Kai was jolted awake by the sharp buzz of his phone. His eyes cracked open, vision adjusting to the familiar ceiling of his penthouse as the ringtone continued. He grabbed the phone from the nightstand and swiped to answer.“Hello?” His voice was rough.“Kai!” Abigail’s excited voice burst through the speaker, bright and full of energy.“You’re finally up! There’s this woman I admire so much, like, she's literally my role model, a legend and she’s arriving in the country today! I want to meet her and if luck's on my side, get her contact and I was wondering... are you free to accompany me?”Kai sat up slowly, rubbing his temple. He glanced at the clock on the wall and paused.It was almost noon.“I must’ve slept in,” he muttered, almost to himself. “Yeah, sure. Send me your location. I’ll come get you.”Abigail squealed softly on the other end. “You’re the best, Kai. Sending it now!”The call ended, and Kai slumped back onto the pillow for a second.Then his stomach let out a long, fr

The sharp crack of gunfire tore through the terminal, and the peaceful airport lobby collapsed into chaos.Passengers screamed, tripping over one another as they scrambled for cover. Bags were abandoned. Phones dropped. Security alarms blared overhead, adding to the confusion.Abigail’s hands clutched tightly onto Kai’s sleeve, her eyes wide, body shaking. “K-Kai…”“Stay down,” Kai ordered firmly, pulling her quickly behind a line of overturned luggage carts near the sidewall. He crouched with her, shielding her body as another round of shots echoed from the far end.“I… I don’t want you to leave me!” Abigail’s voice cracked. She held onto him, refusing to let go.Kai’s gaze softened just a little. He placed one steady hand over hers. “I’ll be back,” he said calmly. “I promise, just stay here and be safe, please. I'll be back soon.”But his eyes told a different story...focused, sharp, dangerous.Reluctantly, Abigail released her grip, her throat tight with panic as Kai rose smoothly

The airport terminal buzzed with flashing red and blue lights, the sharp wails of sirens still on. Reporters pushed their microphones forward, cameras rolling as they tried to catch every angle of the scene. Passengers huddled behind barricades, some crying, others shaking, still trying to process what had just happened.Police officers moved swiftly, cuffing the remaining gangsters, forcing them to their knees, weapons scattered across the floor. Medical teams worked in clusters, tending to the wounded, calming frightened civilians.The air was heavy with the smell of gunpowder, blood and sweat.Ella stood near the secured zone, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, trying to hold onto her composure. Her sharp features remained calm, but her eyes betrayed the storm within. She was surrounded by a ring of security, airport officials, and media personnel pushing closer, trying to snap pictures, asking questions she wasn’t ready to answer.“Miss Ella! How do you feel about the attack

The sun dipped low over Cresthaven, casting long shadows across the city streets as Kai drove through the quieter outskirts of town. His mind wasn’t on the road.It was on Abigail.He had tried calling her again.No answer.His jaw tightened slightly, knuckles flexing around the steering wheel. His instincts told him she was safe...at least physically but upset. Angry. And for the life of him, he couldn’t understand why. What exactly had he done wrong?“She could’ve just yelled at me right there…” he muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing at the thought. “But no, she had to storm off.”Kai exhaled, forcing himself to calm down, though the knot in his chest wouldn’t ease.“Women,” he sighed. “Can’t they just say what they’re pissed about?”As the car glided down the near-empty stretch of road, something pricked at the back of his neck. His eyes sharpened.Ahead, three sleek black luxury cars, Bentley Mulsannes, swerved out from a side street, forming a blockade across the road.Kai’

The heavy silence that filled the room finally broke when Emily, still catching her breath and feeling the energy course freely through her veins, turned toward Kai. Her gaze, once filled with skepticism, now softened into pure gratitude.“I owe you my life,” she said sincerely, bowing her head just slightly, a rare gesture from someone of her status. “Anything you want, name it. Money, property, shares, rare gems… whatever it is, it’s yours.”The room stirred again, her relatives exchanging glances, nodding, almost certain that this strange man would finally cash in on such a golden offer.But Kai?Kai simply leaned back against the edge of the polished antique table behind him, arms crossed loosely over his chest, his expression calm, almost bored.“I’m not interested in your money,” his voice came cool and steady. “I just want the scroll you promised. The Fragmented Scroll of the Celestial Gods.”A collective gasp rippled through the room.“What?!”“Is he insane?”“That useless anc