All Chapters of Once Downtrodden; Now Divine: Chapter 371
- Chapter 380
488 chapters
Chapter 372
Ivy stood frozen at the bedroom entrance. For one long, terrifying moment, her mind refused to process what she was seeing. Five strangers dressed entirely in dark clothing surrounded Donald. The bedroom, which had been peaceful only minutes earlier, had transformed into a scene that felt like something out of a nightmare. Moonlight streamed through the curtains, casting long shadows across the floor. The silence in the room felt suffocating. Her hands immediately began to tremble. Her heart pounded so violently that she could hear it in her ears. "W-Who are you people?" Her voice shook uncontrollably. None of the men answered. Not one of them even turned to acknowledge her question. They remained focused on Donald. Ivy looked from one unfamiliar face to another. Each wore dark gloves. Each stood with quiet confidence. None of them looked frightened. Instead, they appeared completely in control. Her breathing became uneven. "When..." She swallowed hard. "...when di
Chapter 373
Donald lay motionless on the bedroom floor. His breathing had become shallow. Every breath seemed to require tremendous effort. His shirt was stained with dust from the struggle, and one side of his face had already begun to swell. Ivy stared at him in horror. "No..." She shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, no..." Her legs trembled so badly that she could barely remain standing. The intruders slowly advanced again. Their footsteps echoed through the bedroom. To them, Donald no longer looked like the confident man who had laughed at their arrival. He looked exhausted. One of the men smirked. "So this is how it ends." Another cracked his knuckles. "I expected a bigger challenge." The leader folded his arms. "He lasted longer than most." Donald tried to push himself up. His hands slipped against the polished floor. His strength was failing. Ivy's heart raced uncontrollably. She had never seen Donald in such a vulnerable condition. Ever since she had known him, he h
Chapter 374
The piercing sound of the security alarm still echoed throughout the mansion when the first emergency responders arrived. Red and blue lights flashed across the walls of the compound. The front gate had already been opened by the home's automated security system, allowing the ambulance to drive in without delay. Two paramedics jumped out, each carrying emergency medical equipment. Another followed with a stretcher. Ivy rushed downstairs the moment she heard the vehicle stop outside. "Please!" She waved frantically. "Upstairs!" "My husband is upstairs!" The paramedics wasted no time. They hurried into the mansion and followed Ivy to the bedroom. The room still bore signs of the violent struggle. Furniture had been pushed out of place. The blanket had fallen onto the floor. Donald's breathing was faint. One of the paramedics immediately knelt beside him. "Sir, can you hear me?" Donald barely opened his eyes. The medic turned to his colleague. "Pulse is present." "Let
Chapter 375
Donald's fingers tightened slightly around the phone. The unfamiliar number still glowed on the screen. He had expected another threat. Instead, a calm, elderly voice greeted him. "Good afternoon. Am I speaking with Mr. Donald Smith?" Donald frowned. "Yes. Who is this?" "My name is Alfred." There was a brief pause before the man continued. "I serve as the personal butler to your father." Donald froze. For several seconds, he said nothing. His father? The words sounded unreal. Finally, he spoke. "I think you've called the wrong person." "I'm afraid I haven't." The butler's tone remained respectful. "Young Master, your father has been searching for you for many years." Donald slowly stood from the sofa. Ivy immediately noticed the sudden change in his expression. "What's wrong?" she mouthed silently. Donald raised one finger, asking her to wait. He returned his attention to the call. "My father has been searching for me?" "Yes, sir." Donald gave a short, bitter
Chapter 376
Donald remained standing at the entrance of his mansion, staring at the elderly butler. Behind Alfred, the two luxurious black vehicles gleamed beneath the afternoon sun. Several security personnel stood quietly nearby, maintaining a respectful distance. Everything about the scene radiated wealth, discipline, and influence. Donald still found it difficult to believe. After years of searching for his father... After years of unanswered questions... The answer had suddenly arrived at his doorstep. Alfred smiled politely. "Mr. Donald." "Your father has waited many years for this reunion." "If you are ready, we should leave." Donald nodded slowly. "I'm still trying to process everything." "I understand." Just then... The front door of the mansion swung open. Ivy hurried outside. She had remained inside for only a moment to collect Donald's jacket, but by the time she returned, she was greeted by an unbelievable sight. Two expensive luxury vehicles stood in the driveway.
