2025-08-01 22:55:37Liam wiped the sweat off his brow as he handed over the package to the shopkeeper. The man gave him a quick nod before sliding a few crisp bills across the counter.
“Here. Good work,” the shopkeeper muttered before turning away.
Liam pocketed the money without a word and turned to leave, but the moment his feet hit the pavement outside, his mind drifted back to the unconscious stranger at the airport.
The way his body just gave out, it didn’t look normal.
Liam frowned. He had seen exhaustion before—hell, he lived with it daily—but that man collapsed as if someone had sucked the life out of him.
I should just leave it alone.
But his body didn’t listen. Before he even realized it, his legs carried him toward a nearby staff member, a young woman in a crisp uniform who had been directing travelers.
“Excuse me,” Liam said, his voice rough.
The woman blinked at him in surprise. “Yes? Can I help you?”
“The guy who collapsed earlier,” he said, trying to sound casual. “What happened to him?”
She gave him a curious look before nodding. “Oh, him? He was taken to a hospital nearby. Looked serious, but the medics responded quickly.”
Liam exhaled, the tension in his chest loosening slightly. At least he’s getting medical attention.
“Alright. "Thanks,” he muttered before turning away.
He climbed into his truck, gripping the wheel a little tighter than usual.
Why do I feel so damn uneasy about this?
He shook his head, irritated at himself.
It’s not my problem. The guy’s in a hospital. He’ll be fine.
Still, as he drove off, the unease lingered in his gut like a stubborn ache.
The hospital was seen as the ER doors slammed open as the medical team rushed Lucas inside. His unconscious body lay limp on the stretcher, his breathing shallow.
“BP dropping! We need to stabilize him now!”
“Prepare an IV—his vitals are unstable!”
The hospital staff moved with trained efficiency, but behind them, Miss Charlie stood frozen at the entrance, watching as Lucas disappeared behind the doors.
A nurse tried to stop her from going further. “Ma’am, you can’t—”
Miss Charlie’s patience snapped. Without hesitation, she grabbed the collar of the nearest doctor, yanking him forward before the nurse could finish speaking. Her grip was ironclad, her voice deadly calm.
“I don’t care what it takes,” she said, her fingers tightening. "Save him. If you fail, you will regret it.”
The doctor swallowed hard. “Yes. Yes, ma’am. We’ll do everything we can.”
She released him, and he stumbled back before rushing through the ER doors.
Miss Charlie exhaled sharply, pushing a hand through her hair. Her hands were shaking.
She never panicked—never.
But this was Lucas.
And now she had to do what she dreaded most.
With a steadying breath, she pulled out her phone and dialed.
The line barely rang before a voice answered, firm and unreadable.
“Mr Nolan.”
“There’s a problem”.
At that very moment, Madam Maeve was in the middle of a high-level executive meeting at Tianhu Group’s headquarters. She sat at the head of a grand conference table, her sharp eyes scanning the room as she addressed her gathered executives.
“As you all know, my grandson, Lucas, will be joining us for next week’s meeting.”
A few murmurs rippled through the room as she gestured towards the screen, where a formal portrait of Jun was displayed.
“I’ve already sent the official announcement. By next week, everyone should be familiar with his face and prepared to welcome him accordingly.”
Some of the elders nodded approvingly, while others exchanged hesitant glances.
“Is this really wise?” one of them questioned. “The boy has been hidden for years. Perhaps it’s best to keep it that way.”
Another executive scoffed. “Are you suggesting that our CEO’s own grandson should remain a ghost? That’s an insult.”
Debate erupted across the table—some welcomed Lucas’s return, while others worried it would invite trouble.
In the midst of the discussion, Madam Maeve’s personal assistant, Mr. Nolan, discreetly stepped beside her and leaned down to whisper in her ear.
“Madam Maeve, it’s urgent. Young Master Lucas has collapsed.”
A rare flicker of shock passed through Madam Maeve’s eyes. But within seconds, her expression returned to its composed mask.
She slowly rose from her seat, silencing the room. “There is something I must attend to. This meeting is adjourned.”
Without another word, she strode out, leaving the executives exchanging puzzled glances.
One elder, however, narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he watched her leave.
Outside the company, Madam Maeve is seen entering her car as the door was closed by Mr Nolan as he proceeded to the driver's seat. As Madam Maeve’s car sped toward the hospital, Liam's truck passed by on the opposite side of the street.
Liam sighed, rubbing a hand over his face as he waited at a red light.
“This day just keeps getting weirder,” he muttered.
The image of the unconscious man flashed in his mind again. Why the hell am I still thinking about him?
He scoffed, shaking his head. “Not my problem. He’s in the hospital, end of story.”
The light turned green, and he stepped on the gas, completely unaware of the storm brewing around him.
By the time Madam Maeve and Mr Nolan arrived at the hospital, Miss Charlie was already waiting outside the emergency room, her expression tight with concern.
The moment Madam Maeve stepped forward, she didn’t waste time. “What happened?”
Miss Charlie took a controlled breath before answering. “I was informed by the airport staff that he had collapsed suddenly. I rushed here as soon as I heard.”
Madam Maeve’s eyes darkened. “Was it his condition?”
Miss Charlie hesitated. “No. He didn’t show any signs of his usual attacks. He just—” she swallowed. “—collapsed.”
At that moment, the ER doors opened, and the doctor stepped out.
Madam Maeve turned to him immediately. “How is my grandson?”
The doctor hesitated before saying, “We’ve stabilized him.”
Madam Maeve’s shoulders relaxed slightly, but the doctor’s face remained grim.
“However,” he continued, “we found something concerning in his system.”
The surrounding air around them tensed.
Madam Maeve’s gaze sharpened. “Speak.”
