"Alright, but Charlie..." Noelle started."Peter and Sean are already on their way. Can you relax now?" Steven reassured her.Noelle nodded. "Okay, I'll go back with you first."After Steven and Noelle left, another team quickly arrived, efficiently clearing Wenford Road. The two bodies were also taken away for processing.…Meanwhile, Charles drove all the way to the outskirts before stopping in front of an abandoned factory. He turned off the engine and rolled down the window, his slender fingers holding an unlit cigarette. He played with a lighter, flicking it on and off. He watched as two men and a woman stepped out of their vehicle.They were armed and slowly advancing toward him.Charles squinted, still fiddling with his lighter. Only when the leader got closer did Charles swiftly open the car door and jump out.The three assassins barely registered Charles' movements. As they tried to react, Charles tossed the lighter toward them.In one swift move, Charles kicked the
"Names!" Charles snapped impatiently. "I don't have time to waste on you!"While the female assassin was momentarily distracted, Charles leaped over the car roof. Even though her reflexes were sharp, she was no match for Charles' speed.He swiftly disarmed her and removed the magazine from her gun. Before she could utter a word, he slashed her throat with a military knife.The assassin's eyes widened in shock. She clutched her neck, pointing a trembling finger at Charles. "Y-You..." she stammered, disbelief etched across her face.She could not fathom how he moved so quickly or how he disarmed and defeated her before she even had a chance to react.Charles straightened up, glancing at the blood-stained coat he was wearing. He shrugged it off and held it in his hand. Looking down at the lifeless assassin with cold detachment, he said, "I've never had patience for people who waste my time."In fact, he had no interest in finding out who had ordered the hit on him."Come out," he
Noelle had been scared out of her wits for quite some time, but with Steven right there, she stayed composed until they got to his place. Once Eloise ushered her into the guest room to relax, Noelle crumpled to the floor, shaking a bit.Eloise walked in to find Noelle on the ground and rushed to help her up. "Noelle, are you okay?" she asked, worried. "You look pretty pale. Are you sick, or did you get hurt? Should I call a doctor?""No, that's not necessary," Noelle said quickly, grabbing Eloise's hand. "I'm okay. I’m just really tired. Please don't tell Steven. I don't need a doctor!" After making sure they were safe, Noelle managed a weak smile. "El, could I borrow some clothes from you? I really need a shower!"Noelle was a mess, and she could not shake off the memory of how Steven had heartlessly let two people die without batting an eye."Sure. I'll grab something for you, but my clothes might not be your style!" Eloise said with a quick look at Noelle. "The bathroom's right
"Silly girl," Charles said with a gentle tease, flicking Noelle's nose affectionately. "Look at me. I'm totally fine. There’s not a scratch on me."He gently stroked her cheek, trying to ease her worries. "Don't worry. I knew I'd be okay. That's why I had to draw them away by myself.""But…”Noelle still felt uneasy. She still hated the thought of losing him. She would rather face any danger by his side, even if it meant their end could come at any moment. "I can't bear the thought of facing danger without you again."Charles let out a heavy sigh and pulled Noelle into a tight hug. They flopped down onto the bed, gazing into each other's eyes. "I messed up this time. I promise I won't leave you behind again, okay?""Okay!" Noelle spun around and clung to Charles, pressing her face into the warmth of his chest.With one arm wrapped around her, Charles used his other hand to gently soothe Noelle's back. "You got a bit scared today, huh?"The memory of the blood-soaked scene flashe
"Got it," Charles said with a nod. "Thanks, Ms. Eloise."After Eloise disappeared upstairs, Charles's face turned serious. "I got word from Kerlsberg. Someone's put a big price on my head.""Wow, Charles. You've really ruffled some feathers, huh? Someone's digging deep into their pockets to take you down, and they've got a heavy hitter from Quill," Sean said, pausing. "But you've been holding your own. You’re really giving Mr. Fischer a run for his money."Sean's words hung in the air, changing the room's atmosphere. It felt like everyone was holding their breath.The other three were silent. All eyes were on Sean. He felt a chill and looked back at them, wary. "Hey, what's with the stares? You're not plotting against me, are you? That's not cool!"Sean wrapped his arms around himself, trying to look small and harmless.Charles snorted. "You want to see what I can do? Fine, let's just throw down right here, right now.""No way! Remember, we're all about peace and love these days
After hashing things out, the group split up and headed home. Charles patted his pocket before turning to Steven with a grateful look. "I owe you big time!"Steven chuckled. "Here I was, thinking you'd be mad at me for giving her a scare." He remembered how Noelle's eyes widened when she witnessed him in action. "Luckily for us, it was me she saw, not you." He paused, then added, "She's got guts, though. She didn't budge an inch!"Most people would have lost it in that kind of situation, but not Noelle. She looked a little out of it, but she kept it together otherwise. Steven squinted, his mind drifting to the first time he saw Eloise's face.Charles's brow creased, but he managed to say, "Anyway, I really appreciate what you did today.""It's late. You’d better sleep," Steven said.Once Charles was upstairs, Steven fished a pack of cigarettes from his pants pocket. He deftly plucked one out and held it between his fingers, his gaze drifting aimlessly out the window.That night,
