Chapter 2

One billion dollars?

Eleonora froze, shocked.

Before she could fully process it, Castiel slipped his phone back into his pocket, turned, and strode out of the cafe without a second glance.

For a split second, Eleonora felt the urge to call after him and ask what was going on, but his figure had already disappeared beyond the door before she could act.

As reality sank in, she felt as though she were trapped in a dream.

One billion dollars deposited? It had to be a mistake.

She had fought tooth and nail for years. Even after her company went public, her net worth was only around 300 million dollars.

How could Castiel, a man she had always thought of as utterly mediocre, casually receive a 1-billion-dollar deposit?

It must have been a joke.

No, it couldn't be 1 billion—it had to be 11 dollars.

How could Castiel have endured everything at the Poshers and stayed complacent all these years if the deposit was really 1 billion dollars?

Yes, that made sense. Sometimes, voice assistants misinterpreted words.

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became. It had to be 11 dollars. That amount was much more fitting for a man like Castiel.

Shaking her head in disbelief but firm in her conclusion, Eleonora scoffed and left.

…

Castiel returned to the Poshers and immediately began packing his things, preparing to leave.

Just then, his phone rang.

He answered it with a frown. "Hello? Who is this?"

"Hello, Mr. Ignis! I'm Lucy Love, the sales director at Glority Realty. It's an honor to serve you. I wanted to inform you that the private estate we built for you on Genting Hill in Ripara is complete. When would you like to move in?" Lucy's voice was polite and respectful.

The villa on Genting Hill?

A flicker of memory surfaced in Castiel's mind.

When Castiel went into seclusion three years ago to recover from his injuries, Drachord arranged this residence for him.

The country had commissioned the Glority Group to custom-design and build the villa just for him—top-tier location, exquisite craftsmanship, and the finest luxury available. It had taken three years to perfect, a privilege granted to only two or three other people in the entire country.

Castiel had been notified a week ago that the villa was ready. His original plan had been to wait for Eleonora's return from Hokora, take her there, and finally reveal his true identity to her at the highest point in Ripara.

Instead, he had been handed divorce papers.

What a joke.

Suppressing the bitterness in his heart, he replied calmly, "I'll move in today."

It was just as well—he had no place to stay after the divorce.

"Wonderful! I'll send a car to pick you up," Lucy offered enthusiastically.

"No need," Castiel declined. "Just leave the keys at the door. I don't like being disturbed."

"Oh… alright," Lucy said, sounding disappointed.

She hesitated before speaking again.

Castiel raised an eyebrow. "Something else?"

Lucy hesitated briefly, then asked, "Mr. Ignis, our chairman, Mr. Raymond Milne, asked me to check if you've considered treating his illness. As a gesture of sincerity, we've already transferred the 1-billion-dollar consultation fee to you in advance."

Castiel's eyes flickered with interest. "Aside from the consultation fee, we've already agreed on—"

Lucy quickly added, "Per your request, we've secured the 300-year-old Purple Moon Reishi you specified."

Castiel's composure cracked, his breath hitching. "You've found the Purple Moon Reishi?"

This was one of the rarest medicinal herbs—one of the few things that could greatly accelerate his recovery. He had searched for it for years, never expecting Glority to actually find one.

He took a deep breath to steady himself. "Alright. I'll be there soon."

He grabbed his packed bags and paused to take one last look around the house. Then, he turned and walked out.

…

Castiel arrived at Glority, a suitcase in one hand and a porcelain urn in the other. Inside the urn rested the ashes of his parents.

Seven years ago, they had died in a tragic car accident. According to Ignis family tradition, children were required to keep their parents' ashes for eight years before laying them to rest.

For the past seven years, Castiel had kept them close. Next year, he would finally be able to give them the burial they deserved.

Just as Castiel was about to enter the building, he unexpectedly ran into Eleonora's mother, Ruth Geller, and her older brother, Lex Posher.

"Mom? Lex? What are you two doing here?" he asked in surprise.

The moment Ruth saw him, her expression turned icy.

"Don't call me Mom," she spat with disgust. "You're no longer my daughter's husband. You have no right!"

Lex sneered, clearly already knowing about the divorce.

"You…" Castiel was stunned. He had never seen them act like this before.

When Eleonora's company wasn't publicly traded, they hadn't treated him this way.

Ruth narrowed her eyes. "Tell me the truth, Castiel. What did you do to my daughter?"

Castiel was baffled.

He was about to explain himself when she cut him off, her voice sharp, "Enough! I don't want to hear your pathetic excuses. We were blind to let you into our family in the first place!"

Lex stepped forward. "Mom, don't waste your breath on this loser. Let's just search his bags to make sure he hasn't stolen anything. Then we'll kick him out."

Before Castiel could react, Lex lunged at him, grabbing for his luggage.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" Castiel exclaimed.

Lex scoffed. "You're a disgrace. Who knows what you might have stolen? I need to check your bags first. If you're clean, you can leave."

Castiel's face hardened. He had given everything for this family, and now they were treating him like a criminal?

"Fine. Go ahead," he said through gritted teeth, allowing them to search.

Lex rummaged through his luggage, patting down his pockets. After a few minutes, he scowled. "Where's the check my sister gave you?"

Castiel blinked. "What check?"

"Don't play dumb!" Lex sneered. "The blank check my sister gave you during the divorce! Where is it?"

"Oh, that?" Castiel replied flatly. "I tore it up in front of her. Call her if you don't believe me."

"I don't believe you!" Lex snapped.

"I'm calling her now!" Ruth chimed in, pulling out her phone.

Castiel's disappointment deepened.

A moment later, Ruth's expression darkened.

"Mom? What did Eleonora say?" Lex asked.

"She confirmed it," Ruth answered reluctantly. "He didn't take the check."

"He didn't?" Lex's eyes widened in disbelief.

Castiel wasted no time. He grabbed his things and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Lex stopped him before he could go.

"What now?" Castiel asked, brow furrowing.

Lex snatched the urn from his hands. "You may have dodged the check, but you must've done Eleonora wrong. Why else would she divorce you? This urn looks decent, so I'll take it as compensation."

"No!" Castiel's voice hardened.

This was his parents' ashes!

Lex snorted. "Why not?"

"Because the urn holds my parents' ashes," Castiel replied coldly.

Lex scoffed. "Bullshit. No one keeps ashes in a fancy urn like this. You're lying. I'm taking it anyway."

"Give it back." Castiel's eyes burned with fury.

"Not a chance!" Lex hid the urn behind him.

Castiel stepped forward to take it back.

"Don't even think about it!" Lex fought back.

As they struggled, a loud crash echoed through the hallway.

The urn had hit the ground, shattering into pieces.

Ashes scattered across the floor.

The world seemed to freeze.

Castiel's gaze locked onto Lex. His vision turned red, rage consuming him as he leered at him. "You. Deserve. To. Die."