It had been an exhausting day for Jaxon. After handling both his official duties and certain... unofficial matters, he finally felt he could afford some time to rest. Shrugging off his long coat, he threw himself onto the plush sofa, letting out a deep breath. As the tension ebbed away, he smiled faintly, as though releasing his breath would also expel all the fatigue that had weighed him down.“Why didn’t I think of this sooner?” he mused aloud, his voice laced with a mix of sarcasm and bitterness. “If one of Mr. Milton Hadi Milton’s two sons disappeared, wouldn’t that solve everything? No more being hounded by both of them to pick a side. Whether it’s Gideon or Maximilian, if one of them inherits the seat, I’d finally have some peace.”He sat up, reaching for a small object Maximilian had handed him earlier. As he turned the plain casing over in his hands, a crooked smile spread across his face. “But honestly, I didn’t think I’d end up choosing Maximilian,” he muttered, almost chuck
Gideon’s grin widened, his eyes gleaming as he peered into the shattered pen. His suspicions were confirmed. The truth lay bare before him—Jaxon’s treachery, the very thing that had gnawed at the edges of Gideon’s mind, was now undeniable. For a moment, Gideon cursed himself for being blind to Jaxon’s cunning, for underestimating just how far his younger brother would go. Jaxon stood motionless, his cold, indifferent gaze fixed on Gideon. His demeanor was unshaken, as though the revelation meant nothing to him. That detached expression only fueled Gideon’s irritation. Still, he restrained himself, unwilling to explode just yet. “So, this is why you came here, Gideon?” Jaxon finally asked, his voice calm, almost taunting. “You heard something, and you couldn’t resist rushing over to confirm it?” “Of course. Because I’m smart,” Gideon replied, his tone laced with sarcasm. “Unlike you, who foolishly opened the door for someone you couldn’t even be sure was a friend or an enemy.” Jaxo
Maximilian sat alone in his room, the dim light casting long shadows against the cold walls. It had been two days since Andymon left, following Maximilian's orders to watch over Jaxon, who remained unconscious. Andymon only returned briefly to drop off meals, disappearing again without a word, as if he had no intention of coming back.“So, I was right,” Maximilian muttered to himself, his voice steady yet tinged with dark amusement. “You hurt Jaxon just to distract me.”He wasn’t angry; in fact, this was exactly what he had anticipated. Gideon’s move was as predictable as it was cruel, and watching the footage of their confrontation only solidified Maximilian’s understanding of his brother’s intentions.“Hah...” Maximilian exhaled deeply, a faint, weary smile curling on his lips. “I guess my turn isn’t far off now, is it? I wonder who you’ll send to kill me, Gideon.”He stood slowly, the weight of his thoughts evident in his deliberate movements. Crossing the expansive, dimly lit room
Ariadne returned to Jaxon’s apartment, her steps hesitant and her heart heavy with fear and lingering trauma. The haunting image of Jaxon lying in a pool of his own blood replayed vividly in her mind. His cold, lifeless face haunted her, and while his expression had been stoic in the final moments, his eyes betrayed the terror he must have felt.Two days had passed since that fateful event, yet the shock still clung to her like a shadow, making her breaths shallow and her body tense. Now, she found herself back in that desolate space to retrieve a few of her belongings, an errand she dreaded but could no longer avoid.The investigation into the incident was ongoing, though progress was slow. The strongest piece of evidence—a recording that could have unraveled the mystery—had been lost, discarded by Ariadne in a moment of panic. It was a decision she regretted deeply, but no amount of remorse could bring the evidence back.Still, one name lingered in her mind, a name she was certain w
She walked sluggishly, closing the door behind her before heading to the elevator that would take her to the first floor. Inside the elevator, Ariadne was lost in thought, reflecting on how chaotic her life had become lately. She had left the house to clear her mind, but it seemed the events from two days ago had only made all the burdens feel heavier, even adding more weight that she had to carry alone.Ariadne sighed heavily, and just then, the elevator stopped at a floor below hers. The door opened, revealing a woman dressed casually as if she were about to go somewhere, pushing a stroller into the elevator.Ariadne remained silent, but as the elevator descended, her attention was drawn to the adorable sleeping baby in the stroller. Without realizing it, she smiled, momentarily forgetting the weight on her shoulders. However, that smile quickly faded when the baby’s mother spoke up.“Ma’am?” the woman, taller than Ariadne, called out, causing Ariadne to straighten up and face forwa
Alfred took a few steps back after finishing the injection of the dangerous drug into Maximilian’s IV bag. He stood still, observing the calm face of his young master, then sighed. "My task is done, Young Master," he said in his usual calm voice. "The medicine I’ve given you will slowly stop your heart, and I assure you, it won’t hurt."Alfred then glanced at his hands, seeing the remaining contents of the drug bottle and his trembling hands. "I think I’m shaking," he murmured, then looked back at Maximilian, "because these hands once held you warmly, and now with these hands—I’m ending your life."Alfred pocketed the evidence in his hand, preparing to leave after adjusting Maximilian’s blanket. "I respect you as Young Master Milton, but my master is only Lord Gideon. Will you be angry, Young Master? I hope you can vent that anger on me, but that will be after I arrive at your place later," he said gently, as though singing a lullaby. Maximilian clenched his fist tightly beneath his b
