Eron's blunt tone left Shane at once surprised and angered."Don't you think you're exaggerating, sir?" he demanded. "Why don't you mention the name of the fiance who could make me appear insignificant?'Eron glanced between Shane's defiant visage and Kim's look of melancholy.Considering the timing, Sage Lake Sect would be done with Frank by now."Ahem." He cleared his throat and grinned. "My daughter will be marrying Maron Ocean, the son of Sage Lake Sect's chief. You really should look yourself in the mirror and decide if you can ever win against Sage Lake Sect… If the answer's no, then just give up on your pipe dreams already."Kim did a double take at his mention of Maron before slamming her palm on the table as she sprang to her feet, furious. "You're out of line! You can't do this!"Moran was known to be prodigious and had reached Birthright rank early in life, but word from every place he ever traveled to pointed to a terrible personality. Not only would he frequent red
Kim clutched her cheek, glaring at Eron in disbelief. "You'd hit me over that woman?!"Though her father loved her dearly, he changed ever since the Yaffe family had fallen, his behavior becoming at once radical and unreasonable.Where he would show some respect for Kim's opinion and choice before, he was now the embodiment of stubbornness and apathy. He and Kim drifted apart, and now, he would even slap her over some woman who deceived Frank.Kim had never suffered such indignation!She also knew very well what Aria was after watching the voyeur video of Aria at White Court Hotel. She was as devious as she was stupid, and she always liked to draw attention.And her father actually took interest in her? She was younger than Kim!"I'm disappointed in you!" Kim cried, tears welling up in her eyes as she looked up."What…"Eron actually felt stung, but he soon came to his senses as Aria was persistently gasping in pain right beside him."Don't think I don't know what you're up to
Eron planted himself on the couch, growling icily, "I offered Frank twice the compensation amount back then, but he doesn't know his place! Not only did he refuse me, but he'd even seduce my daughter! He's getting his just deserts—once he's dead, Sage Lake Sect would agree to betrothing Maron to you, Kim!""You're crazy!" Kim snapped and fled the guest room just like that.Aria was ready to stop her. "How dare you do this to me, you—"Eron waved her off, barking, "Let her go—she's not leaving this house anyway! She really is getting even more stubborn these days…"-As she ran, Kim kept calling Frank, but his phone line was engaged.Kim could not help blaming herself—she was just thinking she finally could help Frank in some way, only for it to all turn out to be her father's ploy!She had done this to Frank… the man who saved her life!Gritting her teeth, she resolved in her grief, "If anything happens to Frank, my father would just have to marry my corpse to Sage Lake Sect!"
Kim cried, "How could you be so heartless?""This is for your own good," Liv said and beckoned for the guards to lock Kim inside her own room."He saved you, you ingrate! You're now spitting in his face!" Kim yelled even as she was dragged away.Liv stood there, leveling a troubled stare at the front door when her sense of danger tingled.Someone was behind her.Before she could turn, however, the man struck her fair nape with the side of his palm.She blacked out right then.-Meanwhile, Shane Tomen had yet to leave Kim's guest room. Though he could see that Kim was not interested in him after the dramatic events earlier, he could also see that she was not interested in Maron either.Rising to his feet, he said quietly, "My family may not be as influential as Sage Lake Sect, but are you sure that Kim won't end up doing something drastic, especially when you're driving her to desperation?""Don't bother. It's none of your business," Eron said with a snort, not interested in
Jorg sneered.He looked down to see Aria curled up from fear and reached out to pick her up before flinging her outside the room as if she were a ball."Go!" he barked. "Gather everyone around the residence here. I might even spare your lives if I'm in a good mood, but if you run…"Eron panicked as Jorg's black machete inched toward him, and he promptly yelled at Aria, "Go! Do what Mr. Zayas said. Tell everyone it's my order! Just go!"However, just as Aria pushed herself off the ground, she saw Gorde's decapitated body just beside her.She promptly started yelling and fleeing like mad.Eron almost suffered a stroke right then. "Dumb bitch!""Are you really running?" On the other hand, once Jorg saw what Aria was doing, he waved his hand.Vigor was refined into pure vigor instantly, launched into the distance and shattering Aria's shoulders.Aria screamed, clutching her shoulders that were now a bloody pulp before collapsing on the ground, her fate uncertain.Jorg then turn
Kim cried, "Grandfather!" Even before she could reach him, around thirty black-clad men leapt into the compound..They moved in perfect synchrony, all armed with weapons meant to kill as they encircled the White family.Kim even saw one of them dragging Liv over, though she did not appear hurt aside from passing out.That was when Eron was being brought in from the guest room—one of the black-clad men held a machete against his neck, his mask already removed."Dad, what's happening here?!" Kim demanded right then.Eron's face was pale, and he could not do much aside from sighing. "I think there's been a misunderstanding between us and Sage Lake Sect… But don't worry! Just one call to clear the air, and everything will be fine…""Is this because of Frank?" Kim voiced her hunch right then."You're still thinking of that bastard?!" Eron growled viciously. "He might be the one who set us up! That's why Mr. Zayas is here! If you still consider me your father, never mention his name
Bocek finished, "That's because you know too much."Beep.Eron was dumbstruck even as the call was cut off, the phone slipping off his fingers and landing on the floor with a loud thud."Hehe. Do you get it now, Eron?" Jorg sneered sinisterly, brandishing his black machete as he watched Eron succumb to despair and confusion."Kim… I… I…" Eron turned to find only contempt in Kim's eyes, clawing at his own hair as he reared his head and howled.Slapping himself in the face, he cried, "I'm so sorry… I'm so sorry! They are all snakes… All of them!" Even as he shed tears of regret, he turned toward his father Forrest White, lying on his stretcher and dying. "I'm so sorry…"He had gone through great lengths for Sage Lake Sect, but they never even considered him a person. All his one-sided sycophancy only earned him this ending—to be wiped out because he knew too much."Tut, tut, Eron. Don't be sad… Don't worry, I'm not that heartless." Jorg was chuckling even as he rubbed his chin.
"Grandfather…" Kim cried as she dropped to her knees beside him, her eyes clouded with tears. "It's all my fault. I was too late to stop my father's schemes.""No… No… You can't blame yourself for this, Kim. Come here," Forrest waved it off, rasping as he beckoned for Kim to get closer. "Run if you can, Kim. Don't bother with us—the family is in your hands as long as you live…""But a woman has never carried the torches." Kim sniffled and snorted. "Funny. That's all we care about, even now.""Hehe. You're right… And that makes you much stronger than your father. He's useless and nothing without all the family business he inherited.""Dad!" Eron suddenly lunged towards them, grasping his father's arm as he pleaded, "Talk to Kim… I-If she just bears it, the family will not fall to ruin!" Then, turning to Kim, he kowtowed at her repeatedly. "Please, Kim! Daddy's begging you!""Just give up!" Kim glared at him in contempt as everyone else looked on, shouting, "You brought this on ev