After the family reunion that night, Kayden was filled with a deep sense of satisfaction. And last night, he had shared blissful moments with Georgia.
Early in the morning, his phone rang. Without hesitation, Kayden pressed the mute button. Georgia still nestled in his arms, slept soundly. He didn’t want the ringtone to ruin her sweet dream.
Glancing at the screen, Kayden saw Greedy Wolf’s name flashing. A flicker of hesitation crossed his mind. Greedy Wolf wouldn’t call at this hour unless it was something important. With that thought in mind, Kayden slipped quietly out of bed and answered the call.
As soon as the call connected, Greedy Wolf’s voice crackled through the line, tight with anxiety. “Bad news, Defender! And it’s about Massimo!”
The words struck Kayden like a physical blow. He’s talking about Massimo, the brilliant computer genius, the master of intelligence? Something had happened to Massimo? It had only been three days since Kayden left the Scott Mansion. Massimo had promised to bring him the files on his father’s death from fifteen years ago, and today was the appointed time!
Could Massimo have stumbled upon some vital information, only to be silenced before he could speak?
The possibility seemed all too real, and Kayden’s gut instinct told him it was the truth. He forced himself to stay calm, but his pulse quickened as he asked, “What happened?”
Greedy Wolf didn’t hesitate. His words came rushing out. “Massimo’s been killed!”
Even though Kayden had steeled himself for bad news, hearing those words still sent a shock wave through him. His brow furrowed instinctively, and his body stiffened. An uncontrollable surge of fury began to rise within him, threatening to explode.
Greedy Wolf continued, his voice tense, “I just got word-Massimo’s been murdered in his own home. The scene was pretty gruesome. You may come in person. His body’s in Oriaville, down in the South. I’ve already sent someone to Hiphia to pick you up.”
“Okay,” Kayden replied shortly, his voice cold, then ended the call without a second thought.
Oriaville wasn’t far from Hiphia. Kayden’s mind wandered back to those past days. Oriaville was Massimo’s hometown, the place where they had first crossed paths. Back then, Massimo had been a genius with computers, but a troublemaker through and through.
He had once hacked into Oriaville’s entire network, sending the city into total chaos. At the time, he had been arrested, and it was Kayden who had bailed him out. Who would’ve imagined that the wild, rebellious kid would, under Kayden’s guidance, rise to become a great hacker, whose name was a terror to enemy nations?
But now, Massimo was dead. And he had died because of carrying out a task Kayden had entrusted to him. How could Kayden not be furious?
Just then, a voice interrupted his thoughts. “What’s going on? Are you leaving?” It was Georgia. She propped up on one arm on the bed. She gazed at Kayden’s back longingly, reluctant to let him go.
Kayden’s heart twinged at the sight of her expression. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded faintly. “Yes, there’s something I need to take care of. I’ll come back once it’s settled.”
Georgia’s face showed even more clear signs of disappointment after hearing this, but she quickly masked it with a graceful smile. “Alright then. Be careful, and come back soon.”
Kayden gave a quiet nod, quickly tidying up before heading for the door. Georgia stood silently watching him leave, her heart heavy with an unspoken ache. Just as he reached the door, she could no longer hold herself back and called out, “Hey, wait a moment!”
Kayden halted, turning to look back. There she was-Georgia, standing before him, having just left her warm bed.
Without a word, Georgia stepped off the bed and walked straight up to him. Looking up at him with soft, earnest eyes, she said quietly, “Be careful. Don’t forget-I’ll always be waiting for you.”
“I won’t forget,” Kayden replied in his usual calm, steady tone.
But perhaps the emotions she had been holding inside were too strong, for at that moment, Georgia suddenly threw herself into his chest, her arms wrapping around him tightly. “I love you,” she whispered.
Though the words were soft, almost like a breath, Kayden heard them clearly.
It was the first time Georgia had confessed her feelings like this, and it filled Kayden’s heart with a quiet, profound satisfaction. He could sense her vulnerability in those few words, and he knew that he could never let her down.
Georgia wasn’t one to wear her heart on her sleeve, and this rare confession meant she was laying everything bare. But she wasn’t the type to linger in hesitation. Knowing how busy Kayden was, she quickly released him. “Go on, you should get going.”
Kayden nodded before turning and walking out with determination.
“Oh, Kayden, where are you off to? Aren’t you having breakfast?” Scarlett’s voice called from outside.
“I have something urgent to take care of,” came his brief reply, and without another word, he walked off briskly.
Georgia grabbed a coat and draped it over herself before stepping outside. Scarlett blinked her eyes and asked, “Georgia, you…”
Georgia paused, a flicker of confusion crossing her face before she asked, “What do you wanna say, Mom?”
Scarlett glanced around, then quickly closed the distance between them. Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “So, did you and Kayden have sex last night?”
The moment she heard those words, Georgia’s face immediately turned bright red. She couldn’t understand how Scarlett had figured it out, but the truth was, they had indeed shared an intimate night together.
“Mom! Were you eavesdropping?” Georgia blurted out, her voice embarrassed and her cheeks blushed.
Scarlett rolled her eyes. “Eavesdrop? I didn’t need to. Just one glance at you was enough to tell!”
Experience always wins! With a single look, Scarlett knew everything.
“My sweetie, oh my! Kayden is just overflowing with energy, isn’t he? After everything that happened last night, I can’t believe he’s still so full of life today-going about like he’s never been tired. Doesn’t even show a hint of exhaustion!” Scarlett bantered.
Georgia didn’t respond. She didn’t want to keep discussing such embarrassing matters with her mother.
Two hours later, Kayden arrived in Oriaville.
The area he stepped into was a rundown neighborhood. His men have already sealed off this area.
As soon as Kayden arrived, his eyes fell on Greedy Wolf, who had been waiting for him. Greedy Wolf immediately stepped forward and said, “Defender! You’ve finally arrived. This is the place where Massimo lived.”
Kayden stepped inside the dimly lit apartment. As soon as he entered, his gaze locked onto the two lifeless bodies. One was a stranger, a woman who was slumped across the sofa. The other was a man lying in a pool of blood on the floor. He was none other than Massimo.
Greedy Wolf spoke again, his tone heavy. “This woman was Massimo’s wife. She was six months pregnant with his child, but the murder did not spare her for that. Based on the information we’ve gathered, after you left, Massimo came back here. He gave up his life as a hacker and started working at an internet cafe, playing games to make a living. He was living like an ordinary man.”
Kayden looked at the woman’s lifeless body lying on the couch, his heart filled with unbearable sorrow. Massimo had chosen to live an ordinary life, to embrace the simplicity of every day, but had been thrown into turmoil because of his single phone call! His action had brought Massimo nothing but disaster!
Remorse. This was the first time in his life Kayden felt such remorse. His eyes lingered on the body sprawled on the couch, then shifted to her faintly swollen belly. The weight of guilt pressed even more heavily upon him.
“It’s all my fault. I’m sorry,” Kayden muttered to the woman.
It was his first apology. It was also the first time that Greedy Wolf saw Kayden reveal such emotion. Back on the Battlefield, when Kayden had seen soldiers’ bodies, there was never any sign of sympathy in his eyes-only hatred and the flames of vengeance.
But no one could blame the Defender. This woman had been an innocent victim, and her being involved in this tragedy was beyond anyone’s expectation.