Sophia continued, "This man is really my husband. We have our marriage certificate. He's not just a toilet fixer, he works on Total Construction." Sophia’s father approached Alex. "Aren't you Alex, the construction worker of our hotel?" "Yes, Sir," Alex replied. "Isn't a construction worker and a toilet fixer the same thing? Poor labor?" Envira chimed in, unable to wait to deliver one or two blows to lower Sophia’s status within the family. “A lowly human!” "Sophia," the old grandmother said with a lot of anger and hatred. She now held the key to the Deneuve riches, since her husband had become senile. "I don't want to hear something like this anymore. Let's pretend we didn't hear anything. Please, continue with the event.” “And you, toilet fixer, a lowly human, I command you to sign the divorce papers tomorrow. You are not welcome to Deneuve’s. Get out of here!” "Grandmother!" Sophia pledged. The grandmother ignored Sophia and gave Alex a disgusted look. "Why haven't you left
"Alex, stop talking," Sophia suddenly interjected, her tone serious. "Don’t say something you don’t really know. It's embarrassing." "But I am telling the truth, a man must not lie!" Alex replied. "What?" Envira interjected. "Will you next say you are the heir to the king?" "Yes!" Alex replied. Laughter broke out around him, some mocking him openly. "You should become a clown instead of a toilet fixer! You are so funny." "If the royal family heard this, you would be facing a death penalty," mocked Miranda Deneuve. “Even a clown knows the boundaries of joking, but this man has none. He will bring us all to our deaths soon.” "Sister-in-law," Miranda Deneuve disgustingly addressed Sophia’s mother, "How did you raise your daughter to end up with such a lowly man? Did you instill your low standards in her? You will tarnish the Deneuve name! Quickly, tell your daughter to kneel in front of my mother for her disgraceful acts!" "Sophia, please just divorce him. He is making a clown of
Under the luxury chandeliers of the Deneuve mansion, and heavy atmosphere, Grandma Deneuve glared at Sophia, her eyes seething with deep anger. “Listen up, everyone. I am the DENEUVE!” With a swift motion, she raised her stick and struck the marble floor, resonating a loud echo throughout the room. “Anything you do to tarnish the Deneuve’s name, making it the laughingstock of people, is akin to a slap on my face!" "For you, Sophia, I will take back everything you have gained from Deneuve until your divorce with this lowlife!" she continued vehemently. "Effective immediately, you are no longer the CEO of Deneuve Hotels!" Grandma Deneuve had appointed Sophia, the goddess of Blackwood, as the CEO of the Deneuve business to increase her market value. Many wealthy heirs had already approached her, bearing luxurious gifts. Yet, in her pursuit of the highest bidder for Sophia, she failed to notice a lowly thief who, appearing out of nowhere, captured her granddaughter's heart. That jerk
Under the night sky, behind the road that was just lit by a streetlamp, and a cold wind blows.Sophia’s father frustratingly yelled into the phone. “You are my best friend! How can you refuse to lend me $100,000? Whenever you needed my help, I was always there for you. I'm not asking for a million, just $100,000.”Sophia, Alex, and her mother looked at Tommy, as he argued over the phone.“What? My big brother Andrew called you? I’ve been kicked out of the family? Can’t pay you later? Damn you!” He slammed his phone shut and turned his pale faces to Sophia and his wife.“They’ve called everyone, telling them not to give us any loans.”Sophia’s mother turned to her daughter, blaming her. "See what you have done to us? Divorce this man so we can get everything back! Why must you be so stubborn? Look, we end up on the street, homeless! Because of you."Sophia's head was low.Alex stopped a taxi and yelled to them, “Let's not fight on the road. Let’s get out of here first. We can figure ev
In the luxury penthouse, Sophia and Alex entered the bedroom together, under the watchful eyes of Sophia's parents.Inside the bedroom, Alex gestured towards the connecting door and said, "I will sleep in the next room."Sophia's face turned red, and she nodded. She had thought they would sleep together, and this reminded her of the morning's events.In his own bedroom, Alex activated his device and made a call to Howard."Sir, it's Alex. How can I help you?""Sorry for bothering you late at night.""No worries, I'm still at the office," Howard responded."Sophia Deneuve, the former CEO of Deneuve. Please send her an invitation to work as the General Manager at Total Construction Blackwood."Howard checked the main system, "Yes, Sir. Sophia Deneuve has all the qualifications to be a General Manager. What about the salary?""Give her twice the Luster’s last salary," Alex instructed."I will do it, Sir."Alex ended the connection with Howard and proceeded to call Lavinia, his personal a
Alex and Sophia exited the elevator and headed toward the lobby. As Sophia veered off, Alex called out to her, "Where are you going?""To the outside.""Your car is on the ground floor," Alex said, guiding Sophia towards the parking lot.They walked past the special parking area reserved for penthouse residents, which was different from the spaces allocated to other apartment residents.Alex led her to a stunning $10 million sports car. Originally a wedding anniversary gift for Merly, the car had unexpectedly become Sophia’s."Whose car is this?" Sophia stunned. She knew nobody at Blackwood had such an expensive car."It's the company car for the General Manager of Total Construction. So it's yours now," Alex replied with a smile. "Can you give me a lift to the office?"As they drove the sports car out of the luxury apartment building, it captured everyone's attention. The car, a newest and limited edition model, even prompted passersby to start taking pictures as it halted at a red l
