Chapter 45
Author: Queen Mikayla
last update2026-01-30 18:29:43

Chapter 45

Two weeks.

For others, it might be nothing more than a brief pause.

For Hoiric, it was the long-awaited gift.

Inside the sterile and silent hospital room, Ares lay prone. His body was still, but his mind never truly rested. Every pulse of pain in his back felt like a reminder that he was bound—not by injury, but by time.

“Elara…” he murmured softly.

He knew it. Since morning, his chest had felt heavy, as if an invisible hand was pressing down on his instincts. The danger was not over
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  • Chapter 58

    The elevator stopped on the executive floor with a soft sound. Ares stepped out without hesitation. His dark suit was neat, his face calm again as usual—cold and unreadable.In front of the main meeting room, Tom stood while checking his tablet.“You came too,” Tom muttered.“Miss Elara called me,” Ares replied briefly.Tom nodded. “Maxim is already inside.”Ares gave a slight nod, then opened the meeting room door.The room was spacious with a long polished table in the center. Several men in ties were already seated neatly, folders and tablets open in front of them. At the head of the table, Elara sat upright, her expression professional. On the right side, Maxim leaned back casually with a faint smile.Ares took his position slightly behind Elara’s chair, as usual.“Alright,” Elara’s voice opened the meeting, calm and measured. “Let’s begin. Please present the proposal.”One of the men in a gray tie stood up. “Thank you, Miss Elara. This project is an expansion of an integrated ind

  • Chapter 57

    The sound of engines and the clanging of metal echoed across the project site. Thin dust scattered, carried by the morning wind. Ares stood with a construction helmet on his head, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. In front of him, the frame of the apartment building was beginning to take shape. On the other side, the new housing area had been leveled, the foundations neatly poured.Only twenty percent.Still a long way to go.He stared at the building for quite a while.“From zero…” he muttered softly.One of the foremen approached. “Mr. Ares, for Block B, the materials have arrived. Just a final inspection before installation.”Ares nodded. “Good. Make sure the quality meets the specifications. Don’t let anything be reduced.”“Yes, sir.”Ares was still not used to being called that. Sir. It felt strange. A few months ago, he did not even have anything.Now, his first property project was already underway.He walked along the construction area. His shoes stepped on the still-

  • Chapter 56

    Chapter 56Two days had passed.Ares sat on the corner chair in the living room of the Cole residence, his phone resting in his palm. The screen remained dark. No incoming messages. No missed calls. Nothing at all.He let out a long breath.“So slow…” he muttered.It had been two days since he contacted that person. Usually, even if it was expensive and complicated, there was always news—no matter how small. But this time, nothing. As if the information had sunk into an ocean he did not know.Ares leaned his head back against the chair. His jaw tightened.“This is what happens when you don’t have connections,” he said quietly, bitterly. “Everything feels painfully slow.”His hand clenched. There was irritation mixed with something deeper—a sense of inferiority he rarely admitted.“Why was I born like this…” he whispered. “Without a background. Without a name. Without anything.”He let out a small, hollow laugh. “A useless man.”The words tasted bitter on his own tongue.Footsteps echo

  • Chapter 55

    A week had passed since the banquet. The morning felt quieter than usual at the Cole residence. Ares stood in front of the living room television, still dressed in all-black casual clothes. His arms were crossed over his chest, his jaw clenched.The television screen showed a large-scale press conference.There, Rachel sat gracefully in a pastel dress, her face wearing a gentle smile. Beside her, Maxim stood tall, full of confidence. A baby boy was being carried by a nurse, wrapped in a white blanket bearing the Wilson family logo.“With this, we introduce our son,” Maxim’s voice rang out clearly, “Xavier Wilson. The legitimate heir of the Wilson family.”Cameras flashed. Applause echoed.Ares looked away for a moment, then returned his gaze to the screen. His eyes darkened.“Heir…” he murmured softly.Rachel smiled toward the camera, her hand briefly touching the baby’s cheek, merely a formality. Ares observed her movement carefully. There was no warmth there. No vibration that shoul

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    Chapter 53Morning arrived with gentle light slipping through the large windows of the Cole residence. The air was still cool, the aroma of warm coffee mixed with the scent of toasted bread filling the dining room.Elara was already seated neatly at the end of the long table. A slim tablet lay beside her plate, while a cup of tea still released thin wisps of steam. Her face was calm and focused, as always—a woman whose mind kept working even during breakfast.The sound of shoes echoed from the corridor.Ares appeared in an all-black uniform. A black shirt fitted perfectly to his body, dark trousers, polished shoes. His bodyguard aura was fully back. His face was cold, but his eyes were sharp and alert.“Good morning, Miss Elara,” Ares greeted in a low, polite voice.Elara glanced at him briefly, then nodded. “Morning.”Ares stood at the side of the table, waiting for a signal. He did not sit right away—a habit that never changed.“Breakfast,” Elara said shortly.“Thank you, Miss.”Are

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