2024-12-23 03:51:05Late at night, in the underbelly of the city, Jeffrey was slowly walking through the empty streets.
He had gone to a local bar and had a drink, trying to forget his sorrows, even if only for a little while.
He had nowhere to go now.
Suddenly.
"He's over there, boss."
"He's drunk. Catching him will be easy."
"He's headed for the alley—let's corner him there."
“Good! This money comes so easy.”
"Fuck... What’s the problem?"
Jeffrey blinked, trying to make out the figures in front of him.
The uneasy sense of danger sobered him slightly.
With the help of a flickering streetlight, he saw four men.
Whoever they were, they certainly weren’t here with good intentions.
"Who we are don’t matter at all, but we know exactly who you are," the leader said, stepping forward as the other three surrounded Jeffrey, cutting off any escape.
Jeffrey tried to stay calm. They must want to rob him. He shouldn’t stay out this late.
“Just go away. I don’t have any money on me.”
None of them replied. One even chuckled at his words.
It seems they are not robbers.
But why did they block him in the alley in the middle of the night?
"Ok, we don’t have to do this, bro."
Jeffrey took a step back, trying to find an opportunity to leave.
"Heh. It’s not up to you, man. " the leader cackled.
“The Luke family is quite generous. They are willing to pay thirty thousand dollars to cripple you. Kid, you've offended the wrong people.”
"What?" Jeffrey lifted his head in shock but was kicked hard by the leader’s boot, sending him sprawling.
It was Adam!
"You’ve nothing to worry about," the leader said, laughing.
"Your life isn’t in danger. But I’m afraid you’ll have to live the rest of your days as a cripple."
"Reo, Max, Troy—get him. Don’t let him move. Let’s get this over with and get our money."
By now, all traces of alcohol had fled Jeffrey's system.
He forced himself to stay still, waiting for the right moment to act.
Jeffrey's body was very agile.
The three people rushed forward to try to catch him, but Jeffrey did not dodge; instead, he stood his ground and swung a powerful punch at one person's chin.
That person cried out in pain and fell to the side, exposing a gap.
Now’s my chance.
Without wasting a second, he bolted toward the end of the alley.
"That bastard's getting away! Go get him!" the leader shouted, cursing as they gave chase.
But Jeffrey was already nearing the exit.
Seeing they wouldn’t catch him in time, the leader stopped and pulled out a gun, aiming at Jeffrey’s back.
Jeffrey ran toward the street, where safety was within reach.
Bang!
A gunshot echoed.
The shot rang out, and Jeffery stumbled forward, clutching at the wound as blood stained his shirt.
He staggered a few steps before his legs gave way, collapsing onto the asphalt.
At that exact moment, a sleek black Rolls-Royce Phantom purred to a stop a few feet away.
The car’s tinted window rolled down, revealing a young woman with striking features.
She had long, wavy black hair, delicate features, and a temperament that screamed nobility.
Rita Stirling frowned as she stared at Jeffery's unconscious body.
“Who is that?” she asked.
“It looks like he's been shot. Could be trouble, Miss Stirling. We better leave now.” the driver responded, glancing in the rearview mirror.
“Wait.”
Rita’s voice was firm.
She turned to the bodyguard seated next to the driver.
“Get him into the car.”
“Miss Stirling, there could be danger—”
“I won’t repeat myself.”
The bodyguard exchanged a reluctant glance with the driver but obeyed, stepping out of the car.
“Stay back, I will shoot you if you dare move.” the bodyguard barked, scanning the alley before crouching, picking up Jeffery, and carrying him into the car.
