandfather might die any moments from now.Due to the urgency of the situat
Arthur understood the gravity of the situation as he stood by Emily's grandfather's bedside. The frail old man lay motionless, his shallow breaths the only sign of life. Arthur couldn't help but feel a weight of responsibility pressing down on him. If he could save Mr. Lee's life, it would repay the debt of Emily saving his life.With a gentle hand, Arthur checked Mr. Lee's pulse. Emily was standing nearby, "Arthur, please, you have to help him," she implored."I'll do everything I can, Emily," Arthur replied with a reassuring smile. Arthur stood by Mr. Lee's bedside, his hands trembling with uncertainty. He wasn't sure if it was possible to use his powers to heal someone. His magical abilities was still a mystery to him. Arthur was clearly nervous, and with Nicole constant pleading he felt he was at a loss, with no actual medical skill.The frail old man lay before him, his breaths even more irregular. Emily who had a bit of hope earlier, lifted her chin and stared into Arthur's
The room was filled with a warm, grateful atmosphere as Mr. Lee continued to recover. Arthur sat in the corner, as he stared at his hands. He couldn't believe he was able to heal a person. Arthur was unable to guess the extent of his powers and it didn't exactly make him excited, he was terrified for some reasons.He felt the need to know more about his powers and the man who had appeared to him as his ancestors."Arthur." Nicole's voice erupted him from reverie. Arthur quickly set his gaze on and smiled, "Hey Nicole." "Arthur," she said, approaching him with genuine gratitude in her eyes, "I can't thank you enough for what you've done. You saved my grandfather's life."The sense of relief was palpable, and it brought a smile to Nicole's face.Arthur, still recovering from his earlier exhaustion, managed a weak but sincere smile. "I'm just glad I could help, Nicole. Your kindness when you found me meant everything to me. I owed it to you."Nicole's eyes glimmered as she listened t
As the evening drew to a close, Nicole turned to Arthur and offered, "Arthur, it's getting late, and I wouldn't want you to be out on the streets at this hour. Would you like a ride home?"Arthur hesitated for a moment, his mind racing. He didn't have a home of his own to return to, not after the threats he had received. Going back to his in-laws' place was out of the question, considering the danger he was in."I appreciate the offer, Nicole," Arthur replied, "but it's not necessary, I will take the bus."Nicole's brows furrowed with concern, and she didn't seem convinced by his response. "Are you sure, Arthur? It's late, and the street can be dangerous at this hour." Mr. Lee chimed in, his voice warm and persuasive, "Nicole is right, my boy. You've done so much for us, and I would feel much better knowing you're safe for the night. Please accept her offer."Arthur found himself in a tight spot. He didn't want to burden Nicole.He knew if they found out about his situation, they mig
Arthur held the divorce papers that Daphne had handed him. The tension in the air was palpable as they stood facing each other.Daphne, her voice filled with irritation, broke the silence. "Well, Arthur, why aren't you signing? I'm done with you." Arthur's response was calm, and a faint smile played on his lips. "Oh, Daphne, you must have misunderstood."Daphne's eyes widened in surprise. She had expected a different reaction from Arthur, perhaps a plea for reconciliation. His composed response caught her off guard, and it seemed to irritate her even more.Mr. Yang, who had been staring at Daphne noticed Daphne's frustration. He then chimed in, "Daphne, you should be happy to let go of such a wretched man."Daphne nodded, her irritation evident. "You're right, Mr. Yang. I'm very delighted." Arthur couldn't help but smile at Mr. Yang's comment. He took a pen from the table, signed the divorce papers and handed them to Daphne. "There you go, Daphne. I wish you luck."With that, Arthur
A familiar car pulled up to the gate. Nicole stepped out. The grind on her face widened as she approached Arthur quickly, her heels clicking on the pavement."Arthur!" Nicole called out, "I've been instructed to take you to a hotel. Come with me."Arthur, and nodded as he followed Nicole to her car. He loaded his luggage into the trunk, and they drove away from the Lin estate.The drive to the hotel was mostly quiet. Despite Nicole tried to engage Arthur in a conversation, he was spacing out in between. Nicole occasionally glanced at Arthur, her worry evident in her eyes. She could tell that something was bothering him, but she didn't press him for details.They arrived at the hotel, and Nicole helped Arthur check in. She assured him that her grandfather, Mr. Lee, would be joining them soon to discuss the business matters he had mentioned earlier.Just as they were settling into the hotel room, Nicole's phone buzzed with an urgent message. She glanced at the screen and her face paled
Arthur returned with the pill he had just prepared. As he entered the room, a pungent odor filled the air, causing those present to wrinkle their noses in discomfort. "What the hell is that?" Mr Lee frowned upon seeing Arthur and yelled, "Take that thing out of here." "Grandfather!" Nicole was surprised at her grandfather reaction towards Arthur, "What's that Arthur? It stinks so much!" " It's the pill for Mr Lee, it will cure him." Arthur walked closer.The closer it got, it made the stench even worse. Arthur was confident in the healing properties of this traditional pill made from local herbs.Doctor Chan, who had been overseeing Mr. Lee's condition, raised an incredulous eyebrow. He had heard of alternative treatments, but this was unlike anything he had encountered before."Are you seriously suggesting that this... thing," he gestured towards the odorous pill, "can cure a man in Mr. Lee's condition?" "I believe it can, Doctor. Traditional medicine often holds great wisdom.