Cassie sighed in relief, almost as though Darius had asked her about something completely insignificant. She casually adjusted her gown and glanced at Aaron before answering.“Oh, that?” she said. “I gave the medicine to Aaron. He was very sick and needed it urgently.”Darius stared at her, certain he had heard wrong.“You gave my mother’s medicine to your ex-boyfriend?”“Lower your voice!” Cassie snapped.Darius’s jaw tightened. “Cassie, my mother was dying. How could you do that?”Cassie rolled her eyes, clearly irritated by his reaction. “Aaron was sick too, Darius. I had to make a choice, and I gave it to him because he needed it more urgently. Why are you acting like I deliberately tried to hurt your mother?”“You had no right to make that decision!” Darius’s voice rose. “That medicine was specifically prepared for my mother. She was the one fighting for her life. You had no idea whether Aaron even needed it!”Cassie gave a dismissive laugh. “No right? Darius, do you know whose h

Darius drove back toward Hillcrest Hospital with his hands tight around the steering wheel.The divorce was over. Cassie’s betrayal no longer mattered to him. Whatever remained of their three-year marriage had already been buried the moment she chose Aaron over his dying mother.There was only one thing left on his mind now.His mother.Years ago, Darius had been on a battlefield thousands of miles away when his life changed forever.Reuben Ashford, the former patriarch of the Ashford family and Cassie’s grandfather, who was his closest friend and fellow soldier, had sacrificed himself to save Darius from an attack that should have killed them both. Reuben took the fatal blow and died in Darius’s arms.With his last breath, Reuben had made one request.“Darius… protect my family.”Darius had held his friend’s bloodied hand and made a promise he intended to keep for the rest of his life.After the war ended, Darius was no longer the same man who had entered the battlefield. His combat

Darius left his mother’s ward after making sure the medical staff would continue monitoring her condition. She was still unconscious, but the faint rhythm of her heartbeat remained steady enough for him to leave temporarily. With the banquet only a few hours away, he needed to make preparations before heading there. More importantly, if Soulroot truly existed in Bluewave City, the banquet was his best opportunity to find it.He had barely walked past the VIP section of Hillcrest Hospital when a furious voice suddenly erupted from one of the private wards.“My father’s life is in danger, Mr. Ashford! What the hell are you doing?”The woman’s voice was sharp enough to silence the nurses standing outside the room. She sounded furious, but beneath her anger was unmistakable fear. Naomi Wen stood beside the hospital bed, her pale face tense as she stared at the man lying motionless beneath the sheets.Her father, Gabriel Wen, was the patriarch of the Wen family, one of the most influential

Darius turned toward one of the nurses and calmly said, “Bring me sixteen acupuncture needles.”The nurse hesitated and instinctively looked at Daniel. She had never seen a janitor give medical instructions in a VIP ward, and Daniel’s expression made it clear that he wanted Darius gone.“Why are you still listening to him?” Daniel snapped. “He’s not a doctor.”Darius didn’t even look at him. “If you want him alive, bring me the needles.”Naomi immediately stepped forward. “Do it.”The nurse quickly retrieved sixteen sterile acupuncture needles and placed them on a tray. Darius then asked for a small container of black medicinal oil. Once it was brought to him, he carefully soaked the needles in the oil for several seconds before removing them one by one.Daniel watched with increasing disbelief.“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” he demanded.Darius ignored him and walked to the bed. He carefully removed Gabriel’s shirt, exposing the old patriarch’s chest and abdomen. His skin

The guards were still laughing when the grand entrance suddenly opened again.A figure hurried out of the building, moving so quickly that several nearby guests turned to see what was happening. It was Maxwell Biden, the president of the National Medical Association.Unlike his usual composed appearance, Maxwell was breathing heavily, his suit slightly disheveled from rushing outside. The moment his eyes landed on Darius, his expression changed completely.“Sir!”He quickly walked toward him and stopped directly in front of Darius, lowering his head respectfully.“I apologize for keeping you waiting.”The laughter at the entrance instantly disappeared.The two guards stood frozen.Their jaws practically dropped as they stared at Maxwell.The man they had just been mocking was actually someone Maxwell Biden had personally come outside to receive. Worse still, the president wasn’t merely greeting him casually. He was addressing him with genuine respect.“Sir?”The first guard swallowed