The meal ended in an eerie silence.When the bill arrived, Kendrick's attempt to play the cool, collected gentleman in front of Celena crumbled. His face twisted in agony. The food alone, not counting the drinks, had racked up a bill of over 75 thousand dollars!Sure, splurging on Celena would not have made him bat an eye, even if it cost ten times more. However, blowing that much cash on Liam, that freeloader, was a bitter pill to swallow.To add insult to injury, Liam, who could not hold a candle to Kendrick, had somehow managed to sweep Celena off her feet. It gnawed at Kendrick's pride.However, with Celena watching, Kendrick bit back his frustration and reluctantly pulled out his card to settle the astronomical bill.Celena caught sight of the bill's total and winced. The dinner had cost a fortune, and Liam had ordered most of it. She felt a wave of guilt wash over her. "Kendrick, I'm so sorry..." she began, her face etched with remorse. She hesitated, but then her sense of
The man in the gray suit, flanked by his bodyguards and the armed soldiers, ushered middle-aged man, Lukas Rhodes, into the Manor House Kitchen.That display caught the eye of everyone nearby, from the pedestrians on the street to the patrons inside the restaurant.Even Kendrick and his companions, who were just about to leave, found themselves rooted to the spot, captivated by the unfolding drama.Kendrick's eyes widened in shock and excitement when he recognized the middle-aged man in the crisp military uniform. "Isn't that Mr. Rhodes, the commander-in-chief of our state garrison??" he blurted out, his face alight with recognition.Celena, on the other hand, looked on with confusion, not knowing the man. "Kendrick, is that Mr. Rhodes from the state garrison?""Yes, it is!""Celena, hang tight for a sec. I need to go say hi to them!"Brimming with eagerness, Kendrick made a beeline for the man.However, before Kendrick could get anywhere close, he was blocked by two guards, th
Kendrick strode up to Celena with the eagerness of a boyfriend, while Liam might as well have been invisible."Celena, come on, come on! Let's get inside quickly. I'm gonna introduce you to someone really important!"However, just as Kendrick reached out for Celena, Liam stepped in, blocking his hand."Mr. Hyde, remember who you are. Trying to take my wife's hand right in front of me? That's not exactly cool, is it?"The friendly look on Liam's face was gone, his features twisted into a scowl, his eyes icy as they locked onto Kendrick.Kendrick snapped back to reality, flinging Liam's hand away. The thrill on his face was gone in a flash, replaced by a frosty glare."Liam, I let it slide just now, but don't think for a second I'll put up with your nonsense!"Kendrick's face was stormy as he jabbed a finger toward the armed soldiers. "Liam, see that? That's Mr. Rhodes, a bigwig from the state. I'm about to introduce Celena to him!"He sneered at Liam, "And you are a good-for-not
"And another thing, do you even know who we're talking about here? Celena meeting someone as influential as this can only be good for her. And you're trying to stand in her way? "Kendrick finished speaking and gave Liam the cold shoulder, not bothering to hold Celena's hand any longer. With a meaningful look, he said, "Celena, let's not dawdle. We should head inside.""Sure." Celena cast a lingering glance at Liam, then nodded to Kendrick and turned to make her way to the restaurant.Liam's face twisted into a scowl, his eyes icy as he stared down Kendrick. "So what if he's a major general in the state garrison? Think he's a big deal? My wife needs to rub elbows with the high and mighty, and I can introduce her to bigger fish than you!"Kendrick was caught off guard for a second, then his expression turned stormy, and he gave Liam a look of pure disdain. "Really? I must be hearing things."Liam, are you trying to be the comic relief here? I know all about you. You're nothing but
Kendrick had tried to maintain his gentlemanly front for Celena's sake, avoiding any serious confrontation with Liam.However, after hearing Liam's bold claims, he lost his composure.To Kendrick, a gem like Celena was way out of Liam's league—a total mismatch.He was determined to break them up. Celena might be married, but she was still as enchanting as ever.Celena was shooting Liam warning looks, silently begging him to dial it back and get out of there with Jovie.However, Liam was not paying her any attention.Just then, Yrian showed up with four bodyguards in sleek black suits, heading their way."Kendrick, what's the holdup? Let's move it. We can't keep Mr. Rhodes waiting!"Kendrick whirled around at the sound and gave Yrian a quick, respectful nod. "Mr. Lachman, my apologies. We're heading up now.""Mmhmm."Yrian's attention, however, was already on Celena, taking in her flawless figure, her striking features, and the elegant air about her. His eyes sparkled with a t
Kendrick did not even try to hide it when he laid his cards on the table about Celena, not caring that Liam was right there.He did not give Liam a second thought.To Kendrick, Liam was just a deadbeat who lucked out by marrying into the family. They are not even in the same league!Liam's face turned to stone as he listened, his brows knitting together, his gaze icy as it locked onto Kendrick.However, Yrian, the savvy businessman, was not about to let things get awkward. He laughed it off and steered the conversation elsewhere. "Let's drop it, folks. We're all friends here, right? Let's head on up and not keep Mr. Rhodes hanging."Without waiting for Liam's input, Yrian led the way to the already booked private room.Kendrick, with Yrian having spoken, could not really push it. He looked down at Liam like he was doing him a favor and said, "Alright, your lucky day. Come on, then."Celena hurried to straighten up her outfit, a flush of excitement on her cheeks as she followed t
