LOGINElijah's warning lingered in the room, sharp and unyielding. The evening sunlight spilled gently across the floor, yet it did nothing to soften the taut tension between them. Even the scent of sandalwood seemed to fade, as though the very air were holding its breath.Fergus, propped against the soft pillows, made no effort to ease the atmosphere. He merely gazed calmly at Landon. Gentle and magnanimous as he was, he shared Elijah's intensity when it came to protecting Aria.Today's confrontation was the sternest and most genuine test for the man who sought to join the Carver family and win Aria's hand. Fergus waited for Landon's answer—one that could finally put them at ease. Landon remained seated in a perfect posture. Even the way he held the glass between his fingers was impeccably still.Each word from Elijah struck like a blow to his heart, yet not a trace of anger showed on his composed expression. Only his eyes—so deep they seemed to hold an endless galaxy—stirred faintly.
Elijah didn't seem surprised, as if he had already sensed Landon's presence. A faint flicker of understanding passed through his eyes before his expression settled back into its usual calm composure.He gestured toward the chair beside him, his tone even and unbothered, without the slightest hint of irritation at being interrupted. "You're here. Come in, have a seat."On the bed, Fergus had already turned to look at Landon. He lay against the soft silk bedding, the pallor from his long unconsciousness mostly gone.His complexion had returned to his usual porcelain warmth. His lips were faintly defined, and the contours of his brows and eyes carried the striking refinement passed down through the Carver family's lineage. A trace of weariness lingered from his long rest, yet it did nothing to diminish the poised presence he was born with.His gaze moved past Elijah's shoulder and settled directly on Landon. At first, a subtle trace of scrutiny flickered in his eyes—an instinctive ale
Elijah's gentle voice broke the warm silence in the living room. He stood beside the coffee table, his fingers still damp from making tea. His gaze swept over Warren and Aria, who were locked in an embrace, before settling on Aria with concern.Aria lifted a hand and brushed her fingertips across her cheek, where a lingering warmth remained. She took a deep breath, suppressing the surge of emotion within her. When she glanced at Warren again, only warmth lingered in her eyes.Her voice was still slightly hoarse, but every word came out clearly. "Grandpa, you already understand, don't you?"It was less a question and more a deliberate probe. She knew he had seen too much in life not to notice. From the changes in Aria and Elijah after they awoke, to the subtle shifts in Elijah's energy during his three days of unconsciousness, and the connection between Elijah's and Fergus' collapse, Aria was certain Warren could piece the truth together.However, she didn't dare say it outright. Th
Warren's expression was grim. "What exactly happened to Fergus? How did he end up unconscious?" Stephen's face wasn't much better. "We still don't know. Dr. Ludwig couldn't find anything wrong either. When Ms. Carver came back, she had us bring Mr. Fergus up to his room." Inside, Aria and Elijah shared a look, and something moved behind both their eyes. Aria quickly wiped away the last traces of tears from the corners of her eyes. She reached up to smooth a few loose strands of hair, and then gently pulled the quilt up around Fergus, tucking it in with soft, careful hands. Fergus slowly steadied his breathing. The sharp edge that had crept into his expression when the memories came flooding back faded slowly, until what was left looked like the quiet, composed eldest son of the Carver family. The intensity behind his eyes pulled back, and all that showed now was the pale, faint weakness of someone who'd just woken up from a long illness, and the softness that came with being
Elijah's voice was soft, but his words landed hard in the silent bedroom. Aria stopped mid-motion with a needle between her fingers. She looked up at Elijah and started to answer, but her eyes drifted to Fergus' hand before she got a word out. His finger moved just barely, so slow she almost missed it. But she didn't. Her heart jumped, and the exhaustion dropped off her like something had cut it loose. She turned back to Fergus, twisted the needle, and pushed every last bit of energy she had into his soul. "Elijah, don't talk. Just watch." Her voice was unsteady, but there was nothing uncertain about it. "He moved just now. I'm going again!" Elijah froze when he heard that. He crossed the room briskly and stopped at her shoulder. Locking his eyes on Fergus' face, he held his breath. This time, he saw Fergus' finger moving again. The movement was just as small as before, but it was real. There was no mistaking it. That was the first sign of his awakening. Aria found the
Fergus probably didn't collapse because of some illness. It might not have been an accident or even a curse from evil beings either. Aria stared at Fergus, where he lay slumped over the desk. Her fingertips traced across his shoulder and back, which were stiff but still warm. The knot in her throat tried to rise, and she shoved it back down. Then, the panic in her eyes faded, replaced by something cold and steady. She drew a long breath and forced down the ache building behind her ribs. When she straightened up, her back was straight again, and some of that detached calm that came with being a doctor settled back into place. "Mr. Warsaw, get two people in here. I want them to move Fergus to his bed carefully." Her voice still carried a faint rasp she couldn't quite hide, but every word came through clearly and firmly. "Do it slowly. Don't touch his head or his neck. Make sure his breathing stays clear, and don't jostle him." "Right away, Ms. Carver!" Stephen didn't waste
Clyde spoke up at this moment. "Eamon, what do you mean by that?"The usually refined Eamon spoke through gritted teeth. "It's all my fault for employing people who betrayed the Grisham family. "Dad, we misunderstood Fiona. She's been trying to get in touch with us all these years. She suffered f
"Haven't you seen him too?" Cassian pondered. "What do you think?" The butler struggled to answer. In both his character and appearance, Landon was practically identical to that person. At first glance, he almost thought they were the same person. But thinking carefully, how could that be possib
Aria glanced at Jett. "A girl selling flowers on the street could outsell your sales attendant. Being the top seller in your store isn't exactly a badge of honor."Jett felt the sting of her words but remained silent. He couldn't shake the feeling that Aria didn't like him much.However, more pres
Orion said, "Our relationship? Mr. Lambert, you're confused again. What relationship could we possibly have? We've only met at business conferences." Orion gripped his phone tightly. "Mr. Lambert, I should warn you. How you speak to me is irrelevant, but if that person hears about this, things wil







