Corie turned to smile apologetically at the old man and said, "Sir, I'm so sorry about my friend here. He didn't know you're celebrating your seventieth birthday today."Before she could even finish, however, Liam cut her off, "Sir, please believe me. I'm not trying to curse you. I'm a healer, so I'm just stating the facts. I would advise you not to drink at such a time, otherwise."Although he did not finish his sentence, he managed to get his point across loud and clear.Liam was not one to meddle in other people's business, but he could not turn a blind eye to the situation when it was sitting right under his nose. A healer's responsibility was to save lives, and he was upholding that virtue. Not to mention the old man's handling of his grandson's behavior caused Liam to take a liking to him, which was why he chose to give a few words of advice.However, not everyone understood where he was coming from, and Xavier was one of them. He was already extremely annoyed at Liam over th
"Liam, I thought you had been pulling my leg all this while. It turns out you do practice medicine?" Corie asked incredulously, glancing back at Henry's retreating figure as he disappeared into the Royal Terrace Restaurant. "He does look a little sickly and from first glance, it does seem like he has a weak heart. He needs to pay more attention to his health."Corie was astounded by Liam's performance just now, for the ability to diagnose someone just by a single glance was a display of remarkable medical knowledge, one that surpassed even her own!No novice could diagnose someone so accurately with a single glance and even give appropriate medical advice tailored to his condition, such as Liam did to Henry. Even she, who spent decades honing her medical knowledge under her grandfather's influence, did not manage to achieve such a feat. What was more shocking was the fact that even after scouring all the information she could get her hands on about Liam, she never once recalled tha
Liam released her hand almost immediately after exchanging greetings, as though he did not want to linger any more than was appropriate. This small gesture earned him some respect from Yennifer, who smiled back at him before turning her attention to Corie. "Corie, when did you have time to make friends? I can see why you didn't want to meet up with me whilst you're here in Drunham City now—it turns out you already have a new friend!" she said teasingly, glancing at Liam as she did so.Corie blushed at this and immediately replied, "Stop making fun of me, Yennnifer! Come on, he and I haven't even known each other that long. I haven't found the time to introduce you, but there's no better time than the present!"Corie's attitude toward Yennifer was a stark contrast to the aloof manner in which she carried herself when Liam first met her.The three of them exchanged some friendly conversation, then finally entered the Royal Terrace Restaurant together, where they were led to a private
"Shut your mouth!" Vincent snapped without even waiting for his friend to finish his sentence. This was, no doubt, the perfect outlet for him to release his anger, so he veered toward his mate and snarled, "What does it have to do with you? Are you my mother? No! Keep your nose out of my business!"The sight of Corie with another man was already infuriating enough, but it set him off the edge to see that she chose none other than Liam!He was already extremely resentful of Liam, having embarrassed himself multiple times in Liam's presence, but this was the last straw! His friend chose the worst possible moment to ask questions, so, of course, he was forced to face Vincent's wrath.The entire room fell silent at Vincent's voice, and immediately all eyes flitted between Vincent, Corie, and Liam. Vincent and Corie were inseparable before this, and it was plain as day that Vincent had feelings for her! Therefore, it came as a great shock to see Corie choose another man over him!An
However, she was dressed so provocatively and wearing such heavy makeup that if anything, she looked more like a prostitute! It was understandable, of course, that people would far prefer Corie or Jennifer. Corie grinned back at the woman who spoke. "I was stuck in traffic, Wren, and besides, I'm not all that late anyway!"She turned to Liam and said, smiling even wider, "Liam, let me introduce you to my friend from university. Her name is Wren Engel, and she's from Drunham City. She's the one who hosted the gathering today."Wren, this is Liam Cole, my new friend."Corie graciously introduced them to each other, but Wren did not so much as give Liam a second glance. She already noticed Liam the moment he stepped in, and was not at all impressed by him given his rather shabby-looking clothes. Instead, she turned her attention to Yennifer, whom she never met before. Despite seething with jealousy at Yennifer's looks, she plastered a smile on her face and exclaimed in a forced ton
Everyone got to their feet to greet Corie and Yennifer warmly. This was expected, given that the two of them were easily the prettiest women in the room, not to mention the fact that Corie also happened to be the heiress of the prestigious Doyle family. Everyone in the room was eager to get to know her and form yet another powerful connection.After greeting everyone, Corie then added with a smile, "Let me introduce this person next to me. His name is Liam Cole, and he's my new friend here in Drunham City!"Liam's presence was not received as warmly, for the excitement dampened down, and everyone merely nodded curtly in response to this. Some of them did not even bother giving him so much as a glance.Liam, however, was not at all bothered by the lack of response. If anything, he was not at all interested in getting to know these people at all. He, Yennifer, and Corie took their seats. The moment Liam sat down next to Corie, he could feel sharp looks on him from all directions, so