Maximilian stood still, then chuckled lightly. "You look like Gideon's father," he said, causing Alfred to freeze in place. "So, now that you've rejected my offer, what do you plan to do, Alfred?"Alfred became serious again, tightening his grip on the kitchen knife in his hand. "I must kill you, Young Master," he said with certainty."You've hurt my feelings, Alfred," Maximilian replied.Suddenly, Alfred ran toward Maximilian as fast as he could, thrusting the knife toward Maximilian's chest. It wasn't going to be easy, but Maximilian dodged. However, Alfred brutally and aggressively tried to wound him.Alfred was the head butler and one of his father's trusted subordinates. He managed the Milton household well while the family patriarch was busy with work. To Maximilian, he had always appeared like a second father-like Gideon, Jaxon, and even Andymon. Alfred was warm and patient, but as it turned out, still waters could hide dangerous currents.It was still hard for Maximilian to be
After Ariadne scolded him over the phone earlier, Andymon did not immediately go to Maximilian's place as the woman had instructed him. He ignored it and considered Ariadne's words unimportant.Eventually, he understood the meaning of Ariadne's anger when he saw for himself Maximilian, who seemed to have lost all hope of living, as the electrocardiograph monitor showed increasingly weak heartbeats. The doctor began performing chest compressions, trying to get the nearly stopped heart to beat normally again.That sight made Ariadne even more distressed. She had lost count of how many times she had gone back and forth to check on her husband's condition, but the doctors and medical staff inside were still busy, as if the critical situation had not been resolved.Fear, anxiety, and a broken heart were clearly reflected in Ariadne's face. However, Andymon was increasingly confused. He pulled Ariadne away from the door. "Ariadne, what's going on?" he asked her.Clearly, Andymon was confuse
Ariadne felt like a wave of heat was spreading from the tips of her toes to the top of her head. This made her feel strange, and she immediately turned her face away when she felt that making eye contact with Maximilian any longer would only intensify the sensation.While Ariadne was shy, Maximilian just smiled and got up from his seat to grab his phone."Wh-where are you going?" Ariadne asked, intercepting Maximilian with a gentle tug on the corner of his shirt before he could take a step."I'm just going to grab my phone, Ariadne," he said, and immediately Ariadne let go of her grip, feeling more embarrassed as she thought Maximilian must be considering her a spoiled woman at that moment.Maximilian smiled again at Ariadne’s cute reaction before walking to the other side of the bed to grab his phone from the nightstand."I need to call a doctor to check on you again. I’m not going to use Andymon’s services anymore after he made me doubt his intellectual abilities as a doctor."Ariad
Maximilian returned to his room immediately after escorting Mr. Milton. He sighed repeatedly, still feeling the tension from the questions Mr. Milton had asked him earlier.It was about Mr. Milton asking if Ariadne's claim that Gideon was behind all the chaos was true.This was one of the things Maximilian had not wanted to reveal to his father immediately after he 'came to his senses'. There were still some things that were perhaps not fully understood, including whether his father was ready to hear the truth, which would undoubtedly shock him.Maximilian had felt confused, because he had no idea that Ariadne had ever told Mr. Milton directly that Gideon was the true villain. This almost led Maximilian to be suspected if he had failed to answer his father's question.Of course, Maximilian didn't tell the truth. He just acted naive and confused, then distracted his father by mentioning his father's heavy workload. Inevitably, Mr. Milton was reminded of his work and had to leave before
A long and exhausting day left Ariadne completely worn out, both physically and emotionally. After the trial, Ariadne slept for a long time. Today marked five days since Ariadne’s health worsened, forcing her to rest extensively to recover. During this time, Maximilian remained by her side, waiting for her to open her eyes.“How is she?” Maximilian asked just after Andymon finished checking on Ariadne.“Better than yesterday, no more fever,” Andymon replied, preparing to leave.“So when will she wake up?”“I don’t know.”Maximilian furrowed his brow. “How can you not know?” he protested, “You’re a doctor!”“I’m a doctor, not a fortune-teller who can predict when she’ll wake up. The important thing is Ariadne is doing better; when she wakes up is a later issue. She’ll wake up, I’m sure of it.”Maximilian pouted. Since the first day he asked when Ariadne would open her eyes, Andymon’s answer had always been the same. “You’re a doctor and you can’t even answer when your patient will wake