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CHAPTER 230
The phone rang once. Twice. Then the line clicked."Rita?" the voice was sharp, calm, almost distant, but beneath it, she could hear the undercurrent of exhaustion—the weight of a man who carried more than anyone should."Jeffery..." she whispered, the tension in her throat cracking her voice. "I... I saw the news—about Ronan Blake—""Rita!" his voice snapped suddenly like a whip, cutting through the static of her panic. "Why the hell are you calling me? Didn't I tell you? Stay out of this! Don't reach out! It's not safe at all! You could—""I had to know," she interrupted, tears threatening to spill. "I needed to hear it from you. I couldn't just... sit there and do nothing—"His sigh was long, a mix of frustration, fear, and helplessness. "Do you even understand what you're putting yourself through? Or what you're doing to me by calling? I told you, Rita... this isn't safe. Not for you. Not for anyone. You reach out, and suddenly, you're in the line of fire."She flinched at the raw
CHAPTER 229
Rita sat frozen at her desk, the screen glowing with images she could barely comprehend. The alley, slick with rain, cordoned off by police tape, shattered asphalt reflecting neon light—every detail was seared deeply into her mind. Ronan Blake. Suspected Armed robber. Murdered. J recognizable.Her fingers trembled, hovering over the phone. She wanted to call Jeffery, needed to hear his voice, to confirm that the man loved could never do something so monstrous. To be honest, Jeffery had killed but it had never been brutal like last night's. And it was always because Rita's life had been endangered.But... what if she was wrong? What if he had actually done it? The thought made her stomach twist into knots, bile rising like fire.She pressed her palms to her face, trying to steady her racing heart. Jeffery had warned her countless times: keep your life normal, maintain appearances. Pretend the world doesn't see you as linked to him. That advice had always been theoretical—now it was pai
CHAPTER 228
The office felt suddenly smaller, the air heavier, as the officers stepped closer to Rita's desk. Their presence carried the weight of accusation, the kind that didn't need words to make a heart pound. One of them cleared his throat, his tone careful but unyielding."Miss Stirling, we need to speak about an incident last night," he began, voice low but cutting through the quiet hum of the office. "That's the main reason we actually came here."Rita's eyebrows creased. What were they talking about? What happened last night?"A man was found dead in an alley in the East District," the officer continued. "There were blood spatters, marks everywhere. Whoever did this left the victim... unrecognizable."This doesn't have to do with Jeffery, right? Rita's hands tightened on the edge of her desk. Her voice trembled, disbelief creeping in. "Unrecognizable? What... what are you actually saying?"The second officer leaned in, his gaze sharp, unwavering. "You know Jeffery Flamel, correct?""Yes,
CHAPTER 227
Rita Stirling woke to the pale light of dawn filtering through the curtains of her penthouse, the city below still stirring in its usual rhythm. She lay for a long moment, staring at the ceiling, letting her mind wander to Jeffery. The thought of him still hiding in an unknown place, carrying the weight of suspicion for murders he hadn't committed—one perpetrated by Aadam Prescott—made her chest tighten. She had to appear normal, calmly, unshaken—her every move a shield against the scrutiny that now surrounded.Jeffery had told her this the last moment they had met. He didn't want her being arrested as well. It would really tarnish the name of the Stirling family and affect the company—something which neither of them wanted. So she had agreed to do just as he had said, till everything had been solved. And that included not reaching out to him no matter what.Her morning routine was precise, almost mechanical. Every gesture—sliding into her blazer, adjusting her cuffs, the careful appl
CHAPTER 226
Morning came slow. Not with the violent crash of storms or the roar of lightning, but in muted, hesitant whispers. Sunlight, filtered through the thick clouds, fell in sickly gold silvers across the cracked motel blinds. Dust motes floated in the beams like tiny specters. The room smelled of damp concrete and faint herbs, lingering from the previous night's alchemical work. The faint pulse of the Philosopher's Stone nearby cast its soft glow, as if marking the passage of the night Jeffery had just endured.Jeffery stirred, the weight of exhaustion still draped over him like a second storm. His body ached—the remnants of the storm, of the rooftop confrontation, of controlling the mutated men—aching in quiet, insistent protest. But his mind, though fatigued, had begun to awaken. It prowled, like a wolf stretching after sleep, circling the corners of strategy, probability, and consequence.He sat up slowly, blanket slipping from his shoulders. The cot creaked under his weight, the sound
CHAPTER 225
The rain had subsided, leaving the city slick and glimmering under the faint glow of neon signs. The streets hissed with the last whispers of storm water, gutters carrying secrets down to the sewers.Jeffery moved like a shadow over puddle-slick asphalt, each step slow, deliberate, carrying the exhaustion of a body and mind pushed to their limits.The night's chaos lingered like a phantom across his shoulders. Mutated men had fled; the threat had been defused—for now—but the weight of responsibility pressed against his chest like iron chains. He could feel every pulse of the Philosopher's Stone beneath his coat, a quiet heartbeat echoing the storm that had passed but left scars in its wake.The city smelled of wet concrete and ozone, a scent that always reminded him of beginnings and endings at the same time. He inhaled deeply, letting it fill his lungs, steadying his Qi, centering himself.Every step toward the motel was both relief and dread. Relief because he could finally rest. Dr
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