At the Total Construction office, Sophia Deneuve was working hard.At first, she feared that some of the senior managers might look for her mistakes, trying to halt her progress to express their dissatisfaction.Usually, the general manager was promoted from among the longstanding senior managers, but with an outsider like Sophia taking the top position, she anticipated resistance.Contrary to her expectations, however, the team was unexpectedly accommodating. When she asked for one thing, they eagerly did ten, seemingly afraid to fall out of her favor.At lunchtime, Alex knocked on her office door and entered with a beaming smile. "My wife, I brought our lunch," he announced cheerfully."Alex," Sophia startled, "there’s no need for this. People will talk badly about us. You know I'm new here. What if the workers start gossiping?""Lucas!" Alex called out to Lucas, the most senior manager, who hurried over to Alex’s side."Yes, Sir Alex.""My wife works very hard. I will come to bring
"Did you instruct Luster to drug Sophia before?" Alex inquired sharply, observing every twitch and shift in Preston's expression."Who is Luster?" Preston appeared genuinely confused, suggesting he might not be involved.“Preston!” Envira called out, walking toward him with visitor passes in her hand. "We have secured our passes."Turning her attention to Alex, Envira scrutinized him. "Aren’t you cheap goddess Sophia‘s husband, that toilet fixer? What are you stopping my fiancé for?""Your good fiancé is going to pay me a million dollars to make my wife sleep with him," Alex retorted."What?" Envira looked at Preston angrily. "Did you say that?""You scoundrel! How dare you twist your words like that?" Preston yelled angrily. "I offered you a job as a janitor out of kindness, and yet you offer your wife for a million dollar per night!""What!?" Envira exclaimed, shocked. “He sold Sophia!”"Yes, and I told him, 'I love Envira more than anything; I would never betray her!" Preston lied
“This isn’t over yet!” Brian snapped, turning back to his exam, trying his hardest to pass it.Alex laughed and turned to the Alchemy Master.“Can I use one of the alchemy room now? I need to make a potion for my friend.”Mitchell Hunt, the alchemy master shocked and chatted with Alex for a while and quickly realized that Alex wasn’t just skilled in the theories of alchemy—he was also familiar with actual refinement processes.Monstrous!Mitchell had spent decades in alchemy, only reaching the Alchemy Master level at fifty years old.Thinking about Alex’s age made him feel both impressed and embarrassed.It was frustrating! How old was Alex? Yet his knowledge was already on par with seasoned masters.It was proof that knowledge didn’t always come with age.“Sure,” Mitchell said finally, “I’ll let you use my alchemy room. You can use any ingredient inside. If something’s missing, you can ask my assistant.”“Here, take this card—it’ll grant you access, and I’ll inform my assistant. Mean
"Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll become a Master today," Brian said, shaking his head in disgust."You’d be better off running home and nursing at your mother’s breast."Alex responded with a nonchalant shrug. "We’ll see about that," he said softly."And when I prove you wrong, I’ll treat you as my proper servant."With those quiet, confident words, Alex turned and walked toward the examination chamber, leaving Brian seething in his wake.Brian glared at the boy’s retreating back, his mind spinning with disbelief.How dare this arrogant whelp even consider taking such a demanding exam?Shaking his head, Brian stepped into the assigned room, bitter resentment burning hot in his chest.Inside the testing chamber, Alex approached the Alchemy Master presiding over the exam.The old man’s face was stern, his gaze appraising as he studied the young stranger who dared to set foot here.He looked utterly perplexed. A boy? In the Master-level exam room?"Are you lost, lad?" the Alchem
Walking down a corridor lit by soft, enchanted lamp, Alex followed the attendant who had greeted him in the lobby.His thoughts drifted to the fallen Alchemist Association.He recalled how, in recent years, so many gifted minds had abandoned alchemy for the sword and spear, leaving a generation barely touched by the old art’s wisdom.In his previous life, he had witnessed the Alchemist Association’s last stand during the siege of Miracle City.They had given everything, each member perishing in the final defense.At least, he had no reason to doubt their honor; the Bolton Family’s hand had never tainted the alchemists’ good name.His guide, a sharp-eyed young woman named Lanny, studied him with open skepticism.“You’re here to take the apprentice examination, right? I hope you’ve prepared. Anyone worth their salt knows at least five foundational tomes by heart.”Alex almost laughed as he pictured one of those massive texts.It had been thick enough to topple a grown man if hurled with
