Valerian never expected to hear that name. Not in a million years had he imagined that the hatred Keeya harbored for him could drive her to take the life of his mother, a woman who had done absolutely nothing to her, a woman Keeya had already tortured emotionally and humiliated simply because of her resentment toward him.And now, to get back at him, she had crossed a line that could never be undone. She had taken his mother's life.His hands clenched tightly at his sides, his knuckles whitening as a surge of fury coursed through him. He had never considered Keeya a threat, not even after their bitter divorce, but her actions had just made one thing painfully clear: she was the most dangerous enemy he had ever faced.Who would have thought that the woman he had once loved, the woman he had once trusted with his heart, would become this vicious?Valerian's eyes reddened as tears threatened to spill, but he refused to let them fall. His grief was quickly being consumed by

Valerian quickly cupped her face in his hands, desperately trying to make her look at him."Crystal, I'm not joking. Mom is dead. She died from poison!"She shoved his hands away at once, shaking her head in disbelief."Please, don't say that!" Her voice cracked, and her trembling fingers clutched his shirt. "What do you mean Mom is dead? You told me she was fine! You promised me she was getting better!""They called me from the hospital and told me she had died, Crystal. Please, calm down."But she refused to listen. She abruptly stood up, stumbling as she tried to find her way toward the exit."Crystal, where are you going?" Valerian hurried after her, catching her before she could reach the door."Let go of me!" she screamed, pushing against his chest. "I want to see my mother! Take me to her!""Please, Crystal, listen to me—""LET GO!"She struggled against his grip, but he refused to release her, afraid she might hurt herself. Suddenly, her knees gave way, and she collapsed onto

It had been a week since Valerian's mother was laid to rest, and in those seven days, Crystal's cries and anguish had been almost endless.She had barely come to terms with the devastating loss, and the grief continued to torment her, leaving her emotionally shattered.Almost every night, she developed a fever, and only through Valerian's herbal medicine had she managed to pull through.Minerva, on the other hand, had been avoiding him, refusing to speak to him despite their frequent encounters.And although Valerian had tried to dismiss her unusual behavior, he couldn't deny that it affected him in ways he couldn't comprehend.He didn't understand why her sudden silence bothered him, but the more he tried to ignore it, the more it lingered at the back of his mind.For now, however, he had more pressing matters to attend to.Valerian stood before his mother's grave, staring at the cold headstone with an ache lodged deep in his chest.The cemetery was quiet, its solemn atmosphere

"What do you mean?" Anthony asked, clearly dumbfounded. His brows furrowed as he stared at Valerian, struggling to comprehend the revelation."You're telling me my son has been poisoned? How is that even possible? He's been under medical supervision for three years, and not a single doctor discovered anything!"Valerian offered no immediate explanation. Instead, his eyes swept across the room, scrutinizing his surroundings with an intensity that suggested he was searching for something specific.If Oakplum was responsible for the boy's deteriorating condition, there was a possibility that its source was somewhere within the estate.He rose from the bed and walked toward the back of the door, examining the area before moving toward the window. His gaze traveled across the furniture and decorations, searching for anything that appeared suspicious or out of place.Then, his eyes settled on the table.A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. Flowers.Several arrangements of beautif

Valerian's eyes flickered across his phone screen, and a frown creased his forehead when he saw Reyna's name. He slid his finger across the screen and brought the phone to his ear."Yes, I can hear you.""Please, I need you to come to the company right away," Reyna said urgently. "Madam Minerva is having one of her episodes, and this time, it's quite severe."Before Valerian could ask a single question, the call abruptly ended.He stared at the screen for a moment before shutting his eyes, an inexplicable sensation tightening in his chest. He couldn't quite understand why the news unsettled him, especially when Minerva had been deliberately avoiding him lately."Please, take a turn and head to Vallencourt Company," he instructed the taxi driver.Meanwhile, Minerva sat among the board members in the conference room, her gaze fixed on the presentation displayed on the screen before her. One of the executives was explaining the figures, outlining the company's latest projections and prop