After a brief moment's contemplation, Celena quickly changed her clothes and stormed out of her room, ignoring Calum's resistance and instead saying, "I can't stop worrying about Liam. Don't try to stop me. Just promise me you'll stay here and keep an eye on Jovie. I'll be back soon! If Liam comes back, just tell him to take good care of Jovie, and tell him that I don't hate him!" With that, she hailed a taxi and told the driver, "Sir, please bring me to Stone Mansion in the Uptown Area!" Celena knew just how much power the Walkers held over the entire Drunham City. Seven years ago she had already witnessed just how malicious the Walkers were capable of being, and now that seven years had passed and the Walkers were even more powerful than ever, Celena knew she had no choice but to seek refuge from the Stones. Although the Stones were technically a smaller family than the Walkers, and she was banished from the family seven years ago, Celena had to give it a try despite the minusc
The man next to Cheryl smirked and asked, "My love, is this that shameless sister of yours that you've told me about? Well well." The man gave Celena a once-over. He had to admit that Celena was indeed a stunner; it was no wonder she was known as the most beautiful woman in Drunham City. Even though she gave birth, her figure was still as slender as ever, with curves in all the right places. Cheryl scoffed when she saw her boyfriend leering at Celena and snapped, "What's wrong? Are you interested in my sister, Jacob?" Jacob immediately turned away from Celena and snaked his arm around Cheryl's shoulder, gazing at her tenderly. "Of course not, my love! How can I be interested in someone like her when I've only got eyes for you? Besides, you're much more beautiful than her!" No woman could resist being praised like this, much less Cheryl, who was undermined by Celena's beauty all her life. No matter what she did, Celena could do it better, and thus Cheryl always lived under her s
At this exact moment, Liam arrived just in time to see Cheryl slapping Celena across the face and Celena slumping onto the ground in a crumpled heap. He felt his blood boil and wanted nothing more than to snap Cheryl's arm right in half. The moment he saw that, he leaped out of the car before it even stopped and sprinted toward them. No one was allowed to treat Celena like this! Cheryl raised her arm above her head, poised to give another slap, when all of a sudden someone swatted her arm away so forcefully that she staggered backward. Finally, she lost her balance and plopped onto the ground, right in the middle of the puddle of wastewater! "Ahhh—" she shrieked in disgust. Her hands were now covered in wastewater, and she was even more infuriated by the sight of Jacob standing to one side, his mouth agape in shock. "Are you an idiot? How can you stand there like that while someone else picks on your girlfriend?" Jacob finally snapped out of his stupor. He stared at Cheryl, w
Cheryl ordered someone to bring over a bucketful of the leftover wastewater that the servants used to mop the floors so that she could pour it onto Celena to spite her. She could not believe that she ended up being covered in the same water too, and at the thought of this, she stomped back into the mansion, screaming. As angry as she was, Cheryl could not help but find the man who showed up to help Celena strangely familiar. It was as though she had seen him before, but she could not put a finger on it. Meanwhile, Liam brought Celena back to Jade Manor. Everyone was stunned to see Celena return with another wound this time. They bussed her back to her room where Dr. Jensen opened the dressing on her bullet wound. The stitches tore, and wastewater seeped into her wound. The edges of the wound were gaping and were beginning to become inflamed. Dr. Jensen changed the dressing and put Celena on an IV drip. Liam sat down next to Celena's bed and watched her curl up like a shrimp, fast
With Dr. Jensen's help and the aid of the best medicine around, Trent's wounds healed beautifully, and every day, just on the verge of them healing, Liam would send someone to peel them wide open again with a blunt dagger! Wails of agony echoed through the mansion day after day. The excruciating pain made Trent want to curl up and die, but he was now paralyzed in all four limbs and had no way of moving at all. He could power through the pain initially, but as the days went by, he finally could not stand it anymore and pleaded for mercy. "I'm sorry… I know what I've done… I will never do it again… Please let me go… I'll give you money in exchange for letting me go… Please…" However, everyone ignored him. Dr. Jensen continued to tend to him every day, and his wounds continued to be peeled open again and again. Calum even saw to the task himself sometimes and subconsciously stuck the dagger in even deeper at the thought of Jovie not being able to walk again someday. "Ahhhh—" Trent
Even if the wound were to leave a scar on her forehead, Liam still thought Celena was the most beautiful woman in the world! "Her wound has gotten infected by the wastewater, and if any other doctor tended to her, they would not have been able to stop the wound from scarring, but thankfully I'm the one treating her, so that won't happen! Don't worry, Sir!" Dr. Jensen declared confidently. With that, Liam spent the entire afternoon sitting by Celena's side. Eventually, as the sun began to set, she let out a groan and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the beautiful chandelier dangling from the ceiling above her. When she felt the warmth of Liam's skin against hers, she turned and came face-to-face with him, staring straight at her. His eyes were etched with sorrow, guilt, and love. Finally, he let out a sigh and stroked his cheek gently with Celena's hand. "Do you hate me, Celena? I'm the reason you fell from your throne as heiress of the