In a split second, Alex pulled the gun from his pocket and fired at the attacker.It was an ancient technology, long lost to time, and only a handful of people still owned it.The other attackers froze, their eyes wide as they watched their leader—a silver rank—fly back nearly ten meters from the force of the laser shot.Smoke rose from his chest, where a searing burn now marred his flesh.The top silver rank was dead by one shot.The remaining four glanced at each other, panic spreading across their faces.They nodded in silent agreement and suddenly turned to flee.What was supposed to be an easy job—killing a bronze-ranked kid—had turned into a nightmare.That same kid had just taken down their leader, the strongest among them, with a single shot.They were only early silver rank—staying would mean certain death.Running was their only choice.As they bolted, Alex didn’t hesitate. He fired again.A beam of light sliced through the air, and one of the fleeing attackers collapsed to
Scarlet and Cassandra had fought twice before, and both times ended in a dead heat.This was now their third match, and even though Scarlet was a senior, with Cassandra had gained new strength, the outcome looked much the same.Neither girl would back down, neither would concede defeat.Their rivalry had ignited the very first time Scarlet flaunted her affection for Alex, and Cassandra had stepped in with a warning.Scarlet ignored it, and from that day on, the two had fought for reasons that went well beyond pride.Yet, there was something else about their fights—something that drew onlookers from every corner of the academy.The pair of goddesses remained completely unaware of the chaos they unleashed every time they clashed.They crashed into walls, toppled statues, and kicked up dust storms in the courtyards. And the students loved every second of it.They lined up, whispering and joking, placing bets as if watching a grand tournament.On this particular day, as Scarlet and Cassan
Previously, Alex and Sofie were on the truck, heading back to the city, when Renault contacted them.“Sofie, Alex! Thank God you’re safe! We’ve been searching everywhere for you,” Renault’s voice crackled through the communicator.Alex smiled, knowing Renault felt truly safe was knowing the princess was unharmed.His whole family could land in prison if anything happened to her.“We’re okay!” Alex replied straightforwardly.“But you guys need to hurry and get the stuff—then leave quickly!”“Why?” Renault asked, a note of worry in his tone.“I ran into some outlaws,” Alex explained.“They’re hunting for nobles. They’ll try to steal everything and might even kidnap all of you for ransom!”Renault’s breath hitched on the other end, clearly caught off guard.If the outlaws found them, it would be catastrophic.But Alex’s warning gave them an edge—if they knew trouble was coming, they could set traps and prepare an ambush.“Thank you, Alex. I’ll make sure you’re rewarded later.”“No need,”
Jareth furiously raised his head and glared at Renault.“What?” Renault snapped back, his eyes narrowing.“Don’t think I won’t destroy your entire family if you keep trying to harm Alex and Sofie!”The tension crackled between them. Renault’s voice was like ice, sharp and cutting, and his presence felt larger, as though he were towering over Jareth.Renault’s anger simmered just beneath the surface. Sofie was a princess of Miracle City, and if anyone dared to suspect her or interfere with her gains from the expedition, they’d answer to him.Perhaps even the King himself would inspect their family treasures tomorrow.How dare Jareth think he could threaten his family?For the first time, Jareth saw Renault this angry, making his own rage falter.He took a step back, feeling the weight of Renault’s family name.Renault was a member of the major DuPont family, a direct descendant, no less. They could crush his entire lineage with a mere word.Jareth clenched his fists but dropped his gaz
"Shut up, Jareth!" Scarlet's voice cracked with anger as she glared at him."This is the truth!" Jareth retorted coldly, his laughter mocking."His corpse has probably been devoured by beasts. You can't change what's already a fact!"Alex had swallowed his Mana Force, filling him with hatred.He had robbed him of years of painstaking effort. If Alex wasn't already dead, Jareth swore he'd kill him with his own hands."Get lost!" Scarlet snapped, fury radiating from her. "If you don't leave now, don't blame me for being rude!"Jareth opened his mouth to retort, but Renault interrupted, his voice edged with warning. "You'd better listen to her, Jareth."Regret gnawed at Renault's chest.He should have prioritized Sofie. Guilt weighed heavily as he prayed for her safety. Listening to Jareth's venomous remarks only deepened the bitterness in his heart.Jareth smirked, shrugged, and moved aside, his defiance lingering in the air.The group was down to just twenty-one people now. Some had al
Her indignation wavered as she realized he was only trying to help her.But that also meant Alex had seen her entire body while treating her injuries.Embarrassment gnawed at her, her cheeks flushing deeply."Thank you," she whispered, her eyes dropping to the floor.An awkward silence settled between them. Gathering her courage, Sofie finally asked, "Alex, do you... like me?"Alex knew that once he'd confided his feelings to his twenty-one commoner friends, the whole academy would soon find out.He looked at her earnestly."You are more precious to me than all the treasures on this earth. Your beauty shines brighter than any jewel."He took a deep breath and continued, "I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride."Her heart skipped a beat at his heartfelt confession. Though part of her had suspected his feelings, hearing him say it so directly left her flustered.Taking a steadying breath, she said, "We're still young. We don'