Far from feeling awkward, Kendrick was actually eager to keep the conversation going.However, just as he was about to say something else, Lukas, seated at the head of the table, pulled out his phone and started scrolling, head down.Even Kendrick, who was not the most socially savvy, could see he was being brushed off.He retreated and turned to Celena, murmuring, "Celena, it's your turn to greet him."Celena, equally anxious, took a step forward and gave a respectful nod. "Mr. Rhodes, good day. I'm Celena from the Drunham City Stone family."Her introduction was poised and respectful, without a hint of sycophancy despite Lukas's stature.Celena's striking beauty and her sweet, enchanting voice made even a simple greeting stand out. Lukas looked up, clearly impressed. A smile quickly spread across his face as he responded, "Ms. Stone, a pleasure. I had no idea Drunham City was home to such a breathtaking beauty as yourself!"Celena had not given a second thought to Lukas notici
Watching Liam defeat the enemy commander filled Lukas with an overwhelming sense of excitement and reverence.Across Biskeland's battlefronts, Liam had become an icon. Countless soldiers aspired to follow in the footsteps of King Pendragon and serve under his command!King Pendragon was not only known for his formidable strength but also for his fierce loyalty to his troops. It was that unwavering care that drew people to him, and Lukas was among the most devoted of his followers.That was exactly why Lukas was over the moon when he saw Liam. Imagine a fan, glued to their phone, devouring the latest news about their favorite celebrity, and then, in a blink, they are face-to-face with their hero, even exchanging words. The rush was like a wild ride on a roller coaster.Kendrick and Yrian stood frozen, their faces a picture of shock, as they watched Lukas leap to his feet and salute Liam. Kendrick, who had always scorned Liam, was particularly floored, his jaw practically hitting the
However, Andy was a smooth talker, so the eldest member of the Drayton family liked him. Because of that, the head of the family tolerated him. That was why Andy, who was just a member of the branch family, dared to be so cocky.Andy saw Howard standing at the side from the corner of his eye as he spoke. He thought of what Howard said earlier, and that made his blood boil.He pointed at Howard and bellowed, "Uncle Derrick, this Howard is trash as well. You have no idea. I told him I was a member of the Drayton family, yet he did not take our family seriously at all."Not only did he have his men capture me, but he said cockily that he wanted to lock me up forever, and nobody could stop him."Weren't you very cocky before this, Mr. Mosier? Go on. Continue acting cocky in front of my uncle now. Detain me and lock me up forever."Andy took a couple of steps closer to Howard as he said that. He extended his hands arrogantly and said, "Come on. I have my hands stretched out for you. Hu
Soon, Andy and the thugs from the nightclub yesterday were released.Andy saw Derrick standing at the entrance of the police headquarters at a glance. He got so excited that he shouted, "Uncle Derrick! Uncle Derrick!"Fletcher's subordinates were incredibly excited to see Derrick as well. All of them shouted, "Mr. Derrick Drayton!"One of the subordinates was in Drunham City because Derrick arranged for him to be there. After he was brought to Derrick's side, he smiled apologetically and said, "Thank you for saving me, sir. Don't worry. Fletcher's faction and properties are all here. I'll be able to rebuild the faction here very soon."In other words, even if Fletcher was out of the picture, he would be able to thrive in Drunham City and replace Fletcher.However, Derrick shot an icy glare at him and sneered. "Hmph! How shameless of you to say that? There are so many of you, yet you can't deal with a small loser who only married into the Stone family."If it wasn't because this w
Howard did not expect that the Drayton family would have a connection with the Carter family. They could even produce a token from the Carter family."Mr. Derrick Drayton, I didn't expect that your family and the Carters go way back. You even got the Carter family's token out," said Howard.Derrick sneered and said, "Enough with the nonsense. Howard, my family did the Carter family a favor back then, that's why the general of the Carter family gave this token to us. He promised us that we could take out this token if we were ever in a bind in the future, and they would help us!"I'm taking out this token today to tell you that I'm going to bail Andy out of here. I'd like to see who in Drunham City has the guts to stop me!"Howard was stunned, and then he fell silent.He did not think that Derrick would take out a token from the Carter family.The Carter family was the top family in Mirstone. Nobody in Mirstone would dare to go against the Carter family. Derrick became even more
