Ten minutes later, they rolled up to a sprawling villa.
Kayla took Adrian by the arm and hurried inside, Harper trailing behind with a face full of dread.
“What exactly is your father’s condition?” Adrian asked. “Tell me everything.”
Kayla’s eyes dimmed; a wet gloss gathered along the rims. “Late-stage cancer. He doesn’t have long.”
Adrian nodded, unruffled. “You have my word. I said I’ll save him, and I will.”
At this point—promising a cure? The man was all-in on his act. Kayla wasn’t sure whether to feel relieved or crushed. She let out a quiet sigh.
As she did, a woman with a full figure and mournful eyes approached—Kayla’s mother.
“Mom, how is he?” Kayla asked.
At the question, her mother’s eyes filled again. “My girl… your father… he may not make it.”
“No, Mom—don’t say that. I found a master physician. He said—”
“Darling, it’s no use,” her mother cut in, voice quavering. “The doctor told me himself—your father has two days at most. After that, not even God can save him.”
A dull roar filled Kayla’s head.
“Are you sure the doctor didn’t make a mistake?”
“Miss Logan, that’s not something to say lightly,” a voice interjected. An elderly man stepped up, white beard neatly combed. “I’ve practiced for over a decade without a single misdiagnosis.”
This was Orson Montgomery, a renowned physician in Skyline City.
He stroked his beard. “Your father is beyond the reach of medicine. It’s kinder to accept what you already know than to deceive yourself further.”
“Stop talking!” Kayla snapped, fraying at the edges.
She knew her father’s prognosis. She simply hadn’t wanted to voice it in front of her mother. Her mother loved him fiercely; if he died, she feared her mother would not survive the grief.
That was why Kayla was willing to pay for a “white lie”—to spare her mother.
Who could have predicted that Orson Montgomery would stride in and tell the truth right to her mother’s face?
“What a pity,” came a sharp male voice from upstairs. “Even Professor Montgomery can’t help.”
The tone was thin and needling, grating to the ear.
“Who’s that?” Adrian murmured to Harper.
“Kyle Logan,” Harper said, unable to mask her distaste. “Kayla’s half brother.”
Half brother. The picture clicked into place for Adrian.
“No wonder his father’s dying and he doesn’t look the least bit sad.”
Kayla glared up, fury tightening her jaw. Of all the people in the family, no one disgusted her more than Kyle.
“Kyle, I told you to stay out of this. Who said you could bring Orson Montgomery here?”
“Sis, what’s that supposed to mean? He’s my father. He’s dying—should I stand by and do nothing? People would call me unfilial.”
Kyle descended the stairs step by step to stand beside her, eyes bright with false concern. “I didn’t just bring Professor Montgomery. I also contacted the funeral home, secured a burial plot—the arrangements are all in place.”
“Our father lived grandly. Even in death, his send-off must be worthy.”
At those words, Kayla’s mother’s eyes rolled back and she began to collapse.
Kayla caught her just in time. “Mom—don’t think like that. Dad will be all right. I’ve found a master doctor. He can cure him.”
It didn’t steady her mother. Tears streamed down her face.
Kyle spoke again, sanctimonious. “Father loved a lively house. Now that he’s passing… it’ll be so lonely.”
At that, Kayla’s mother tore free of her daughter’s grasp. “I can’t let him walk that road alone,” she cried. “I’m going with him!”
She lunged toward the wall, headfirst.
“Mom! What are you doing?” Kayla screamed, reaching—too late.
Kyle, closest to her, didn’t move a muscle. A simple stretch of his hand would have stopped her. He watched her fall forward—expression slick with a flash of something sly.
So many rotten secrets in these gilded families.
Adrian sighed—and moved. His figure blurred and vanished.
No one quite saw how he crossed the space. One second he was still; the next he stood between Kayla’s mother and the wall.
“Ma’am, don’t,” he said gently, steadying her. “Your husband’s illness isn’t terminal yet. He can be saved.”
His words struck the room like a thunderclap.
Latest Chapter
Chapter 53: Cut from the Same Cloth
“Me? I’m nobody.”By now, everyone had accepted the truth: Archie Nolan had lost.Disciples from the dojo and bystanders alike found it hard to believe, but the facts were right there in front of them.Archie hissed through his teeth, wracked with pain, and the dojo’s disciples rushed to prop him up.“Mr. Nolan! I’ve already called the dojo—they won’t get away!”“We called too,” a disciple from Mitchell Dojo added. “That punk won’t sprout wings and fly off today.”Serena Hill’s earlier delight drained from her face in an instant.Both head instructors might be coming.“Adrian, go. Now!”Adrian turned and grinned, all teeth.“Two head instructors? So what. Worst case, I take them both. Don’t worry about me—go home.”“No. I’m not leaving you here.”Serena’s face was grave. The disciples had already ringed them in.“No one’s leaving until the head instructors get here!”Adrian brushed them off, found a spot, and sprawled into a seat as if he owned the place.“Beat the juniors, then beat
Chapter 52: Who Are You, Really?
