It had been a week since Kael crushed Vincent. In that short span of time, a lot had unfolded—some of it just as he expected, and some of it left him raising an eyebrow.Take the Laurents, for instance. They had stopped digging into Bella’s murder—not because they ran out of leads, but because of fear. They figured the enemy they were dealing with this time was too strong, too influential—so much so that it forced Vincent to flee abroad. Their decision was simple: stay put, tighten the family’s security, and wait for Vincent to return.A decision that… frankly, disappointed Kael. They had bits and pieces of the puzzle, yet still couldn’t put them together. Not a single one of them suspected Vincent as the mastermind.In fact, they concluded Vincent had been framed.Was it because Vincent’s name was just too clean in their eyes? Or were they so blinded by the reputation and image he’d built all this time? Pathetic. Annoying, and at the same time… enviable.As for the Marcelli Syndicate

Roland and Clarisse froze for a split second. Then, their laughter broke out almost in unison, followed by a few onlookers chuckling as if they were watching an impromptu comedy show.“Hah! Are you serious?” Roland clutched his stomach, squinting at Kael as though he’d just heard the funniest thing in the world. “You? Donating something worth more than mine? You don’t even have an art collection, let alone a reputation. What are you going to give? That cheap smile of yours?”Clarisse chimed in, her voice soft but dripping with mockery. “Ah, darling, don’t be too harsh on him. He might cry. Maybe what he meant by ‘more valuable’ was… his invisible presence?”Laughter rippled again, a few guests pretending to hide their smiles as they shook their heads.But Kael just looked at them blankly, not moving an inch. “You afraid?” he said quietly, but his tone cut like a blade. That single sentence shut Roland’s laughter down instantly.The mood shifted. People were starting to sense this migh

Richard growled under his breath. The ivory cane in his hand tapped lightly against the marble floor, a slow rhythm like a war drum that had just begun. “Two million? Hmph. That little girl again.” His voice was low, barely audible to those around him.Aurora Lancaster glanced at him, offering a faint, poised smile. “Oh, Richard… you don’t mind, do you? I thought auctions were open to anyone who could afford it.”“Afford it?” Richard snorted, his round face flushed with restrained anger. “You’re everywhere, Lancaster. Every time I set my eyes on something, you show up like a fly on honey. Do you even understand art, or do you just enjoy blocking old men like me?”Aurora rested her chin on her palm, as though listening to a schoolboy whining about homework. “I understand… opportunity. That’s what keeps me exactly where I need to be, Richard.”A low murmur rippled through the crowd. They all knew these two often clashed in the world of high-end antiques and fine art. But what made tonig

Once Roland disappeared from sight, Aurora finally smiled. But this time, it wasn’t the kind of polite, distant smile she usually wore in public—it was genuine, soft, and sweet.She walked gracefully toward Kael and extended her hand. “We haven’t really been formally introduced, have we? I’m Aurora Lancaster. I work in the biotechnology business.”Kael glanced at her hand for a moment, then shook it casually. “Kael,” he replied lightly. “Just a good-for-nothing son-in-law, so… don’t expect too much.”A few guests who overheard that exchanged looks—uncertain whether Kael was being humble or subtly throwing shade back at all the whispers about him.Aurora chuckled softly, her eyes narrowing in a way no one else had probably seen before. “Hmm… if that’s what they think, then they must be blind to not recognize a diamond when it’s right in front of them.”Among them, Evelyne bit her lower lip without realizing it. Her cheeks and ears were turning red.She didn’t know what was worse: the w

The next morning, the sun had just peeked over the Elmridge hills when Roland sat in his private study. A cup of black coffee sat on the desk, long gone cold, while his fingers tapped restlessly against the glass. His phone buzzed nonstop with incoming messages.One message in particular made his eyes narrow. It was from a close friend who had also attended the charity event last night. The message was short: “Kael accepted a job offer from Aurora. He’s going to her house today to paint.”Roland gripped the phone tightly, a cruel smile curling across his lips. Perfect. The universe was practically handing him a second stage.He stood, stepped out of his study, and called over one of his aides. “Gather them. The best ones,” he ordered curtly. “Five will do. I don’t need an army—I need people who get things done… cleanly.”The aide nodded and hurried off without a word.In the main hall, Lionel and Seraphina were already seated, having their breakfast. The aroma of coffee mingled with f