The Reign of Zane Gardner

Chapter 5 - Incident in the Charity Event

Zane settled into the plush chair situated directly in front of the dazzling stage, eagerly anticipating the start of the show.

As Charles greeted Zane, presenting him to the crowd, a buzz of whispers suddenly spread through the audience in a wave of curiosity about the mysterious newcomer. People were agog to learn more about Zane. His presence seemed to kindle a flame of interest in everyone present.

Charles was an extraordinary individual; he was the wealthiest person in Sunhaven City and one of the richest in the nation. His immense fortune and prominent position had garnered him an immense amount of admiration and recognition among his peers and rivals.

After greeting Zane, Charles walked confidently towards the sofa on the stage, accompanied closely by the young woman of twenty-five, Claire - his granddaughter.

Her presence commanded attention; her form-fitting red dress clung to her curves in an alluring manner, her luminous alabaster skin illuminated by the contrasting hue. Her long, straight blonde hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, emphasizing her delicate yet defined neck that was adorned with a sparkling diamond necklace. 

Claire Scott, the sole granddaughter and heir to Charles' vast business empire. She was a shining example of beauty and brains, a formidable force to be reckoned with in the corporate world.

Claire's air of confidence and power commanded respect and admiration, and it was clear from her every move that she was much more than just a pretty face.

Whispers and sighs of admiration filled the air as everyone saw him. Her beauty and grace seemed to have captivated everyone and some even declared her to be an ethereal being from another realm.

"Look at Ms. Claire, she is so beautiful and graceful. Not to mention, her intelligence," One of the participants exclaimed in awe, unable to contain their admiration.

"Oh my... where did such an amazing creature come from?" Another person chimed in, their eyes glued to her every move.

"I don't think she is human, she is like an angel, her beauty is extraordinary," A hushed voice murmured in wonder.

“How could she be born so perfect? I would do anything to be with her,” gushed a young man, clearly smitten by Claire's charms.

But amidst all the adoration, there were also envious whispers and selfish thoughts.

"I want her to be my life partner, with my family's wealth, I'm sure one day I can have her," someone said greedily, staring at Claire with calculating eyes.

Zane was surrounded by chatter, his focus solely on Claire.

He quietly wondered to himself, "Could she be the Claire that Cecilia spoke of? Cecilia had said I should make an effort to get to know this woman."

He now realized why Cecilia had been so insistent that Zane should become acquainted with this woman.

Charles and Claire took seats on the couch on the stage, and the host started the evening's festivities.

"Good evening everyone..." The host moved to the center of the stage. “Please join me in giving a warm welcome to Mr. Charles Scott and Ms. Claire Scott.”

“It is an honor to be here for this year's charity event. We are so appreciative of Mr. Scott for organizing the annual charity, as well as for being the event's principal donor.” The host proceeded.

The host's greeting and applause were reciprocated by all the attendees who were in attendance at the event, clapping and cheering in delight.

"Mr. Scott is truly extraordinary," one of the participants commented, "he is always the main donor at every event, and his wealth is unparalleled!"

The host, now having the attention of the crowd, declared, "Okay, we need to be calm before entering the main event tonight. It appears that the time we have been waiting for is upon us. Let us give a warm welcome to Ms. Claire Scott."

The participants responded to the proclamation with a great deal of enthusiasm, and the men in attendance erupted with a thunderous applause.

"Ah, this is the session I've been waiting for," exclaimed a male participant with a chuckle. "For some reason, I'm always excited for this event, even though the welcome session is usually so dull. Ha ha ha!"

"Claire, just you wait," another person chimed in, "you'll soon be mine!"

"Don't be ridiculous!" another participant interjected. "If that were to happen, I'd have to beat you up!"

Rising with the poise of a swan, Claire bowed her head in respect and glided to the center of the stage.

All eyes were drawn to her like moths to a flame, her presence alone demanding attention. Her voice echoed through the room with a clarity and purity that was unmistakable.

When she smiled, the entire room seemed to be filled with a warm, comforting light. It was no surprise that she was hailed as the star of the stage, her charisma and charm captivating everyone in the audience.