Meanwhile, Derrick and his men were already at the entrance of the police headquarters.Derrick's eyes were burning with rage as he looked at the door that was shut tightly. A sneer appeared on his lips as he said, "Hmph. Looks like they already know I'm coming, so they are deliberately trying to assert dominance."Then, he asked his driver next to him, "Where are our men? Have they all arrived?"The driver nodded and said, "They're here, Mr. Derrick. They are all waiting at the side. We'll tear down the main door to the police headquarters once you give the command."Derrick nodded with satisfaction. Then, he shouted at the police headquarters, "Howard! You're just the chief of the police headquarters! How dare you lock me outside?""I'd like to see how powerful you are today, Howard! Come on, guys. Take it down!"At his command, a group of burly men rushed out of the black van next to him. They were all holding thick bats, and they rushed up to the door ferociously.Right at t
At first, Yafe and the rest of the Stone family were stunned after they heard what Liam said. Then, they all burst out laughing.Yafe looked at Liam with a mocking gaze and said, "Are you kidding me, Liam? You're going to get the Draytons to come and apologize in person? Come on, that's the Drayton family we're talking about! Do you think they are just some nobody?"Right now, I don't want to waste my breath anymore. As long as you're able to stop the Drayton family from targeting us, I'm more than grateful. Don't you forget that you're the one who wanted to leave the Stone family? So, stop dragging us into your mess."Liam shot the crowd with an icy glare and brought Celena out of the Stone Mansion.Celena was still in a slight daze after they got into the car. Liam put on her safety belt for her and asked, "What's the matter, dear? Are you still worried about the Draytons?"Celena nodded and replied, "Yes. After all, all these were caused by the conflict between Andy and us. Jus
Liam wanted to ask what the family heirloom was, but he had no choice but to let it be after he heard what Yonatan said.However, Liam heard Yonatan's voice again, saying, "I've never seen that thing, but I heard from the Drayton family members that it was from a big shot in the military."The military?Liam's eyebrows furrowed once he heard it had something to do with the military. Then, he kicked Yonatan away, making him land next to the thugs.Yonatan passed out because of that kick.Once the thugs saw their leader was out cold, they took a couple of steps back in fear.However, Liam did not care about them at all. He looked at Yafe and the others instead.Once the Stone family members saw that they were out of the woods, they became cocky again.Yafe and Sherah, in particular, were so cocky that they ran up to Liam and condemned him, "Look what you've done! You're bad luck! What else can you do other than cause us trouble? Do you know who that is? He is from the Drayton fam
Yonatan was infuriated and bellowed, "So this is how you're going to play! Alright! I'm not going to stop until I kill you today!"Yonatan was radiating an intense desire to battle. That was the air exuded by a fighter of Fourth Order War King caliber.The Stone family was so frightened by the air he exuded that their faces turned pale. All of them took more than ten steps back in fear, afraid they would be injured by mistake.Yonatan clenched his fist and charged at Liam like a ferocious beast. His fist was packing so much power that it created a sonic boom, cutting through the air and going for Liam's face.The punch was so powerful that it could kill a bull right away.The Stone family thought Liam was going to die. Nobody would be able to survive a punch like that.Yonatan thought the same. He was very confident in his ability. He looked into Liam and knew he used to be a soldier, as well as a good fighter. However, so what?No matter how skilled Liam was in combat, could he
The moment Liam stepped into view, the Stone family members lit up as if they had spotted their guardian angel. They pointed at him, their voices rising in a chorus of relief and accusation. "Mr. Yonatan, look over here! It's Liam! I said they weren't with us!""Exactly! Mr. Yonatan, see for yourself, Liam's not part of our family!""Mr. Yonatan, now that Liam's here, if you're looking to pin the blame on someone, he's your man!""Liam, you actually showed up. If you hadn't crossed the Drayton family, would we, the Stones, have ever been dragged into this mess?""Liam, Celena, you two are nothing but trouble. You've left the family, so why keep stirring the pot for us?"...The air crackled with the Stone family's collective outrage, their faces twisted in anger as if they were ready to rip Liam and Celena to shreds.Celena and Liam's arrival was pure happenstance. They were just in the neighborhood to check in on an old friend when they overheard Yonatan's boastful taunts.Lia
Yonatan did not even bother to look at him. He checked his watch with a chilling laugh and said, "You've got ten minutes for Liam to show up. Don't say I didn't warn you."The words sent a wave of shock through Yafe and the rest of the Stone family, who stared at Yonatan, panic-stricken.Yafe was a mess, desperate to explain, but the sight of Yonatan's henchmen, eager and ready for a fight, stopped him dead in his tracks."Mr. Yonatan, I swear it's the truth. Liam has nothing to do with the Stone family anymore. You've made a mistake!"Yafe's face was flushed with urgency as he tried to convince the unmoved man."It's true, Mr. Yonatan! Liam and Celena were kicked out of the Stone family ages ago.""That's right! He's got nothing to do with us anymore. If you're after Liam, go to the villa at Emerald Lake. He's there, not here with us.""Mr. Yonatan, if you head over to Drunham City and ask anyone, they'll tell you the same thing: Liam and Celena have no ties to us Stones anymor