"Cut it out!" Noelle ducked back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. When she emerged, she found a set of clean clothes laid out on the bed. They looked brand new, and she noticed the tags were still on when she picked them up. "Did you go out and buy me clothes this morning?""Nope, Eloise did," Charles replied. "Get changed, okay?""Alright, alright!"Charles led Noelle downstairs hand-in-hand, where the whole crew had already gathered. It was not just Steven and Eloise. Peter and Sean had swung by too, along with Ronald, Lareal, and Andrew.The whole crew watched as Charles escorted Noelle down the stairs, and they could not help but smirk at his tough-guy act.Sean was the quickest on his feet, flashing a harmless grin and sauntering over. "Noelle, how're you holding up? It was a long night, and Charles wouldn’t let us see you once you fell asleep.”He dumped the blame on Charles without missing a beat. "You missed the drama. We were all freaking out over you last nigh
Charles was a statue of contemplation, his usual chatter replaced by a heavy silence. "But that just paints a target on their backs. If the Hoffman family catches wind of my personal security boost, it'll send my father and the rest into a frenzy of overthinking." The last thing Charles wanted was for his family's rivals to sniff out his vulnerabilities.Peter, who usually kept his thoughts to himself, could not stay quiet. "Without protection, you're just asking for trouble. Yesterday's close call could’ve actually killed you!" He glanced toward Noelle, concern etched on his face. "She's out of her depth and clueless about the danger. You really think those thugs will back off if they can't get to you? They might just target her instead."Charles let out a resigned sigh. "Fine. Have them shadow me, but they’d better blend into the background. I don't need a crowd. It’d be better to beef up Noelle's security." The memory of yesterday's scare was still fresh, and he would do anything
Brandon wiggled in Peter's arms, pouting as he protested, "No way, Daddy! I missed you so much that I couldn't even eat properly. Daddy, feel my cheeks—they've lost all their chubby cuteness!"Peter smirked coldly and pinched Brandon's cheek. "You've gotten chubbier.""Daddy, if you keep saying that, I'm going to be mad!" Brandon huffed, crossing his arms in a dramatic show of anger."Alright, Daddy's had a long flight and must be tired," Tania interjected with a sigh. "Come here, sweetie. I'll carry you!"She reached out to take Brandon, but Peter shook his head. "I'll carry him."Though Brandon pretended to be upset, he was clearly delighted to be held by Peter. He grinned and asked, "Daddy, you've been away for so many days. Did you miss Mommy and me?""I did.""Oh my gosh!" Outside the car, Linda's jaw dropped as she stared through the window at the family. Jeremy held her by the collar like she was a disobedient puppy."Oh, my idol! How could you be so gentle? Is that your
"To save someone.""Save someone? I can do that too! My medical skills are exceptional, way better than my brother's!" Linda puffed up her chest confidently. "Leave it to me!""You?" Jeremy raised an eyebrow in disbelief. Looking at Linda, who seemed no older than 16. She hardly looked like someone with any medical expertise.Peter, however, took her words seriously and gave Linda a closer look. "You're saying you know medicine?""Of course, I do! Didn't you see what I was doing yesterday? I was extracting viruses from those people. Don't think the Holts only have my brother, Saxon, as their star! I'm great too!""Fine. If that's the case, you'll come back to the country with me," Peter replied without a trace of doubt.Peter did not question Linda's claims. After all, the Holts were a family of renowned medical practitioners. It was not surprising that Linda would possess such skills.Since Saxon could not be located, bringing Linda back seemed like a sensible plan. Her skills
Linda's wide eyes sparkled with admiration as she stared at Peter, her face full of awe. "Peter, you're amazing! You're even better than my brother!"Peter frowned, his expression as cold as ice as he looked at Linda.Jeremy slapped his forehead, thinking to himself, 'This girl must be an idiot!'Of course, he did not dare say it out loud. Instead, he held back his laughter and glanced at Peter.He had wanted to warn Peter earlier that this Linda girl was not normal. Ever since she learned Peter's identity the day before, she had been acting completely out of the ordinary."Ms. Holt, I'll need you to come back to the country with me," Peter said flatly."Okay, sure!" Linda immediately jumped to her feet. "Peter, wherever you go, I'll follow. You don't have to worry. If you tell me to do something, I won't even have other thoughts!"Peter was utterly baffled."You really must be an idiot." Peter's words were sharp and unfiltered.Tania had experienced Peter's sharp tongue first