Wren's eyes blazed with a mix of admiration and envy as she gushed about Kaison. "Mr. Nasso is one of the state's most eligible bachelors, a real mover and shaker among the elite. The Nasso Group is blue-blooded royalty here, and the cherry on top? Mr. Nasso is making a special trip to Drunham City tonight just to see you!"The more she talked, the more her jealousy showed. Her gaze was practically on fire as she looked at Kaison, but he did not even spare her a glance.Kaison, backed by the prestigious Nasso Group, was a catch no woman could ignore—handsome and filthy rich.Wren tried to cozy up to him the moment he walked into the VIP room, but Kaison did not show the slightest interest.Kaison was on a mission tonight, and his target was Corie. Unfazed by her indifference, he kept his cool and flashed a charming smile. "Ms. Doyle, you might not know me, but meeting tonight's got to be more than coincidence. Let's call it the start of a new friendship, shall we?"Wren eagerly ba
The mention of Liam ignited a fire in Vincent's chest, his words seething with venom. "Just watch," he hissed, "So what if he's by Corie's side? Kaison's set his sights on her, and he won't let anyone get in his way!"Vincent's rant was a tangled mess, leaving the preppy guy next to him baffled.However, the guy shrugged it off, figuring Vincent was just spouting drunken gibberish out of heartache.As for the other men who were eyeing Corie, hoping to woo her, they all quietly retreated to their seats once Kaison showed his interest. Those who did not make a move yet quickly shelved their plans.They all knew who Kaison was, no one was foolish enough to cross him or the powerful state Nasso Group over a girl.Besides, in their world, Kaison was a legend. Any woman he wanted, he got. So, the men played it smart—they dropped the idea like a hot potato.In the VIP room, the air was thick with envy and jealousy. All the women, except Corie and Yennifer, had their eyes set on Kaison.
What would Liam do if he found out Prince Faber had captured his wife? Surely he would not hesitate to turn the entire city upside down to look for her?Prince Faber was more than familiar with Liam's fierce loyalty and could not help but begin to worry at the prospect of having to face his wrath. He stared at Keyon's leering face and asked with belated realization, "Mr. Yeager, you ordered me to capture all those people from the Drunham City Connoisseurs, but the truth is, your sole target has always been Liam's wife. Is that right?"Keyon nodded, smiling. "That's right. We could care less about those businessmen. All we wanted was to get our hands on Celena Stone!"I must admit I was very surprised when I found out that Celena Stone is the wife of the great King Pendragon. Not only that, but I made an even more shocking discovery—it turns out that Liam is none other than the lone survivor of the Cole family, the noble clan who were allegedly wiped out seven years ago!"The ment
After a few moments' hesitation, he finally decided to shoot his shot. "Mr. Yeager, there is something I don't understand. Why did the Yeagers order these businessmen's capture? I've looked into their backgrounds, and they are all honest businessmen who have not broken the law before. If the media catches wind of this, they will surely accuse me of abusing my power…"This was what Prince Faber had been worried about. He had already investigated the people whom the Yeagers ordered to be captured and did not understand why the Yeagers wanted them imprisoned. They were all civilians who had not committed any crime, and he dared not even imagine the consequences if the public found out he had ordered the incarceration of innocent citizens.Keyon understood immediately Prince Faber's concern. He smiled and replied in a reassuring tone, "Worry not, Prince Faber. We Yeagers have taken care of everything. We have made absolutely sure to cover up all your tracks, and no one will know you were
Meanwhile, Celena and the group were taken out of the hotel and shoved forcefully into a couple of jeeps waiting at the entrance. They were whisked away to a nearby military base. Before they could even get their bearings straight, they found themselves being tossed into holding cells. Celena, on the other hand, was taken separately to a small, dark room, illuminated only by the barest sliver of light that peeped in through a tiny window. The room was entirely empty, save for a metal bed frame. A sour stench hung in the air, and it was clear this room had been abandoned for a very long time. A soldier shoved Celena roughly into the room, and before she could realize what was happening, the soldier slammed the door shut.The soldier had pushed Celena so hard that she fell onto the ground, but upon seeing that her captor was about to leave, she leaped to her feet and sprinted over to the door. "Sir, can you tell me what I did wrong? Can you please have mercy on me? Can you at least
