The next morning, Alex returned to Glenmonte, but instead of heading back to his beachside penthouse, he drove straight to the Rashford Mansion.Felicia was ordering the porters around, ensuring that all their belongings had been picked up and packed safely, while Mrs. Rashford was standing in the hallway, adamantly refusing to leave.“Your late father built this house with his own hands. No one can throw us out like this. I am not going anywhere!” she bawled, wringing her hands in despair. “There must be something we can do about this. We should hire a lawyer and sue the board of directors for betraying us!”“That’s not going to help, mom. We should get moving now,” Felicia replied in a calm voice as she watched the rest of the furniture being loaded onto trolleys.Mrs. Rashford was still howling in the hallway, cursing her wretched luck, when Alex’s footsteps tapped up the granite stairs.Felicia turned around and saw Alex standing in the doorway, dressed in an expensive blue suit pa

Moments after Jennifer Warrington had left, Alex called up Dr. Lucy to inform her of what had just transpired there.“Good afternoon, master. Everything is going well here. We haven’t had any hiccups except for a few nosy locals poking around.”“I am not calling to talk about the orchids. And you don’t need to address me as master anymore. You have become quite a capable doctor yourself. We are equals now,” Alex replied. “You can call me Alex.”Dr. Lucy’s cheeks reddened at his words as her heart skipped a beat.“Alex, it is then,” she mumbled softly, breathing into the phone. “I mean…please let me know how I can help. Is everything okay over there?”“Everything is perfect, Lucy. But I just had an unexpected visitor.”“Who was it?”“Jennifer Warrington,” Alex replied.Even Dr. Lucy was shocked to hear Jennifer Warrington had gone all the way to Glenmonte just to meet Alex.“What business could she possibly have with you?” she asked anxiously.“Nothing too serious,” Alex replied. “She w

Despite the initial ego clashes and bitter exchanges, the picnic ended on a happy note.Jennifer Warrington kept Blake under control and tried her best to present herself as the most amicable host. And when they were ready to leave, she even handed Dr. Lucy a basket filled with homemade cookies and freshly baked bread.“It was lovely to be in your company. I hope we can now finally rest our quarrels,” she added, smiling disarmingly at Alex.“I don’t have any quarrels with you,” Alex replied curtly. “But next time, I want to invite you all over to my new mansion,” he added, looking around.“We will be glad to experience your hospitality, Dr. Verlaine,” Jennifer replied in her honeyed voice.“I am always down for a good meal,” Edgar Warrington chuckled from afar. “These things bring the family closer. After all, there is nothing stronger than blood.”“You are absolutely right,” Jennifer chimed in. “Blood must always look after its own.”Elizabeth, however, didn’t see the bright side of t

Dr. Lucy turned pale, anticipating the worst.The Cindersword plant was an extremely elusive species of fern that grew inside the most dangerous active volcanoes, and Alex hadn’t gone on such a reckless expedition in years.“The Night Market!” She exclaimed, grasping onto the last straw she could think of. “We can find someone who is willing to auction a Cindersword for the right price.”“I don’t think they are going to let me in after I broke all the rules last time,” Alex replied dismissively.But Dr. Lucy still clung to her only hope as best as she could. “I’ll go in your stead!” she urged desperately.Alex looked at her and took her hand in his. “I doubt anyone in Glenmonte has a live Cindersword, and I need a fresh specimen to create a potent antidote. I must go to the volcano. There is no other way.”Dr. Lucy’s shoulders slouched as she heard those words. She could see the look of unyielding resolve on Alex’s face and knew he wasn’t going to listen to anyone.“Take care of Elizab

Alex moved up the narrow path flanked by lava rocks and gravel while the volcano bubbled in the distance, spewing lava around its mouth in short, sporadic bursts.With the heavy sulfurous fumes choking the skies, the oxygen level dropped significantly, making it difficult to breathe through the mask.Trudging along at a snail’s pace, Alex kept his eyes on the horizon and constantly monitored his smart watch for signs of seismic activity.Fortunately for him, except for the distant rumblings, everything remained quiet.However, with each step, the vibrations became stronger, and he could feel the ground trembling under his boots.Alex had just crossed the gravelly terrain and reached the final stretch of broken chunks of igneous rocks covered in ash when the volcano erupted without warning, blowing out its rocky top.“Crap!”Hearing the blast, Alex looked up with widened eyes and saw a pillar of black smoke rising from the volcanic crater as it shot out a shower of molten rocks and ash.