After the door closed and their footsteps faded down the hallway, silence slowly filled the room. Only the quiet ticking of the wall clock remained, as if even time itself was holding its breath.Kael stood next to Evelyne, his eyes still on the door, making sure no one was coming back. After a few seconds, he turned to look at her—with a softer gaze than usual.“Thank you,” he said quietly. “It means a lot that you stood by me just now.”Evelyne looked at Kael, her eyes sharp but not completely cold.“I did it because of my grandfather’s will,” she replied flatly. “Nothing more.”Kael didn’t react. He just held her gaze in silence.“I respect my grandfather more than anyone in this world,” Evelyne continued. “That’s the only reason I stood beside you. So don’t get the wrong idea, Kael.”She took a step away from him. “But I do want to know… why did you provoke Vincent?”Kael stayed quiet, waiting for her to finish her question.Evelyne stared straight into his eyes. “Do you even know

The night sky hung quietly over the city, scattered with the twinkling lights of skyscrapers. Among all those majestic buildings, only one towered above the rest with unmistakable arrogance: Albrecht Tower. Its glass façade reflected the night in dazzling luxury, like a crystal palace from the future.A sleek coupe rolled to a stop at the main entrance. From inside, Bella Laurent stepped out gracefully. Her black velvet dress hugged her figure just right—elegant without trying too hard—while a pair of small diamond earrings caught the light with every subtle movement.The lobby staff bowed without a word, and within seconds, Bella was being whisked up in a private elevator—straight to the 51st floor.The elevator doors opened with a soft whoosh. Before her stretched a quiet corridor, lined with gray carpeting and lit by minimalist pendant lights. At the far end stood two men in black suits with earpieces—no greetings, just a quick facial scan before the doors behind them slid open aut

Pale Raven didn’t respond. But his eyes narrowed slightly. There was a strange pressure in the air—like he was the one being judged.Kael stood up. His posture was firm, and his expression had turned completely serious. There was no trace of the “useless son-in-law” in his eyes. What now stood before Raven was someone entirely different from what Hector had described."Everyone wants me dead, but only a few are dumb enough to try it directly. And just so you know, none of them survived," Kael said mockingly.In the next moment, the room seemed colder. Not because of any spell—but because of presence, dominance, the raw aura of a man who had always been treated like trash.That was when Pale Raven realized one terrifying truth: Kael might be the toughest opponent he’d ever faced in his entire career.He stayed silent. His mind began recalculating. The original plan—faking a suicide note, maybe even forcing Kael to write one—was impossible now.This man... wasn’t someone who could be ta

Luxury Bar in Downtown – 10:03 PMThe crystal chandelier cast a soft glow across the exclusive room. Gentle jazz music flowed from the corner, blending with the sound of clinking glasses and small, triumphant laughter.In the middle of the luxurious lounge, the Laurent family sat around a round table. Hector wore an elegant gray suit, leaning back casually with a lit cigarette between his fingers. Beside him, Mariana sipped her cocktail while admiring her freshly painted nails. Grace looked unusually calm, and even Agatha—tonight—smiled more often than usual.At the center of the table, a half-empty bottle of expensive wine marked how successful the night felt to them."Are you sure he's going to die?" Grace asked, glancing at Hector. Her voice was soft, but laced with hope.Hector grinned. “Pale Raven never fails. If he says ‘no need to worry’... then Kael is already history.”Mariana scoffed. “Finally, we’re free of that disgusting parasite. He’s clung to us like a leech for far too

Half an hour later, Kael’s phone buzzed faintly in his pocket. A small vibration—carrying a heavy weight.One message. Labeled: "PRIORITY 9 – Gold Level".From: Grand Elder Vale."CCTV footage from the area around the scene has been recovered. Most of it was professionally wiped, but we managed to restore it through the regional monitoring system. The footage shows six masked men bringing Bella’s car to the scene and destroying it there. Bella did nothing during the entire process, which suggests she was already dead before that. They were highly trained—military precision and efficiency. We traced their physical traits and movement patterns. One of them is a former mercenary now working under Thorne—Vincent’s personal aide. The trail leads directly to Vincent Albrecht. Operational funds for that team were traced back to one of his company accounts."Kael closed the message slowly, his posture straightening.A shadow passed through his eyes. His gaze sharpened to a razor’s edge, fists