At this exact moment, the Igragon already gathered and were collectively on their way to Drunham City. Louie, too, finished settling his affairs in Athenapolis and was making his way there. The Igragon were such a large group of warriors that naturally, their presence caught the attention of the Federal Aviation Department, who quickly relayed the message to the various branches of the Igragon's journey. Everyone in the Federal Aviation Department was wondering whether something terrible happened in Drunham City that required the Igragon's intervention. They sent their people out to find out if anything was wrong in Drunham City, but sadly their searches were futile. No one knew what the Igragon were there for; all that was known was their destination. Liam returned to the living room of Jade Manor, where Albert waited. He leaped to his feet and reported to Liam, "Sir, the Pendragon and Igragon Warriors are all ready for battle. The first elite Igragon team arrived in Drunham Cit
"Very well then! I've never met someone who dares to challenge me like this in all these years of ruling over Drunham City! I was capable of destroying the entire Cole family seven years ago, I can do it again!" Morgan's face was steely and remorseless. "Morgan, he's still got Trent captive. Should we send someone to rescue Trent first?" Jonas asked. Morgan considered this for a moment, then finally said, "Let's not give ourselves away just yet. He must've been prepared for this, otherwise, he wouldn't have taken Trent away just like that. Let's try to call Trent and see what's going on there!" They did as he asked. Trent's phone rang, and Calum handed the phone to Liam. "It must be the Walkers' calling." Liam picked up. Morgan's husky voice rang out from the other end of the line, "If you send Trent back to us, do the same to yourself as what you've done to Trent, and beg for our mercy, I might just consider forgiving you." Liam sneered. The Walkers were as arrogant as he re
The new plan was a hit; every assassin in the room was on board.One of them, posing as a bellhop, stood at Liam's door, ready to knock.However, he never saw it coming. Before his knuckles could rap on the door, it burst open from the inside.Wham!The would-be knocker was sent flying, slamming into the corridor wall with a thunderous crash.The others barely had time to register what happened when Liam burst out, a quintuple-edged dagger in hand.He was a shadow among them, his blade a flash of silver that danced across their wrists, disarming them of their scimitars.In moments, the hallway was a cacophony of clattering blades and piercing screams that filled the hotel.The leader, clutching his bleeding wrist, stared at Liam in horror, leaning casually against the doorframe. Liam's dagger dripped crimson. He watched the fallen assassins with an unfeeling smirk."You think you can play assassins, skulking around in the dark?" Liam's voice dripped with scorn. With a casual f
Noel was a name that turned heads in Rasford City, especially since the Noel family ran a successful pharmaceutical business. In any place, those in the medicine game hold sway, and Noel was no stranger to the city's shadowy bigwigs. After all, nobody was immune to getting sick!Noel was quickly taken to the hospital for emergency care. Meanwhile, the assassin he had hired had pinpointed the hotel where Liam and Sunniva were hiding out.Sunniva was still visibly shaken when they reached the hotel. Too frightened to be alone, she could only gaze at Liam with watery eyes, silently pleading to stay in his room.Liam, left with little choice, let Sunniva take his room while he made do with the couch in the living room.After the night's earlier ordeal, combined with the alcohol and the drug slipped into her drink, Sunniva washed up and promptly fell asleep in Liam's bed.Liam, however, remained on the living room sofa, poring over the mysterious Arcane Manuscript.Out of nowhere,
"Thud!"Then, without missing a beat, Liam grabbed Noel by the throat and landed another punch on him. He struck him squarely on the chin, dislocating it and forcing a couple more of his teeth to fly out. "Ahhh!" Noel shrieked. His face was swelling up to twice its usual size, and he could not help letting out a cry of agony. Liam did not stop there, though. His fists rained down all over Noel without ceasing, his every punch striking where it hurt the most. "F*ck! You're going to pay for this!" Noel grunted. He would make this twat pay! What gave him the right to attack him? He was an heir of the great Noel bloodline, and he would make this cocky, self-righteous prat pay!Liam scoffed, then swung his fist and struck Noel squarely in his abdomen.Noel spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to utter another word from the sheer pain, but this did not stop Liam. The next moment, he grabbed Noel by the hair and bashed his head against the wall behind him.A sickening crunch alerted