Now that they had Linda as leverage, Saxon would undoubtedly come. Even if Saxon did not show up, someone from the Holts certainly would.As the only girl among the Holts' younger generation, Linda was extraordinarily pampered. It was said that the Holts spoiled her to the heavens. Otherwise, how could Linda have dared to come to a war-torn place like Francoria on her own?Peter truly had no qualms. Despite Linda being just a girl, he had gone so far as to tie her up.…The next day, when Jeremy went to check on Linda, he found her with her hands still tied behind her back.Surprisingly, she was not struggling. Instead, she lay on the bed like a log, completely motionless. She did not even notice Jeremy entering the room.The truth was that Linda had been utterly exhausted. Since arriving in Francoria, she had been constantly on edge and was unable to relax. While she might be a member of the Holts, no one cared about your family name in a war zone.Linda valued her life and had
Linda's big, sparkling eyes glimmered with mischief as she smiled at Jeremy.Jeremy suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. His gut told him this little girl was full of schemes. "No way. Mr. Lennon specifically said I can't untie you!""But I'm still a minor! I'm just a little kid! You've tied me up too tightly. Look at my wrists, they're red and bruised!" Linda blinked her eyes pitifully. Her expression was almost heartbreakingly innocent as she stared at Jeremy.Jeremy, however, was completely unfazed. He was like a blind man ignoring her performance. "Nope. Without Mr. Lennon's orders, you're staying tied up like this."Linda quickly changed her approach. "Oh, big guy, don't be like that!"Seeing Jeremy about to leave, she tried to lunge at him. However, with her hands tied, she could not grab onto him. Jeremy instinctively stepped aside, and Linda ended up falling flat onto the ground with a loud thud."Oh, my chest! My flat chest is going to cave in!" Linda shouted, glari
Jeremy's laughter froze on his face, and his head started to throb as he stared at the girl before him. "You're so young. Why do you have to say such mean things?""If you don't like it, just cover your ears. I didn't ask you to listen!" Linda rolled her eyes. "Hey, what do you want with me anyway? I'm not worth your trouble. If you want my brother, go find him. Leave me out of it!"Linda yelled at Peter, but he ignored her and went into the room, giving Jeremy a knowing look. Linda's eyes bulged in disbelief as Peter left her there, shouting and finally bursting into tears. Still, Peter did not come back out.Jeremy massaged his forehead. He would not have let Linda be if he had not heard Peter call her Ms. Holt and guessed she might be connected to the Holt family, especially since she mentioned her brother. He sighed and looked at her. "Listen, young lady, Mr. Lennon isn't going to bother with you.""Mr. Lennon? Who cares about Mr. Lennon? Pah!" Linda was too angry to care. "Jus
"If you won't lead me to Saxon, then you're coming with me!"With that, Peter grabbed Linda, restrained her, and tied her up in the vehicle.Linda felt like crying, but no tears came. On the other hand, Peter did not seem to care about being gentle or kind. He gave Linda a quick look, then grabbed the cloth bag she was holding and tossed it to the ground."Hey! That's everything to me! You... You..."Before Linda could say more, Peter covered her mouth. "Ms. Holt, if you won't lead me to Mr. Holt, then you'll just have to come with me.""Go?" Where were they going?Linda's mouth was covered, and she could barely make a sound.Peter tied Linda up good and tight, then casually picked up a cigarette and held it between his fingers, looking at Linda with interest. "The Holt family just lost a daughter. What do you think they'll do?"Linda's eyes went wide. She could not believe this man could be so low and vile.Peter saw the look in her eyes. He tapped his finger on the window si
Linda had that idea to study the same thing as Saxon and prove she was just as good, if not better. However, things did not go as planned. She had been waiting for a group of people, and when they finally showed up, they were all killed.Stuck with no other choice, Linda started to examine the bodies. What she did not expect was that someone would notice her so quickly. She had worked so hard on her disguise. How could that man see through it right away?Linda felt like crying but had no tears left. "Listen, mister, there are so many people you could catch, why are you after me?"She scratched her head, on the brink of a meltdown. "I can't let my brother find out I'm here, or I'm dead!"There was no way she could bring Peter to Saxon, she would be in big trouble if she did.Peter had finally found someone connected to Saxon, and he was not about to let her slip away that easily. "Do you know how to heal?"Linda eyed Peter warily, unsure of his intentions. Peter was amused by her
The kid shivered when he saw Peter's piercing eyes. "I don't know where he is!""You're lying!" Peter said, spinning a scalpel in his hand with a smile that did not reach his cold eyes. "If you don't take me, let's see if you can run faster than my knife can fly!"Peter pretended to throw the knife at the kid, who shook with fear and quickly gave in. "I'll take you!"Peter raised an eyebrow and put the knife away. "Move it!"The kid did not know who Peter was, but after seeing what he could do, he did not dare say no. "Not just anyone can meet Mr. Holt!""Oh, really?""Yes!""Where are you from, sir?" the kid asked Peter in Spanyric."Zyphonia!" Peter answered, then looked at the kid and said, "You've been hiding behind that mask for a long time. Isn't it time to take it off?"Surprised, the kid did not react fast enough, and Peter quickly pulled off the mask, revealing a young and innocent face underneath.She had a soft and detailed face, like that of a girl around fifteen