Adrian’s calm barely wavered, but it terrified Serena Hill.Archie Nolan wouldn’t lay a hand on her, but if Adrian fell here, how could she ever face Daisy? The guilt would follow her for life. Adrian had saved her, and now she might have dragged him to his death.“Have you truly no regard for law or consequence?”Kendall Mitchell gave a derisive laugh. “Save your breath, Miss Serena. He offended Mr. Nolan. Even if the head of your Hill family showed up, it wouldn’t change a thing.”Serena fell silent. Kendall wasn’t wrong. Even her brother couldn’t stop what was coming—he might even haul her to the Nolans to apologize.Adrian noticed her unease and patted her shoulder. “Auntie, don’t be sorry. I told you—they can’t touch me. Stand back, enjoy the show, and keep yourself safe.”“But—”She didn’t finish. Archie cut in coolly, “Miss Hill, step aside. Fists don’t have eyes, and I’d hate for you to get hurt.”At his gesture, the academy’s disciples rushed forward. Adrian pushed Serena beh
Chapter 51: Then I’ll Oblige You
“This is your fault! If you hadn’t stopped me, that thing wouldn’t be in his hands!”Archie Nolan’s sudden accusation left Kendall Mitchell stung. She’d only wanted to keep Archie from being duped by Adrian. How could she have known that herb was a treasure?“Mr. Nolan, don’t be angry. He may not sell it. When the auction’s over, we can take it back.”“An ordinary man is no match for our academy.”Archie considered it. True enough. He didn’t believe Adrian would flip it right away.“It better be.”He glared at Adrian with a murderous heat, desperate to snatch it now—and then kill the boy.“Don’t waste your breath,” Adrian said. “I’m not selling this Paris polyphylla.”A collective sigh of regret drifted through the room.But Archie calmed. If Adrian wouldn’t sell, that made things simpler.The others, however unwilling, could do nothing. A man can’t be forced to part with what he won’t sell.Serena Hill’s composure, by contrast, gave way to bright excitement. “You recognized its worth
Chapter 50: The True Treasure
“Yeah—and he spent a woman’s money to do it.”Kendall Mitchell chimed in at once, and Archie Nolan’s spirits lifted.“A kept, penniless brat. Trying to go toe-to-toe with me? Laughable.”Kendall nodded, letting his disdain show. “Hmph. Couldn’t even put up two million.”Serena Hill rarely cared what outsiders thought, but this was too much.“Adrian is not some pretty freeloader.”Her gaze cut coldly across Archie Nolan and Kendall Mitchell. “I promised Adrian a gift. I chose to pay for it. It has nothing to do with anyone else.”Seeing Serena angered, Archie’s tone turned instantly ingratiating. “Please don’t misunderstand, Miss Hill. I didn’t mean you. I just think this young gigolo is playing you. No herb is worth two million. And Paris polyphylla isn’t rare.”“That’s right, Miss Hill,” Kendall added, full of righteous indignation on her behalf. “It’s clearly something he wants, yet he made you foot the bill. If it were anything else, fine—but Paris polyphylla is just a weed. He’s m
Chapter 49: Seven-Leaf One-Flower
On stage, a woman in classical dress carried a silver tray. A swath of red velvet draped over it, half-concealing what lay beneath.As the camera closed in, a smile slowly deepened at the corner of Adrian’s mouth. That’s it. No mistake.Down below, most of the audience wore politely indifferent expressions.They were, after all, people of means—happy to fuss over antiques and calligraphy, but a medicinal herb? Hardly worth a second glance.To them, it was just a plant.A few who knew a little more whispered among themselves.“Anything that makes it into an auction should be rare. But if I’m not mistaken, isn’t that Paris polyphylla?”“Exactly. Paris polyphylla isn’t remotely hard to come by. What’s the point of putting that up?”“The organizers must be out of their minds.”“Or drunk. Think we’re that easy to fool.”“In some places it’s everywhere. A few years back I went hiking—took a handful of steps off the path and saw one right away.”“Forget it. Let’s wait for the next lot.”Thei
Chapter 48: The Auction
On the second floor, the auction hall.After Serena and Adrian found their seats, they spotted Archie Nolan and Kendall Mitchell not far away.Adrian gave them a needling smile, then looked away, leaving the pair glowering, faces tight with resentment.Quietly, Serena said, "Aside from that herb, if anything else catches your eye, just buy it.""That would be spending your money rather recklessly."Serena only smiled. "Money is external. We don’t take it with us when we go.""When I was ill, I used to think—if I died with my accounts still full, what a waste that would be.""Now that I’m well, I intend to enjoy life properly. Money is trivial. Happiness isn’t."In her darkest moments, she had turned life and death over and over in her mind, only to find that no amount of brooding changed a thing.So why not live as comfortably as possible?Now that she had time, she wouldn’t shortchange herself.Adrian paused at her openness. Even he couldn’t claim such ease with the world.Perhaps on
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