Tristan seemed just as baffled as they were. He returned their puzzled gazes with an equally perplexed one of his own. "I… I have no idea…"The general glanced sharply in their direction, then gestured to his soldiers and declared sternly, "Take them away!"His soldiers obliged and stepped forward to restrain the members of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, who all shrieked in alarm, "Why are you taking us away?""General, what did we do wrong? We didn't do anything illegal, so why are you arresting us?""Mr. Xander, save us! They've got this all wrong!""What's going on here? Why are they arresting only us?"Celena's entire body was shaking like a leaf. She eyed the soldiers around her and asked, stammering, "General, what did we do wrong? Why are we being captured? Where are you taking us?"Tristan, stricken with panic, shoved a soldier aside and shouted at the general, "General, I'm the president of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, and I want to know why we're being taken away. Wh
Celena was utterly terrified by the sudden turn of events. She stared pale-faced at the soldiers around her, not daring to move even a muscle. What was going on?All of a sudden, a man in a uniform stepped into the room. The badge on his shoulder indicated to everyone that he was a general. The heavy thumping of his boots echoed through the silent room with every step he took. All eyes were on him as he stepped onto the stage.He carried himself with great authority, and clearly, this man was not one to be messed with. He scanned the room as if searching for someone. Finally, he announced in a deep, resounding voice, "Do not fear, ladies and gentlemen. We are here on a routine check after receiving a tip-off regarding your conference. We will release you all once we have carried out our investigation, and the process will be quicker and smoother if you all cooperate. "Now, I would kindly request you get your documentation ready so that my men may confirm your identity."Everyone
Derek nodded earnestly and replied, "Of course it's true. My sources have never failed me. I wouldn't have trusted you with this information if I didn't think you'd be interested."Celena stared at him for a moment, then turned to glance in the direction of the people he had pointed. She could not help but be tempted by the offer. She considered this for a few moments, then accepted his offer. "Alright then, Mr. Duncan. I'll go with you. Thank you for inviting me."The smile on Derek's face widened. He could hardly believe his luck—Celena had agreed to go with him! Taking that first step was always the hardest, but he had done it!Unbeknownst to Celena, Derek already knew her long before their first meeting at the conference. Her name was known far and wide in Drunham City, not least because of her beauty, but because of her—in the eyes of the public—tragic marriage. Celena had earned herself a reputation as one of the most beautiful women Drunham City had ever seen, and although
The attention they received, however, was large due to Celena and her young, handsome companion, who was a man named Derek Duncan. Their attractive looks, both individually and combined, were easily the topic of discussion that night. Everyone who laid eyes on them admired both their good looks and brains, for certainly only the cream of the crop were allowed to attend this prestigious event. What made this feat even more impressive was the fact that they were both so young!Aside from her beauty, Celena's name was already known far and wide in the business world, not just because of her strong leadership but due to her association with Liam and her company's connections with many international corporations. She had started her business from scratch, but within a few short months, she had single handedly built it up to become one of the top ten grossing companies in Drunham City.There were hundreds of people gathered there tonight, and their seats had been allocated according to t
The moment Clifford left, Kastor turned to Liam with a wide grin, all hint of his hostility now gone. "Mr. Cole, thank God I arrived just in time."He raised his brows as he said this, and Liam took this to mean he was trying to claim credit. Truth be told, he would have been able to handle things on his own even without Kastor's help, but he decided this was a detail Kastor did not need to know. Instead, he returned Kastor's smile graciously. Kastor, like a child, burst into laughter at this. No further words were exchanged, but they understood the message nonetheless.Jeffrey also grinned. "Kastor, what brings you here all of a sudden?"Kastor replied, "Ah, you might not know this, Mr. Stein, but I actually own this very restaurant that you're sitting in right now. One of my employees called me for help, citing that a brawl was about to break out, so I rushed over immediately. I had no idea it would turn out to be you and Mr. Cole!""Ah, what a pleasant surprise, then!" Jeffrey
Clifford scowled upon hearing this. He cracked his knuckles menacingly as he stared at Kastor through narrowed eyes.Kastor did not seem at all intimidated by this. Instead, he brushed past him and approached Liam, smiling. "Mr. Cole, I apologize for the delay. I rushed over as soon as I heard the news, but I was late anyway. I'm so sorry for the wait."Liam's expression eased up slightly. He tugged the corners of his mouth into a strained smile but did not reply. Clifford's expression turned even more sour when he sensed Kastor's tone. He asked sharply, "What is the meaning of this, Kastor? Are you intent on making me your enemy?"Clifford's reputation was known far and wide, and many feared him, but Kastor was not one of them. He shot Clifford a look of utmost disdain and replied, smirking, "Yes, Clifford, that's exactly what I'm going to do. So what if we will be enemies from now on? What are you going to do about it?"He was confident that Clifford would not dare to retaliate