The doctor took a deep breath before delivering the shocking news.
“There were traces of poison in his system.”
A stunned silence fell over the hallway.
Miss Charlie’s breath caught, while Mr Nolan’s expression turned rigid. Madam Maeve’s face remained unreadable, but a dangerous glint flickered in her eyes.
Lucas… had been poisoned.
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Chap 23 A Hangover And Not Okay
A low groan.Sunlight sliced through Liam's thin curtains and smacked him right in the face. The room seemed to have fought a hurricane and lost: clothes tossed all over the chair, socks dangling off the lamp, and bottles—so many bottles—shimmering on the floor."Huh…"He yanked the blanket up to his eyes. Too short. It left his shins cold."Oh, come on…"He gave up and tossed the blanket away. The moment he rolled—BANG.He fell off the bed, onto his hip, and cracked his knee into his riding helmet."Damn it!" He kicked a loose bottle. It rattled across the floor and smacked against the nightstand. The red numbers on his clock flashed: 8:35.Liam blinked at it, brain fuzzy, then away as if he hadn't seen a thing.He sat cross-legged on the floor and rubbed his temple. His head pounded like a drumline. He rose to his feet, swayed, and his heel knocked another bottle over. It rolled, clinking, into the living room."Did I drink?"He followed the bottle like a spy and stopped dead in th
Chap 22 A Voice In The Dark
BAM!The sound of Oliver Kai’s palm slamming against the polished mahogany table thundered through the boardroom like a gunshot. Every pen, glass, and paper on the desk rattled, but none as violently as the guard standing before him.“How?” Oliver’s voice was low at first, a sharp demand laced with the kind of danger that made even seasoned men flinch.When the guard hesitated, Oliver’s hand swept across the desk in a furious motion. WHAM! A pile of documents went flying, scattering across the floor like leaves in a storm. Some even slid to the far wall, the sound echoing in the tense silence.“How—” he raised his voice to a roar, “—was a woman, a weak little thing who jumps at the slightest shadow, able to outrun four of my most skilled bodyguards?!” He jabbed a finger at the trembling man in front of him, his voice dripping with contempt. “You’re telling me she just vanished? In broad daylight? Out of every shop in the city, with cameras on ever
Chap 21 The Passenger Seat
The door slammed closed behind her just as the first black car screeched around the corner. Liam didn't waste any time. His foot pressed the gas, and the truck shot forward with a growl, tires screeching as they hurtled down the empty street. Alyson gripped the dashboard with one hand, the other wrapped around the window. "Ever thought of being a getaway driver?" Liam glared at her. "Ever think about not annoying people who drive blacked-out cars with murder fantasies?" She smiled weakly, though her knuckles were white. Behind them, the chase flared up again—two figures pursuing at night. But Liam knew these streets better than any spoiled rich kid or hired thug. He cut across side streets and back alleys, a blur of speed and reflex. “You know,” Alyson muttered, glancing behind, “I never thought I’d be depending on a guy in a dusty truck to outrun professional chasers.” Liam scoffed. “Do you want to drive?” “I’d rather live.” “Then shut up and let me focus.” Silence surround
Chap 20 Indifference
The streets echoed with the sharp screech of tires as the two black cars skidded to a stop at an empty intersection. The lead driver slammed his hands against the steering wheel, frustration tightening his grip.“She’s gone,” he hissed.His partner cursed under his breath, already dialing a number. The moment the line connected, a voice—cold and furious—bit into his ear.“Where is she?”The driver swallowed hard. “Sir, we lost her.”A heavy silence followed. Then—“Find her. Or don’t bother coming back.”The call cut off, and the two men exchanged uneasy glances before flooring the gas, taking off in opposite directions.In the grand study of the Kai estate, Oliver Kai sat rigid behind his ornate desk, his jaw set in a hard line as he placed his phone down with deliberate force.The room was lined with towering bookshelves and rich mahogany furnishings, yet despite its elegance, the air inside felt thick with tension.Sitting lazily across from him, Pierce Kai, his eldest son, looked
Chap 19 Another Collision
Liam Heart was used to long workdays filled with mindless tasks. It was easy—keep your head down, do the job, go home. Today should’ve been no different. Yet, no matter how much he tried to act normal, the weight in his chest refused to fade.The sting of betrayal. The realization that his past had been rewritten before his very eyes.Liam tightened his grip on the delivery manifest as he walked into the warehouse. He had been up all night, tossing and turning, his mind replaying every single moment from the previous night—Lucas, the Tianhu name, the life that was stolen from him before he even knew it existed.But there was no point in dwelling on things he couldn’t change. He had a job to do."Liam, look at this!"Liam barely had time to react before his coworker Tan shoved a phone screen in front of his face. A high-resolution image of a woman filled the display—sharp dark brown hair cascading just past her shoulders, piercing blue eyes that seemed almost unnatural in their clarity
Chap 18: I Refuse!
"No. I can't." Liam's voice was firm, unyielding. His arms remained stiff at his sides, his expression blank despite the tension in his jaw. He did not wish to play whatever game these people had constructed. He had played his part already—helping a stranger to the hospital. That was where his involvement stopped. Madam Maeve, with an unshaken air of authority, stood before him in no way surprised. Nor did she seem to be disappointed. Instead, she simply regarded him with the same quiet, knowing look, as if she had been waiting for him to have reacted as he had. "Then, at least, spend the night here," she said in her soft but compelling tone. Liam's eyes tightened. "No need. Just get someone to drive me home. You know where I live, don't you?" There was a flicker of amusement that went across Madam Maeve's eyes, but she did not answer. She nodded once and turned to one of the maids standing at the doorway. "Tell the driver to prepare the car.". The maid curtsied and darted
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