*****A small group remained after everyone else had left unhappily, and seeing these people, Augustus, who was still reveling in his and his family’s triumph, turned to them with a curious smile.“You have something for me?”The guards hesitated, a flicker of unease flashing across their faces before finally, they mustered their courage and then…“We…”The hesitation did not go unnoticed.“We have combed every corner of the city, as per your orders, sir, in search of Hunter.” One of them spoke, at last, his voice carrying a strained edge.Augustus’s eyes narrowed slightly.“Oh?”Lucius and his father both turned their attention fully to the guards, their interest piqued.But as the group remained awkwardly silent, their expressions darkened.“Don’t tell me…” A chill laced Augustus’s voice, his aura beginning to stir once more. “You failed to complete such a simple task?”A suffocating pressure filled the air once again, causing the guards to stiffen in alarm. Their throat

***** A shift in the atmosphere settled over the massive mansion, suffocating and heavy. Xavier’s heart clenched. He hadn’t even stepped into the living room yet, and he could already tell his mother had been deeply affected by those words. And as expected… “You—” Sarah’s voice cracked, the weight of emotion making it tremble. “You must…” But before her words could fully escape, David’s voice cut in abruptly. “So tell me, then, Little Lola. If you enjoy spending time with your grandmother and me so much, why do you keep asking about your uncle?” Xavier immediately understood. His father was trying to shift the conversation, to steer his wife away from another painful breakdown. A knowing smile played on his lips. ‘My father understood my mother better than anyone after all,’ he thought to himself. Shaking his head lightly, he prepared to step into their sight when— "Grandpa, Grandma, Little Lola don’t think you know yet…" Little Lola’s soft voice, fille

*****The following morning.Claannng!The sharp sound of metal hitting metal suddenly echoed through the silent corridor as a heavily armored soldier slid the rusted iron bolt aside.He unlocked the cell door with a lazy flick of his wrist, the hinges screeching in protest. Then his cold, pitiless eyes peered into the suffocating darkness within, where the air was thick with the stench of sweat, filth, and something far worse—despair.“You can leave,” he spat, his voice dripping with contempt.The cell was pitch black, an abyss so consuming that even the faintest shapes were swallowed whole.At a glance, it seemed abandoned, as if no living soul had ever occupied it. But the soldier wasn’t deceived. He didn’t move, didn’t rush. Instead, he remained at the threshold, arms crossed, waiting.Seconds passed, yet no response. And realizing this, his lips twisted into a smirk.“No movement? Hah. It seems you two enjoyed the special treatment I arranged for you. Perhaps another day

*****“I’m curious…” Victor muttered suddenly, glancing at Jennifer after hearing her words. “How did he make that soldier obey him like that? It wasn’t just respect—it was absolute deference. Could it be… he has an identity you don’t know about?”“This…”Jennifer faltered.She had been so blinded by hatred just now that she hadn’t considered it. But now…She recalled the soldier’s words, his tone, the way he had bowed his head.Her brows furrowed, and for the first time, uncertainty flickered in her gaze.But then, as if crushing the thought beneath her heel, she let out a scornful laugh.“You think that useless loser is anything special?”Victor didn’t answer, but his hesitation spoke volumes.Jennifer sneered at this. “You… You actually thought that nobody was someone important? What a joke!”Her laughter grew louder, and harsher until it turned into something bordering on hysteria.She laughed until her sides ached until tears pricked her eyes—not from sadness, but fro

*****It wasn’t long before they arrived at a bank, and as soon as Xavier stepped inside it, he was greeted by a sight that made his brows lift in mild surprise.The place was packed.Long, winding queues stretched across the entire hall, snaking their way to the very back, as though every single person in the city had chosen this exact morning to make a withdrawal.‘Wow.’His eyes swept over the seemingly endless lines of people, amusement flickering across his features.‘What in the world? Are they handing out free money today, or does everyone just happen to be in dire need of cash at the exact same time?’…….At this very moment, Xavier stood motionless, his gaze fixed on the seemingly endless lines stretching across the bank’s interior.A slight frown formed on his face as he scanned the room, his sharp eyes darting from one queue to another, searching—hoping—for the shortest one.Yet, to his dismay, they were all excruciatingly long.The countless air conditioning mac