The trial is about to begin. The defendant enters the courtroom in handcuffs, and every pair of eyes is fixed sharply on her. The glare of the cameras feels tangible, as if capturing every second of Ariadne's walk toward the abyss of her downfall.Ariadne doesn't care. Since returning from visiting Maximilian earlier, she had already decided to ignore everything, even if today was the day she would be sentenced for a crime she never committed.In the open trial, several people had arrived, including Arman and Adelaide. But they didn’t come solely because their family was involved in the issue; they came to mock Ariadne and wait for the moment she would truly be gone from their lives.For a moment, Ariadne smiled bitterly at the thought. It turned out that all along, her family’s desire to erase her was that great. Ariadne had never realized this and always assumed it was just hatred because of her background, but it turned out to be much more than that.The trial proceeded calmly and
Ariadne wiped away her tears, until they dried for a moment. She smiled again, still holding Maximilian's hand; she spoke more casually as if this were something she regularly did with him in their once-normal married life, like people outside of their world."After I leave, Adelaide will come to your house as your real wife. Finally, something that should have happened will happen... it seems like you and Adelaide are truly destined to be together," Ariadne said; her words hurt both herself and Maximilian, who listened in silence. "I'm sure you'll have a better life with her, because Adelaide loves you so much—she's always loved you. She always talked about you with a glowing face, her happiness overflowing to the point where she forgot who she was talking to—because even if there was an earthquake, Adelaide wouldn't want to speak to me softly. But it’s a different story when she talks about you.Adelaide is the perfect woman, right? She's so beautiful, smart, and of course, she love
According to the agreement, after signing the divorce papers, Ariadne would be allowed to meet Maximilian.Today, Ariadne arrived in casual attire, wearing a knee-length white dress covered by a pink cardigan. She looked like her usual self, though the handcuffs still locked her wrists.But it wasn’t a big deal; although people at the hospital stared at her with fearful and anxious glances, Ariadne paid them no mind because today she would meet her husband. Ariadne was going to see the face of Maximilian Leander Milton, whom she missed.Thus, a faint smile remained on Ariadne's face with each step she took, and for some reason, it felt like today would truly be the last day she saw Maximilian.Ariadne arrived at the floor where Maximilian's room was located. There, in front of his hospital room, stood Mr. Milton, Andymon, and Jaxon. It was surprising to see Jaxon there, standing and staring at Ariadne with a concerned expression."How are you, Brother-in-law?" asked Ariadne as soon as
Andymon was too lost in his thoughts, bowing his head deeply and unaware of his surroundings. Even the voice that had just spoken to him was answered without much thought."Yes, it seems like I’m getting karma for hating Ariadne in the past," he replied to Maximilian's words. "But this feeling is just my guilt, and it’s incredibly annoying. I can’t stop thinking about what Ariadne said—"Andymon didn’t count the words he spoke until he realized what he was doing—and to whom he was responding. He quickly glanced at Maximilian, seeing his young master open his eyes a second after he focused them.Oh, his young master was awake—but something felt odd.“Y-you’re awake?” Andymon asked, looking both panicked and surprised.Maximilian stared at the ceiling with a weary gaze before replying, “Yes, since last night.”“Then why didn’t you say anything?”“It was so quiet here last night, and my head was still aching terribly; so I decided to sleep again.”“So you’ve been listening to me all this
For some reason, Andymon felt his days growing emptier ever since he heard the news that Ariadne was soon to divorce Maximilian.You could call Andymon indecisive; after all, he had been the one most supportive of Maximilian separating from Ariadne, and now he considered the breakup of those two to be a significant change in his life.Like today—Andymon was casually walking down the hallway toward Maximilian's hospital room. Unlike usual, he walked slowly and listlessly this time; he truly felt like he had nothing to do after Ariadne told him to stop assisting with her case. The woman had given up, and Andymon had lost the biggest task filling his days.His work returned to normal: being a doctor, treating patients, enduring with a smile despite the pressures he faced. In fact, Andymon had never felt this unoccupied before; he could now walk leisurely without thinking of anyone else he had to care for.Without knocking, Andymon entered Maximilian's hospital room. He paused briefly at
After her meeting that morning, Ariadne had finally come to terms with her current situation.Ariadne and Maximilian were officially divorced. While Maximilian had yet to sign the papers, it was clear he would eventually, and Ariadne would truly separate from the man she loved.Thousands of regrets now overwhelmed Ariadne, choking her and making it hard to breathe properly. She kept glancing around aimlessly, like someone lost in thought—perhaps a side effect of the monumental decision she had just made.Ariadne still couldn’t cry.The woman repeatedly tapped her head lightly with her fists, as if trying to fix something broken inside. Her heart ached deeply, and her mind acknowledged it—but something seemed wrong within her body. Ariadne simply couldn’t cry, even though that was what she needed most at the moment.She spent hours after her conversation with Mr. Milton berating herself for being unable to shed a single tear until a prison officer approached her cell door.“Mrs. Ariadn