Chapter 135Director Isabella Reyes had just finished a long meeting when her assistant hurried in.“Director,” she said, lowering her voice, “the Brown family has sent a message.”Isabella’s eyes narrowed slightly.“What kind of message?”“A reminder,” the assistant replied carefully. “They said they will be coming to apologize to the Chairman as scheduled.”Isabella let out a cold laugh.“They’re very eager.”She waved her hand. “Send them a reply. Tell them the Chairman’s schedule has changed.”“Yes, Director.”After the assistant left, Isabella picked up her phone.There was only one person she needed to report this to.She dialed.The call connected quickly.“Director Reyes,” Adrian’s calm voice came from the other end.“The Brown family has sent a reminder,” she said directly. “They’re preparing to come and apologize.”Adrian was silent for a second.Then he said, “Postpone it.”“How long?”“A week.”Isabella understood immediately.“You want to give them time to… prepare themse

Chapter 137The room was quiet—too quiet for a place that belonged to a man who owned half the city’s commercial flow.Aaron sat on the leather couch, one hand resting casually on his knee, the other holding a cup of untouched tea. His posture was relaxed, but anyone who looked closely could see the tension in his shoulders, the faint pallor beneath his healthy complexion.Adrian stood a few steps away, his gaze calm, penetrating.“So,” Adrian said lightly, “you finally decided to come in person.”Aaron smiled. “After coughing blood in a public mall and being told I’d die young, I think I’ve earned that right.”Kai stood near the door, arms crossed, eyes alert.Aaron glanced at him, then back at Adrian. “You don’t seem surprised.”“I’m not,” Adrian replied. “Your condition isn’t sudden. It’s been accumulating for years.”Aaron’s smile faded slightly. “Then she was right.”Adrian didn’t ask who she was.He already knew.“Lie down,” Adrian said, gesturing toward the inner room.Aaron ra

Chapter 139The call didn’t go through.Adrian stared at his phone, the screen glowing faintly in the dim room as the automated tone repeated itself—short, clipped, emotionless.The number you are trying to reach is unavailable.He ended the call and tried again.Once.Twice.Five times.Each attempt ended the same way.No ringing.No delay.No indication that the call was even reaching another device.Just… nothing.Adrian’s brows slowly furrowed.“That’s strange,” he muttered.A disconnected number usually rang once before cutting off. A powered-off phone still pinged the network. Even blocked calls had patterns.This had none.It was as if the number didn’t exist—yet it clearly did.Aaron hadn’t lied. He had personally saved the number, watched Aaron dial it before. The connection had been real.Adrian leaned back slightly, his fingers tapping once against the phone’s edge.“This isn’t normal,” he said quietly.Kai, who stood a few steps away, noticed the shift in Adrian’s aura.“S

Chapter 141 The boutique glowed with soft golden light, glass shelves displaying rows of luxury bags that looked more like art pieces than accessories. Sophia’s steps slowed the moment she walked in, her eyes widening despite herself.“Lucas…” she breathed. “This place—”“I know,” Lucas said, forcing a smile. “You’ve talked about it enough times.”The sales attendants straightened instantly when they recognized him, their smiles professional and eager. Lucas waved them off lightly.“Take your time,” he told Sophia. “Choose whatever you like.”Sophia turned to him, clearly torn between excitement and disbelief. “You don’t have to do this.”“I want to,” he replied quickly. Too quickly.She studied his face for a second, then nodded and moved deeper into the store. Her fingers brushed over fine leather, her expression softening with each step. For a moment, Lucas allowed himself to breathe.If she’s smiling, it’s worth it, he told himself.After a while, Sophia stopped in front of a dis

Chapter 143The night was unnaturally still.Leon stood at the center of an abandoned shrine on the outskirts of the city, a place long forgotten by ordinary people but still remembered by those who walked between worlds. Broken stone pillars surrounded him in a wide circle, their surfaces etched with ancient runes half-eroded by time. Above, the sky was cloudless, the moon hanging low and pale, as if watching.Leon lifted his hand.The air trembled.Invisible waves spread outward, pressing against the veil that separated realms. The ground beneath his feet darkened as symbols ignited one by one, glowing faintly with a cold, bluish light.“Come,” Leon said quietly.The wind howled.Shadows gathered at the edge of the shrine, thickening, twisting, until figures slowly emerged from the darkness. One by one, they stepped forward—three cultivators clad in robes that seemed to absorb light, their faces partially obscured, their presence heavy enough to make the air feel dense.They were th