Chapter 377
Richard kept both hands on Donald's shoulders. His eyes remained moist. For years, he had imagined this moment. He had rehearsed countless apologies in his mind, yet now that his son stood before him, none of them seemed enough. "I'm sorry, Donald," Richard repeated quietly. "No matter how many times I say it, I know it cannot make up for the years we lost." Donald looked at the aging man before him. The resentment he had carried for so many years was still there, but seeing the guilt in his father's eyes made it difficult to remain angry. He thought about his childhood. He remembered the good times they had shared before fate separated them. He also remembered the countless nights he had wished his father would somehow appear again. Now that wish had finally come true. Donald let out a long breath. "I won't pretend that everything is suddenly fine." Richard lowered his head. "I understand." "I was hurt." "I searched for you." "I blamed you." Richard nodded silently.
Chapter 378
As Donald opened the box, Richard's words echoed in his mind. "It contains a certain power... one you will discover yourself." At the time, Donald had assumed his father was speaking symbolically. Perhaps the heirloom represented wisdom. Perhaps it was simply a treasured family tradition. Now, standing alone inside his bedroom, curiosity finally got the better of him. The room was quiet. Ivy had gone downstairs to prepare dinner, giving Donald time to gather his thoughts. He gently placed the carved wooden box on his desk. For a long moment, he simply stared at it. The carvings decorating the lid seemed strangely intricate. There were symbols he had never seen before. They resembled ancient writing, yet somehow different from any language he recognized. Donald slowly reached forward. Click. The lid opened. Inside rested the same three objects. The smooth shining stone. The elegant golden necklace. And... The brilliant diamond. Even beneath the ordinary bedroom ligh
Chapter 379
Across the city, inside an abandoned warehouse that served as a temporary hideout, several men sat nursing bruises and cuts from previous encounters. The atmosphere was unusually tense. No one spoke for several minutes. They were waiting. At exactly seven o'clock that evening, the large metal door slid open. Two men walked inside. The first was Adrian. He wore an expensive tailored suit, his expression cold and unreadable. Walking beside him was Jason, Jane's boyfriend, whose interest in Donald had grown after hearing how many gangs had failed to subdue him. Both men stopped in front of the gang members. The leader of the gang immediately stood. "Mr. Adrian." Adrian folded his arms. "Sit." The man obeyed. Adrian's eyes swept across the room. Several of the gangsters still had visible injuries. One man's arm remained bandaged. Another limped slightly. Jason looked at them and shook his head. "You certainly don't look like men who completed a successful assignment."
Chapter 380
It was a quiet Saturday night. A cool breeze drifted through the trees surrounding Donald's mansion, causing the leaves to rustle softly in the darkness. The neighborhood was unusually peaceful, with only the occasional chirping of crickets breaking the silence. Inside the mansion, everything appeared calm. The lights in most of the rooms had already been switched off, and the household staff had long since retired for the night. The entire residence was wrapped in silence. Inside the master bedroom, Donald and Ivy had gone to bed earlier than usual after an unusually demanding week. The past several days had been exhausting. Donald had spent countless hours dealing with company matters before visiting the hospital and attending to other responsibilities, while Ivy had also been emotionally drained. Neither of them had stayed awake very long after lying down. The bedside lamp had been turned off hours earlier. Only the pale glow of the moon filtered through the curtains, casti
Chapter 381
Ivy's heart pounded violently. For one frozen moment, she simply stared at the four men standing around their bedroom. Moonlight streamed through the curtains, casting long shadows across the room. The broken bedroom door hung crookedly from its hinges. The air itself seemed filled with danger. Donald stood several feet away from the bed, facing the intruders calmly. The gangsters looked relaxed. Almost amused. Ivy, however, was terrified. The memory of the previous attack came rushing back. She remembered Donald lying helplessly on the floor. She remembered the blood. She remembered his labored breathing. She remembered believing she had lost him forever. "No..." She whispered under her breath. "Not again." Her breathing became uneven. She knew these men had not come to negotiate. They had come to kill. Suddenly, an idea flashed through her mind. The security alarm. Last time... That had been what saved them. The terrifying sirens. The simulated dog barks. Th