Daphne and Mary lay lazily on the bed, side by side, stomachs down and backs up. Their long, slender legs stretched out in full view-a sight that could easily catch anyone’s attention.
For three days, they had been searching for Kayden without any success. Vernon wasn’t a large place, and with the connections they had, finding someone like Kayden should have been a simple task. Yet, he remained elusive.
What baffled them even more was Walter’s inaction. His son had been beaten up, yet Walter seemed completely indifferent. This lack of response puzzled them to no end.
“Ugh!” Mary sighed heavily, her voice dripping with frustration. “That Walter isn’t someone to be trifled with. How can he be so unbothered by this? It’s driving me crazy.”
Daphne let out a similar exasperated sigh. “What’s so strange about it? Maybe he’s just pretending to be calm, acting like nothing happened. But the moment he got off the plane and realized he’d messed with Walter, he probably panicked, bought a ticket, and fled!”
As soon as she said it, Daphne felt a surge of pride in her deduction. She pushed herself up from the bed, clapped her hands, and declared excitedly, “That’s it! That’s exactly what happened. He chickened out and ran away.”
“Rubbish!” Mary sat up as well, glaring at Daphne. “No way! He’s not the type to back down so easily. You didn’t see how cool he was when he fought on the plane. The way he moved-it was mesmerizing.”
Mary crossed her arms and gazed dreamily into the distance. It was obvious that her mind had wandered back to the scene where Kayden had stepped in to help her.
That moment had been playing on a loop in her head for days. She even dreamed about it-the way he carried himself, the sheer confidence. He was just… so cool.
“Enough with that lovestruck look of yours!” Daphne cut in. “We’ve searched everywhere and still can’t find him. Where do you think he could’ve gone? Do you think he knows we’re looking for him and is deliberately avoiding us?”
Mary snorted in disbelief. “Avoiding us? Why would he do that?”
“Obviously because he’s afraid you’ll confess your love to him!”
“Shut up!” Mary snapped, her cheeks flushing. “If I confessed, he’d be thrilled, not scared!”
Daphne rolled her eyes and made a dismissive noise, clearly unconvinced.
“By the way,” Daphne said, suddenly curious, “what kind of meeting are Grandpa and the others having today? It’s already late, and they’re still going. They’ve been acting so tense these past few days.”
Mary shrugged. “No idea.”
Meanwhile, in the John family’s conference room, a very different scene was unfolding.
The room was spacious, with an oval-shaped table at its center. In the middle of the table stood a few glass vases filled with flowers and plants, their presence softening the otherwise serious atmosphere of the room.
At the head of the table sat Memphis John, his expression grave and contemplative. He exuded an air of authority, his furrowed brow making his growing anxiety all too apparent.
The room was not only filled with members of the John family but also included several business partners and a few trusted household staff. Among them was Lucy, the alluring housekeeper, who stood quietly in the corner.
Memphis John’s tension was palpable. A few days ago, a mysterious woman had approached the family with a simple but audacious proposition: she would elevate the John family to become the most powerful clan in the entire eastern region. She had even promised to deliver gifts in the coming days.
And she had delivered.
In the past few days, the John family had received an unexpected windfall of good fortune. Profits across their businesses had soared, with some companies experiencing growth that was several times their usual earnings.
This sudden prosperity, however, did not bring Memphis any joy. If anything, it made him even more uneasy.
He had lived long enough to know there was no such thing as a free lunch. No one offered help without expecting something in return. The woman’s influence was undeniable-she seemed capable of bending markets and economies to her will. But Memphis was no fool. He wouldn’t blindly accept a gift without understanding the cost.
And so, tonight’s meeting had been called to investigate the source of this newfound fortune and to discuss the family’s next steps.
“Everyone knows why I’ve called you here tonight,” Memphis began, his stern voice cutting through the room. “What’s the current state of the company?”
One by one, the heads of the family’s various businesses stood to report.
“The stock market has been climbing steadily, and our growth has reached an unprecedented pace.”
“My company was facing a shortage of key raw materials, but suddenly, those materials became available-and at the lowest possible prices. It’s as if someone knew exactly what we needed and delivered it to us. It’s bizarre.”
“Our division’s revenue has been unusually smooth as well. Everything seems to be falling into place.”
As each person spoke, Memphis’s frown deepened. When they finished, he turned his gaze to his second son, Kelvin.
“Kelvin,” he said, his voice sharp, “what have you found? Have you identified the organization behind this?”
Kelvin shook his head helplessly. “No, Father. I haven’t.”
He hesitated for a moment before adding with a grin, “But honestly, isn’t this a good thing? Everything is going so well. It’s not hurting us, so why not just enjoy it?”
Memphis slammed his hand against the table, his voice rising in frustration. “You fool! Never forget-there’s no such thing as free gifts! What looks like a blessing now might very well be the beginning of our downfall.”
“Father, don’t you think you’re overreacting?” Kelvin argued. “The John family has been around for over a century. Who could possibly bring us down?”
Memphis’s face darkened. “Don’t get cocky! Even families with centuries of history have crumbled. Complacency is the fastest way to ruin. I’ve warned you about this time and time again.”
Kelvin lowered his head, chastened. “I understand, Father. I’ll keep investigating.”
“Good,” Memphis said with a grunt. “And don’t assume this is a good thing. Stay vigilant.”
Just then, a voice called out from outside the room.
“Sir, there are a few people here to see you!”
The two guards at the door opened it slightly, allowing the messenger to step in.
“Who is it?” Memphis demanded. “What do they want? Tell them I’m not seeing anyone.”
The messenger hesitated. “Sir, it seems you’ll want to meet them. They said they’ve come to deliver a gift-and judging by their attire, they appear to be from the region.”