The sun still cast a soft shimmer over the asphalt when Kael stopped his electric bike in front of the tall ivory-painted gates. Aurora Lancaster’s mansion loomed grandly, surrounded by a perfectly manicured garden and a fountain sparkling under the light.A security guard approached with a friendly smile. “Mr. Kael, Miss Lancaster has been expecting you inside. Please, come in.”The ornate iron gates opened slowly, and Kael pedaled leisurely along the driveway lined with neatly arranged maple trees.Inside, the sense of grandeur didn’t fade in the slightest. White marble floors with golden accents, crystal chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling, and the delicate scent of jasmine tea filled the air. Aurora stood there already, wearing a simple cream-colored casual dress, her hair tied halfway up. Yet that simplicity only made her beauty more striking—natural, without excessive polish.“Welcome, Mr. Kael.” Aurora greeted him with a much softer smile than the one she wore the previou

At Villemere General Hospital, Clara hurried down the pale white hallway, her breath ragged. Her footsteps echoed against the mostly empty rows of waiting chairs, accompanied only by the sharp smell of antiseptic and the faint creak of IV machines from nearby rooms. After ending her call with Evelyne, her chest felt a little lighter—like a sliver of hope had just pierced through the darkness that had been closing in on her.But before she could even take a proper breath, a nurse with a worried look rushed toward her.“Miss Marchand! Your mother’s condition is getting worse. The doctor needs you in the ICU, right now!”Clara froze. “W-what? That fast?!” Without waiting for an answer, she bolted after the nurse, pushing past the fatigue that had been clinging to her since last night.The moment the ICU door swung open, the sharp scent of medication hit her. Her mother, Elise Marchand, lay pale on the bed—so pale she almost blended into the pillow behind her. Her breathing was heavy and

In less than half an hour, everything Kael had asked for was ready. Twelve sterile acupuncture needles were carefully arranged on a metal tray beside the bed, next to a small bowl of warm herbal decoction—ginkgo leaves, astragalus root, cinnamon bark, and dried chrysanthemum flowers, all prepared in a rush by the hospital’s pharmacy at the Marchand family’s urgent request.The faint scent of the herbs filled the room—not overpowering, but enough to push back the cold antiseptic smell.Henri, Adrien, and Clara stood a little further back, their eyes fixed on Kael, who had rolled up the sleeves of his hoodie. His hands looked steady and skilled.Evelyne lingered by the door, watching her husband with a mix of awe, worry, and curiosity.Kael drew a slow breath and lit a small heater to sterilize each needle tip one by one. “I’m starting now. Don’t interrupt me for the next ten minutes,” he said without looking up—his voice calm, but carrying a weight that left no room for argument.The a

On the third floor of Rose and Reverie, a stout man in a black suit with a gold chain draped around his neck sat with several of his men. His face gleamed with oil, and his small, sharp eyes glinted like those of a snake.His name was Bruno Salvatierra, the son of the leader of Villemere’s infamous mafia syndicate—Serpiente Negra, the group that controlled the city’s underground trade and high-end prostitution rings.One of his men, a buzz-cut guy, approached him with a look of excitement. “Young Master Bruno, there’s a woman upstairs… incredibly gorgeous. She’s sitting with some guy who doesn’t look like much.”Bruno paused mid-sip, narrowing his eyes. “Gorgeous, huh? In this place?” His lips curled into a sly grin. “You know I have a thing for something special.”“Yes, Young Master. Fair skin, perfect figure, carries herself with such grace. Definitely upper-class. It’d be a waste not to… taste her,” the buzz-cut man replied with a sycophantic tone.Bruno let out a heavy laugh, his

And in the very next second, without warning, Kael moved. In a flash, his body shot forward like a shadow, lunging straight at Bruno with a speed no ordinary eye could follow.Bam!One slap crashed into Bruno’s jaw, sending him reeling. Before he could even react, a second slap landed on his left cheek—swift, precise, and hard enough to make blood spurt from the corner of his mouth.Bruno was stunned. Furious, but also shocked out of his mind. This bastard?! He dared to hit me?!“YOU…!” he roared, lifting his hand to strike back. But Kael was faster—his hand caught Bruno’s wrist and twisted it behind his back with a light pressure—far lighter than what Kael was truly capable of, but enough to make Bruno’s joint feel like it was on fire.“Aaarrghhh!” Bruno howled, his knees nearly buckling.The next slap came, slower than the first, but somehow more painful—like Kael was toying with his pain on purpose. “Relax. I’m not even serious yet,” Kael whispered coldly in his ear.Blow after blo