Evelyne stared at Damian for a long moment. Then, slowly, she set her spoon down on her plate.“You’re right,” she finally said, her voice much calmer. “Maybe I am a little too tense tonight. Too much pressure. Not enough sleep. And I guess… I might’ve let my imagination run wild.”Damian raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by her sudden shift in tone, but he didn’t say anything. He just gave a small nod.Evelyne offered a faint smile—but it didn’t reach her eyes.“But of course, I’ll still look into everything. You know I’m not the type to sit quietly when something feels off, right?”Damian returned her smile. “Of course. That’s your trademark. Stubborn and in control.”“And one more thing,” Evelyne continued, this time locking her gaze on him. “About Kael… I know he’s not better than you. And you’re right, this marriage isn’t built on love.”Damian leaned in, intrigued.“But,” Evelyne went on, “if you’re asking me to leave him just to get your help, I’d rather solve this on my ow

At that moment, Kael finally spoke, shattering the heavy silence."Two minutes... just like I promised."Hearing that, Damian looked at Kael in disbelief.He thought this had to be a nightmare. But no matter how hard he tried to deny it, this was real.The Armand family was gone—completely destroyed, nothing left behind."Who… are you really, Kael?"Kael gave him a mocking smile and replied, "Just for you, I’ll reveal who I really am. A handful of people call me… the Lord of the Sky Dragon Sect."The Sky Dragon Sect?That name had always been nothing more than a whispered legend among the highest elite. It was said to be the true ruler of the world—so powerful they could crush a superpower in under an hour if they wanted to.Their strength was beyond imagination. So unimaginable, in fact, that many believed the sect was nothing more than a myth.But now, the man who just destroyed his entire family… was the leader of that sect?Dammit! What have you done, Damian?!You messed with some

But before the call could connect, the sharp sound of high heels echoed against the marble floors of the Laurent mansion. Evelyne stepped into the living room, her face calm but confused to see everyone frozen in front of the TV screen.“What’s going on?” she asked as she took off her coat. “Why does everyone look… panicked?”Agatha shot up from her seat like she’d been electrocuted. Her eyes were sharp, piercing.“Where is Damian?”Evelyne paused for a moment, frowning. “I’m not sure… I left him alone at the restaurant. He probably already left.”Some of the cousins exchanged uneasy glances. Mariana, still holding her phone, hurried toward Evelyne.“You need to see this right now.”She grabbed Evelyne’s hand and pulled her toward the big TV. A live emergency press conference from Interpol was still airing. On the screen, Benedict Armand’s face was shown clearly—framed by the bold red words: “INTERNATIONAL FUGITIVE.”Evelyne frowned, her eyes widening. “Wait… that’s…”The news ticker

The old man—Thorne—bowed respectfully, waiting for the next order.Vincent glanced at his laptop screen one last time before slowly closing it. He stood and walked toward the large window at the side of the room. The curtains were open, revealing a city gradually falling asleep under dim lights and a thin veil of fog.“Thorne,” he said without turning around, his voice calm but razor-sharp. “Tomorrow morning, arrange a meeting with all the investors and key stakeholders involved in the eastern clean energy project.”Thorne lifted his head slightly. “With all due respect, sir... all the investors? Including the Laurent family?”Vincent nodded slowly. “Yes. Use the downfall of the Armand family as the main reason. Tell them we need to immediately restructure ownership and leadership of the project.”He paused before adding, “Make sure Evelyne Laurent is present. And invite Kael as well.”Thorne raised an eyebrow, eyeing Vincent’s back with slight confusion. “On what grounds should I inv

The elevator stopped with a soft chime, and the doors slid open to reveal a hallway lined with polished dark wood panels. At the far end stood two large doors made of opaque black glass. Corwin stepped forward and opened one of them with a polite bow.“Please, come in. Everyone’s waiting.”Agatha walked in first, head held high and full of confidence, followed by Mariana and Hector. Evelyne came next with a calm but assured stride. And Kael? As always, he strolled in with his hands in his pockets and a relaxed gaze—like he was stepping into a coffee shop chat, not a billion-dollar meeting.The Albrecht Tower’s main conference room was nothing like your typical boardroom. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls offered a sweeping view of the city, which looked tiny from the eightieth floor. Clouds hovered low outside, making it feel as if they were standing above them.A long oval table made of black marble stretched across the room. Around it sat more than a dozen major investors and key figures