“Good evening, my friends,” Claire began, her words cutting through the silence in the room. “Thank you all for coming and taking part in this annual charity event. Without you, this event would not have been possible...”

Zane glanced at Claire and noticed that she appeared to be gazing in his direction. "Is she staring at me?" he pondered, but quickly decided it must have been his imagination.

Suddenly, Zane detected something peculiar about Claire's aura. With his current cultivation, he was able to detect the flow of Qi energy in a person's body. He could see that Claire's Qi energy was fluctuating wildly, and this would definitely cause her great pain, even if medical help was sought.

Unbeknownst to many, as Claire extended her greeting, she softly placed her right hand on her chest a few times while smiling. Her motions were gentle, hoping to conceal the ache that was throbbing inside her chest.

"I hope that through this event, we can inspire and raise awareness of the importance of helping others," she said, her voice ringing with enthusiasm. "I also hope that this event can serve as the beginning of many charitable activities that we can carry out to assist those in need." She finished her speech with a confident smile on her face.

Her words inspired enthusiasm and empathy among all who were present. As she turned and started walking towards the couch, she felt a sudden, unbearable tightness in her chest. It caused her to stagger, and ultimately she fell to the floor.

"Claire!" Charles rushed over to Claire, and her personal assistant followed closely behind.

"Ms. Claire!" Everyone in the room was taken aback, and a wave of fear and panic took over.

“Oh my God, what happened?!” Charles exclaimed as he reached Claire’s side.

The medical personnel quickly administered medicine and a doctor handed her an inhaler to help her get some relief.

The doctor offered to carry her, but she politely declined, “No, I can walk, please just guide me.”

The doctor nodded in agreement and all of Claire’s personal assistants and the medical team followed her closely.

The people in the crowd murmured amongst themselves in hushed tones.

"What happened to her? Is she seriously ill?" one of them inquired.

"Yes, I heard she has been suffering from asthma, and the doctors have been unable to find a cure," another replied.

"What? Are you serious? What kind of disease is that which can't be treated by doctors?"

“So, Ms. Claire has been struggling with a chronic and incurable disease all this time?” someone else exclaimed in disbelief.

“I can’t imagine how painful it must be,” another said, “I feel so sorry for her.”

Though Zane had anticipated Claire's health would be poor, he was still taken aback when he witnessed her collapse.

Having gained the ability to cultivate, Zane was able to observe the flow of Qi within Claire's body. However, he quickly noticed that the Qi was not flowing as it should. There was an apparent dark, stagnant energy swirling around her core, and Zane immediately understood its implications.

"This must be the source of her illness," he thought.

He followed the path of the obstructed energy, searching for its source.

Focusing his attention on Claire's body, Zane noticed a faint wisp of light struggling to break through the darkness. This caused him to contemplate the possibility of manipulating Qi to heal her.

Encouraged by his newfound cultivation abilities, Zane spoke with conviction, "I can cure this disease," he declared confidently. His determination set ablaze, he set off to do exactly that.

Charles motioned to the host to resume the charity event, and the host obliged.

The host said, "Okay, esteemed guests, let's calm down again. Mr. Scott assured us that Ms. Claire is doing well and will make a full recovery."

Someone in the crowd exclaimed to their friend, "But what if something bad happens to her?"

Their friend replied, “I heard Ms. Claire often experiences these, but it usually passes quickly. I'm sure she'll be okay."

“I really hope that's the case,” the first person said with a sigh.

All eyes turned to Zane when he suddenly raised his hand after Charles finished giving his speech.

The host immediately responded, speaking kindly, “Hello, is there anything you want to ask? If so, could you save it for the question and answer session?”

However, Charles raised his hand towards the host, and the host was silent.

“Mr. Gardner,” Charles said. "Say, what do you want to say?"

Nora and Morel were astonished when they heard Charles address Zane by name.

“T-That's impossible, right? Did I hear wrong?” Nora stammered. 

“Let's see, Nora. Maybe Zane works as a waiter at Mr. Scott's place now.” Morel commented.

"Mr. Scott, let me give Ms. Claire some treatment.” Zane said calmly and confidently.

Time seemed to stand still, as everyone processed the words they had just heard.