Ethan finally stopped, turning his gaze to see Vanessa and Damian standing just a few steps away.
Vanessa was draped in an elegant designer dress, her arms crossed, her lips curled in amusement. Damian, dressed in an expensive tailored suit, had one hand tucked in his pocket while the other was casually slung over her waist. Damian let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. “Unbelievable. I thought we left the stray dog in the dirt, but here he is, wagging his tail again.” Vanessa tilted her head. “Maybe he’s here to beg?” She smirked. “How pathetic.” Ethan remained calm, his hands resting inside his pockets. Damian let out a mock sigh. "You do realize where you are, don’t you? This isn’t a place for people like you.” He adjusted his cufflinks before giving Ethan a disdainful look. "Unlike you, I actually belong here.” Ethan raised an eyebrow. "Oh?” Damian’s smirk widened. "That’s right.” He puffed his chest out. “I was personally invited to this prestigious company's anniversary celebration today. Not just anyone gets invited, you know.” Vanessa giggled, linking her arm through Damian’s. “Not just invited, darling. Damian’s father is about to finalize a massive partnership with Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group!” Damian flashed a smug grin. "Once the deal is signed today, my family will officially rise from a third-tier family to a second-tier powerhouse.” Vanessa ran a manicured hand down Damian’s chest, her eyes twinkling with arrogance. "Unlike you, Ethan. You have nothing. No money, no status, and absolutely no right to be here.” Damian chuckled. “And yet, here you are. A useless insect trying to sneak into a world far beyond your reach.” Ethan scoffed, his lips curling into a sneer. He tilted his head slightly. “And you’re already celebrating?” His gaze flickered with amusement. “Who said the deal would actually go through?” Vanessa’s smug expression flickered for a brief second before she scoffed. "Are you delusional?” Damian burst out laughing. "Oh my God, that’s rich! You think you know anything about this world?” He stepped closer, his voice dripping with mockery. "Listen, Piggy , do you even know how business works? Deals like these aren’t just ‘hopeful negotiations’—they’re built on relationships, power, and real money.” Vanessa smirked. “Something you’ll never have.” Ethan shrugged. “Is that so?” Damian’s expression hardened. “Tch, I’ve had enough of your nonsense.” He snapped his fingers, calling over two uniformed security guards who were stationed at the entrance. The guards quickly approached. Damian smirked, pointing at Ethan. "This guy isn’t invited. Get him out of here.” Vanessa laughed, covering her mouth with a gloved hand. “Oh dear, how embarrassing.” Damian chuckled. “Imagine thinking you could actually walk in here. You don’t belong, Ethan. You never did.” Ethan didn’t flinch. Instead, he let out a low chuckle. "Are you sure about that?” He held his ground, calmly producing a sleek black card emblazoned with Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group’s insignia. He raised it for the guards and Damian to see. “Does this give me the right to enter?” he asked, his tone razor-sharp. Damian snorted, folding his arms across his chest. "What’s that supposed to be? A crayon drawing of Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group’s logo?” Vanessa let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, please. Did you print that in your basement, Ethan? Are you really that desperate to fake status?” Ethan’s gaze never wavered. "Last time I checked, Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group doesn't hand these out to random stray pigs.” The security guards exchanged skeptical glances. One guard, a brawny man with a rigid posture, scoffed. "I’ve been working here for years, and I’ve never seen a card like that. Nice try, buddy.” Damian chuckled, shaking his head. "So you’re telling us you have some super-secret, never-before-seen VIP pass? And we’re supposed to believe that? You?” Vanessa giggled, linking her arm through Damian’s. "He’s like a cockroach scurrying around with a piece of shiny trash, hoping someone will think it’s real treasure.” The guard stepped forward, towering over Ethan. "Look, punk, we don’t need your forged junk around here. You’re trespassing on private property.” Damian smirked, waving a dismissive hand. “Get out of my way.” “You heard him. Scram. Unless you want to be dragged out by force.” Vanessa’s lips curved in a taunting smile. "Oh, I’d pay good money to see that. A weak, pathetic insect finally squashed under someone’s boot.” Ethan let out a slow breath. “You can try.” At that, the guard’s patience snapped. He lunged forward, grabbing for Ethan’s arm. "Alright, wise guy, let’s see how tough you really—” SMACK! Before anyone could blink, the guard’s outstretched hand was slapped away with a casual backhand that sent him stumbling. The impact echoed through the marble foyer, silencing every snide remark. Damian’s eyes widened. “What the—?!” Vanessa’s mouth hung open. “H-How did…?” Ethan rolled his shoulders, as though unbothered by what had just happened. His thoughts, however, buzzed with the aftershock of the power surging through him. So this is what my training has done? He hadn’t even put forth real effort, yet the guard stumbled like a leaf in a storm. The second security guard tensed, eyeing his comrade who was now clutching his wrist and trying to regain his balance. “You want trouble?” he growled, hands hovering near his utility belt.Latest Chapter
Chapter 289
