*****Ironstone City, White Swan Airport… the only international airport in the entire Ironstone.This place was always bustling with crowds, no matter the time of day.But right now, the entire airport felt eerily empty and quiet… almost as if it had been abandoned, with not a single person in sight.Instead, a long security barricade had been erected outside the airport grounds, forcing everyone who had been originally inside to gather there.Passengers, staff, and visitors.The sheer size of the crowd was overwhelming, and the noise they created was both deafening and chaotic.“What’s this nonsense?!”“Wasn’t my plane about to board?!”“Bastards! Do you know who I am?!”“How dare you throw me out here with these peasants just because some so-called VIP is arriving?!”“What audacity! Just because I choose not to use my identity doesn’t mean I’m not a VIP too!”“Damn it! I’ve been to more than a dozen countries, and never… not even once have I heard of an entire airport shutting down

*****Without another word, the woman dragged Nicholas through the bustling city hall like a furious mother dragging her perpetually troublesome child to school after he had already missed morning assembly.Her grip never loosened, even once, and neither did she stop to ask whether he was comfortable.Instead, she moved with incredible urgency, her heels clicking sharply against the polished floor as she marched forward with cold determination.Witnessing this, employees and visitors turned their heads one after another as the strange pair passed by.A beautiful, ice-cold woman dragging a tall masked man through City Hall as though she were hauling contraband naturally attracted attention.Some people watched with curiosity, while others stared in shock.One old man even gave Nicholas a sympathetic glance that practically screamed, “Son, whatever you did, apologize quickly.”Nicholas’s expression beneath the mask became increasingly strange.‘Since when did my dignity become this chea

*****About ten minutes later, the newlywed couple arrived at a landlocked region so breathtaking that it almost looked unreal.Nature and futuristic architecture blended seamlessly, creating scenery that looked as though it had been carefully designed by someone unwilling to tolerate imperfection.Towering trees lined the roads, crystal-clear streams flowed gently beside the stone pathways, and elegant villas rested peacefully in the distance.Then, at the very center of everything, a massive mountain rose proudly toward the sky.This place was Wellington Manor, the wealthiest district in the entire Ironstone.A place famous for its terrifying exclusivity, insane property prices, extreme security, and luxurious lifestyle.Ordinary people could work for ten lifetimes and still fail to afford a bathroom there.The moment Nicholas saw the manor’s name boldly carved into the first gate, a flicker of surprise flickered in his eyes.After all…This was where the villa Jason Hunter had give

*****At this moment, Nicholas neither moved nor blinked.He just stood there staring blankly at the “room” in front of him, momentarily unsure how he was supposed to react.Truthfully, he hadn’t expected much before opening the door.After all, Kelly already didn’t seem particularly concerned about his comfort from the way she had spoken earlier.Still… what he was seeing right now genuinely caught him off guard.The room was tiny… roughly six by seven feet at best.But somehow, the size wasn’t even the most shocking part.Looking at the space right now, dust and cobwebs covered everything… the walls, floor, ceiling, corners, and even the air itself, making it look like a room that hadn’t been opened in decades.A ridiculously tiny bed was squeezed tightly against one side of the wall, so narrow that an average-sized person probably wouldn’t dare turn too much while sleeping unless they wished to wake up on the floor.There was barely enough walking space inside.A small dusty dressi

*****As though he had no trouble whatsoever in the world, Nicholas slept soundly for nearly five straight hours, and even then, there wasn’t the slightest indication that he intended to wake anytime soon.His breathing remained deep and steady, his expression unnervingly calm… as though the betrayal, injuries, and bloodshed absolutely did not exist.Then suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, his eyes snapped open, and… nothing.There was no grogginess or the slightest trace of sleepiness that people usually have after waking from a long nap.The transition was so smooth and immediate that it felt unnatural… as though he had never truly been asleep in the first place.Nicholas casually sat up on the narrow bed, stretching his shoulders slightly while suppressing a yawn.His expression remained relaxed and unreadable, carrying the same laid-back laziness he always wore like a second skin.Without much thought, he got to his feet and entered the small bathroom attached to the room.