Chapter 2
Author: Benjamin_Jnr
last update2025-10-13 14:52:33

The snow had lightened to a sparse drizzle by the time Sebastian alighted a black sedan.

He had used an inconspicuous boat to arrive at the dock discreetly, avoiding unwanted attention. From the docks, he took a cab to Leaf District, a bustling area closest to the port. After getting out, he walked briskly yet purposefully toward the next bus stop, where he would take another cab.

He was still exhausted from the long journey. But he didn't want to delay meeting his fiancée any longer.

He was about to cross an intersection when a loud roaring engine sound suddenly broke the silence.

He looked up and saw a sleek red sports car speeding towards him, its tyres screaming against the wet asphalt.

It was heading straight for him, and there was no time to jump aside.

The red sports car closed the distance in a breath!

Sebastian’s body moved.

He stretched out his palms and crushed the hood of the sports car.

The force of the impact immediately shot up his arms, straining his injury, but he ignored the pain.

The car had stopped!

The next second, an unremarkable jade pendant that was hung tightly around his neck fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Sebastian looked down, and his blood went cold.

His treasured jade pendant—a small, unremarkable piece of pale green stone—was broken!

He knelt slowly, picking up the pieces of the jade pendant as carefully as possible. An anguished expression crossed his face.

His mother had placed this around his neck, and that was the last time he ever saw her.

The last keepsake from his mother was broken!

At that moment, the car door opened, and two women stepped out.

The first woman was strikingly beautiful with sharp cheekbones, cold blue eyes, and platinum blonde hair pulled into a tight bun. Her charcoal business coat was tailored to perfection, and her heels clicked against the frozen ground.

She was clearly someone of high standing.

The second woman was shorter and pretty, but her gaze was sharp and arrogant.

The first woman—who was the driver—glanced at the crumpled hood of her car with a cold gaze, then at Sebastian, who was kneeling on the floor in his ordinary military uniform.

“You should watch where you’re going! Don’t you know you almost got killed just now?!” the shorter woman snapped indignantly.

Sebastian's eyes burned with barely contained fury. He placed the broken jade pieces in his pocket, then stood, his cold gaze settling on the women.

“Me? You were the one overspeeding!" Sebastian said angrily. “You knew it was snowing, yet you drove so recklessly.”

“If I hadn’t stopped your car, you would’ve killed someone today.”

The shorter woman scoffed.

“Stopped the car?” she repeated mockingly. “Please. Do you think we’re blind? The car already braked.”

Sebastian just glanced at her irritatedly but didn’t bother arguing.

The shorter woman was furious at Sebastian’s attitude. Just as she was about to continue yelling, a charming but firm voice stopped her.

“Lisa. That’s enough.”

“But Amelia—”

“I said that’s enough," Amelia said firmly.

Lisa swallowed her words, but she glared at Sebastian’s aloof yet handsome face hatefully.

Amelia turned her attention to Sebastian and studied him calmly.

“I see I have caused some troubles for you," Amelia said flatly. “How much do you want as compensation?”

How much?

Does this girl think that money can solve everything?

What a spoilt brat!

Sebastian shook his head disappointedly. He touched the broken jade pieces in his pocket and looked at her coldly.

“How much?” He scoffed. “You can’t afford it.”

The moment those words left his mouth, Lisa burst into laughter.

“What did you just say?” she swept her eyes over Sebastian’s cheap military uniform contemptuously.

“Can’t afford it? Do you even know who she is?”

“Her personal fortune could buy this entire district! You dare play the victim just because you saw a chance to squeeze someone wealthy?”

“Her identity means nothing to me. Besides, I could buy this city if I wanted to,” Sebastian replied coldly.

Lisa’s expression darkened.

“What kind of scam are you trying to pull?” she sneered. “A broken piece of jade pendant that you got from a roadside stall is something we can’t afford?”

“And what? You can buy this city?” Lisa scoffed. “Did you hit your head somewhere?”

“Lisa.” Amelia raised a hand, silencing her.

Her brows furrowed slightly as she studied Sebastian.

Unlike Lisa, she did not immediately think he was lying.

But she also didn’t believe someone like him could possess something truly valuable that she wouldn’t be able to afford it.

Still, she had no patience to continue standing in the cold arguing with a stranger.

“Just tell me the price. I’ll give you ten times the amount.” Amelia said flatly, eager to get this farce over with.

Sebastian closed his hand over his pocket.

“You know, when you cause a problem for someone, the first thing you should do is apologise."

“Besides, I already said you can’t afford it.”

Lisa rolled her eyes dramatically.

“There it is. I knew it. I knew he was just another professional fraudster.”

She folded her arms and looked Sebastian up and down mockingly.

“You saw Amelia driving an expensive car and thought you hit the jackpot, didn’t you?”

Sebastian’s gaze turned colder.

“You think too highly of yourselves.”

He couldn’t believe how proud and snobbish women in this city were.

As for Lisa, he ignored her completely and walked past them.

However, being dismissed so insignificantly by a mere solider made Lisa even angrier.

“Hey! Stop right there!”

Sebastian kept walking.

“You should thank Amelia for even offering compensation. With your status, you’d never earn enough money in your life to buy a single wheel from the Porsche!”

At her words, Sebastian finally turned his head slightly.

His face was calm, but his eyes were icy.

“I don’t need such a crappy car.”

A strange silence briefly descended, but Sebastian had already lost interest in talking to them. He turned and walked away without another glance.

Lisa stared at his departing figure furiously.

“What an arrogant lunatic!”

Amelia remained silent for a moment, then snorted lightly.

“Forget him,” Amelia said coldly, turning back toward the car.

Lisa nodded immediately.

“Exactly. He’s probably just some conceited soldier trying to con you.”

Amelia got back into the driver’s seat, but her expression remained dark.

The forced engagement her grandfather arranged was already frustrating enough, yet now she had to deal with braggarts like him.

She let out a sigh as Lisa got into the passenger seat. A cold expression settled on her face.

Her sports car roared back to life and sped away into the snowy street.

She was going to demand answers from her grandfather no matter what.

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