Within minutes, the dining table had been transformed.Plates of roasted chicken glazed with honey and herbs sat steaming beside bowls of creamy mashed potatoes. There were grilled vegetables drizzled with olive oil, freshly baked bread still warm from the oven, and a rich beef stew that filled the room with its savory aroma. A bottle of wine stood uncorked at the center, flanked by crystal glasses.Ethan and Lara sat across from each other, the clinking of silverware the only sound for a few moments as they ate.Then he set down his fork and looked at her.“So,” he began carefully, “does this mean you’re back fully?”She paused mid-bite, then nodded with a faint smile. “Of course.”She set her fork down too, meeting his gaze. “I needed time to process everything, but… this is where I belong."Her smile faltered slightly. “We’ve all been through hell, but walking away won’t change what happened. And you shouldn’t have to face this alone.”He felt something loosen in his chest as relie
Chapter 288
Ethan had returned to the mansion since he’d cleared the air.He was in what used to be Magnus' study room—now his—when a guard knocked and told him that Lara was here to see him.His heart leaped.Without thinking, he quickly left the study and headed to the balcony where the guard said she was waiting.And there she was, standing with her back to him, facing the city lights that stretched endlessly below.His chest tightened with relief and excitement as he called her name. "You have no idea how happy I am to see you, especially here," he added.“I can’t believe there’d be a day where I’d be standing here again after I left,” she said quietly, her voice hollow. "At this exact favorite spot of Magnus.” A dry, bitter chuckle escaped her lips.Her expression made his stomach drop the moment she turned to face him.Her face was drawn, exhausted, as if the weight of everything had pressed down on her until there was nothing left. Tears were already forming in her eyes.“Sometimes,” sh
Chapter 287
Adrian stepped inside the warehouse, his footsteps echoing against concrete floors.Dim overhead lights flickered weakly, casting long shadows across stacks of abandoned crates and machinery covered in dusty tarps.His expression remained calm, almost pleasant, as he walked deeper into the space.The guard from the chamber appeared from a side corridor, his face tight with tension.He approached quickly, stopping a respectful distance away.“Sir,” he began, his voice low. "She hasn’t talked. We asked her multiple times how she got the information, who tipped her off, but—”“She’s refusing to speak,” Adrian finished for him.The guard nodded. “Yes, sir. If you’d allow us to apply more… pressure, we could—”A dark chuckle escaped Adrian’s lips, cutting him off mid-sentence. "I don’t think someone tipped her off.”The guard’s eyes widened. “But how—”Adrian’s smirk deepened as he walked past the man without another word.That was exactly why Adrian hadn’t wasted time dragging out accusa
Chapter 286
Elara rose from her seat, breaking the contemplative silence.“You're is right,” she said firmly. "If anyone deserves to lead as the substitute King until a true King emerges, it’s you.”She paused, her tone turning cautious. “But we cannot ignore the reality of the situation. I don't Ethan will be willing to give up the throne. And even though the council has confirmed that The Army is no longer loyal to him and no longer protecting him, it doesn't change the fact that he has supernatural powers.”Her expression grew stern. “Reports also show that he’s got hired guards protecting him. If things turn into a full-blown war, he could bring in mercenaries. And in the process, we risk exposing The Order.”She looked around the room. “Unlike previous centuries, The Order cannot afford to be exposed in this era. Staying hidden is the only way we can keep doing what we do, especially with how modern governments work now.”Adrian’s smirk widened.“You’re absolutely right, Elara,” he said smo
Chapter 285
The second phase Adrian had set in motion was calling a meeting with everyone who had once been members of The Order.He had chosen the chamber that had been used for two centuries in the absence of a King—before Ethan's reign.Adrian sat at the head of the table.Facing him in two rows along either side were the former members of The Order.Among them were the council members, and those who had defected to The Shadow or simply cut ties.The moment Cavill rose from his seat, all eyes turned to him.“Before this meeting commences,” he began, his voice firm and authoritative, “before we delve into whatever purpose we’ve been summoned here for, I need to address something.”He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room.“When I and a very few others here—those who remained unwaveringly loyal to The Order—received the invitation to discuss a new dawn and the rebirth of what we once stood for, none of us expected this.”He gestured broadly at the gathered crowd. “We did not think that peopl
Chapter 284
The press conference room was packed to capacity as reporters from every major outlet filled every available seat.The walls were lined with additional cameras on tripods, capturing every angle.Security stood at each entrance, their expressions stoic as they monitored the crowd.A podium bearing the Aurelius Conglomerate logo stood at the front of the room.The murmurs fell silent as Ethan stepped up to the podium.He wore a tailored black suit, his expression calm but controlled.His hands rested lightly on either side of the microphone as his gaze swept across the room.For a moment, he said nothing, letting the weight of the silence settle.“For the past twenty-four hours,” he began, his voice steady, “the world has been confronted with allegations that seemed impossible to believe. Claims that my uncle, Adrian Aurelius—a man we mourned, a man whose death was accepted as fact for over two decades—has returned from the dead with accusations that my father, Magnus Aurelius, attempte
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