The words had barely left her mouth when Noel lost his patience, swung Sunniva around and slapped her hard across the cheek. "D*mn it, you f*cking sl*t! What the f*ck are you shouting for? Let me tell you this—no one will come to save you, not even if you cry yourself hoarse!"The slap came so abruptly that Sunniva was momentarily stunned. Her cheek soon swelled up, and a bright red mark in the shape of Noel's palm began to take shape. Noel had hit her so hard that the back of her head struck the wall behind her, and all she could feel was an intense, throbbing pain that reverberated through her skull. Blood seeped out of the cut on the back of her head, and she could feel the warm liquid trickle down her neck. She suddenly felt strangely faint and stopped resisting. Noel seized the opportunity to strip her naked, grinning. "Ms. Bristow, I suggest you stop wasting your energy. You're mine tonight, and there's no running now!"He had long since heard of Sunniva's beauty, and he was
"Mr. Noel? What is the meaning of this?" Sunniva shrieked in alarm. Noel was wiping his face with a towel when she spoke, and upon hearing her voice, he slowly moved toward her. "Ms. Bristow, do I really need to spell this out for you? You're a gorgeous woman, and I admire you very much. There's nothing to be afraid of, darling. We're all adults here, so there's no need to be shy. I promise that I'll make this the most memorable night you've ever had. "Ms. Bristow, do you know how many women would die to be in your position? Women everywhere bend over backwards to keep me happy, and most of them are willing to please me just to get my business. If you still want this partnership, you better be a good girl and keep me satisfied. If not…"Noel trailed off, for at this point, he had already reached the bed and was just inches away from Sunniva. His flesh quivered with his every move, and he was so tall that he loomed over Sunniva's tiny body like a beast eyeing its prey. "You… you
Noel was not used to being rejected so outwardly. Sunniva's indifference infuriated him greatly. He scoffed, then brought his hand up to his nose and took a deep breath as if trying to catch a whiff of any scent that Sunniva had left on his skin. He sneered. "Ms. Bristow, it seems you are intent on challenging me?"Sunniva replied curtly, "So what if I am?""Very well then! You like to do things the hard way, eh? Let me make this clear—the moment you step out the door, the partnership will be called off! I will no longer do business with Bristow Group!"The audacity!With a smug grin, Noel cast Sunniva one last look before returning to his seat. He watched her coolly and made no move to stop her from leaving again, for he knew he had her cornered. Sunniva stood rooted to the spot, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. Noel knew he had Sunniva caught in a dead-end situation. He smirked and raised his glass to his lips. "How about this, Ms. Bristow? Just one last drink with
A glimmer of annoyance flashed through Noel's eyes, but he continued to reach toward Sunniva, grinning. "Ms. Bristow, I really, really admire you…"Sunniva froze. The next moment, she leaped to her feet, still holding her wine glass, and ducked out of Noel's reach. She replied, raising his glass in an attempt to disguise her nervousness, "Mr. Noel, I greatly admire your success as a businessman as well. Cheers to our partnership!"Noel's arm hovered in mid-air, looking awkward and forlorn as it dangled out of reach of its target. A strained silence fell over them. The tension lasted only a few minutes, though, because Noel soon regained his composure and drew his arm back. He clinked his glass against Sunniva's as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The two of them had been drinking for quite some time now, and Noel was growing more and more inebriated by the minute. He was a pale man, and so the alcohol gave him an unnatural flush that made him look as though he was
"Thank you, Uncle Leonardo." With that, Liam and Cirocco left the manor. They returned to the hotel to meet up with Calum and Sunniva. Liam and Cirocco were waiting in the hotel's presidential suite, going over their plans for the upcoming days, when Calum burst in, looking flustered. Liam was the first to notice how strangely nervous Calum seemed. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"Calum explained hastily, "Sir, Ms. Bristow was just taken away by a group of locals. She claimed that they were the businessmen we were here to meet. Since you weren't back yet, she decided to go meet them herself. She wants me to inform you that they have gone to the Saint Louisiana Hotel and that you can meet them there."Liam furrowed his brows at this. Calum asked, "Sir, are you going to check on them?"Liam considered this a moment, then grabbed his phone and stood up. "I think I should. You and Cirocco should stay here and go over our plans. I'll pop by the Saint Louisiana Hotel. If Jeffre
"Unfortunately, I cannot reveal to you the identities of the remaining five yet, but don't you worry—when the time comes, you will find out soon enough."Just remember, Liam, you are not alone! No matter what happens, the six of us will be here to help you the best we can!" Leonardo said, squeezing Liam's shoulder in reassurance. His expression was solemn, but there was a spark in his eyes. Liam was even more stunned to hear this. What was going on? Had his grandfather planned this for over twenty years ago? Did he somehow know that Liam would come searching for him?"Uncle Leonardo, what's going on here? Is Grandpa still alive?" Liam asked nervously.Leonardo's face fell, and he shook his head gravely. "Truth be told, I am just as confused as you are. I've been trying to track your grandfather down for years, but the last I heard, he was still being kept on Wraith Island. I haven't heard any news about him since, but I refuse to believe your grandfather would die on Wraith Island