After finishing the acupuncture treatment for Wood Faulkner, Kayden stepped out of the room.
Fletcher Atkinson was waiting at the door. Seeing Kayden emerge, he asked, “Is it done, Commander?”
Kayden didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his gaze softened as he looked at Fletcher. “You don’t need to call me Commander anymore. From now on, just call me Mr. Scott,” he said calmly.
Fletcher’s expression froze, and then he shook his head vigorously. “No, no, no! Once a Commander, always a Commander! In my heart, you’ll always be irreplaceable as Commander!”
Kayden let out a cold chuckle. “Alright then, take good care of Wood Faulkner. When she wakes up, she’ll regain her memories. Once that happens, give me a call.”
“Ah!” Fletcher was startled. “You’re leaving? Aren’t you going to stay and listen to what Wood Faulkner has to say about what happened?”
Kayden took a deep breath and said, “If I stay here, I’ll only bring trouble to you. You’ll soon leave the Atkinson family and return to the battlefield. If I linger, the Atkinson family might face disaster because of me.”
With that, Kayden turned and left. “When she wakes up, tell her to call me.”
As Fletcher watched Kayden’s departing figure, he couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration. That back-strong and resolute-was one of greatness and respect.
After leaving the Atkinson family, Kayden began planning his next steps. He had already prepared a remedy for Felicity, using materials he had obtained from the John family.
After some inquiries, he found out where Felicity lived. It was a small, remote town on the southeastern border. From Inassea, it wasn’t far-just about a day’s journey.
That very day, Kayden bought a ticket and set off for her home.
The journey wasn’t easy; he had to change vehicles three times. As he boarded the final bus, Kayden’s thoughts drifted to someone-Ivy Taylor.
He remembered meeting Ivy on a bus to Vernon. She had been his neighbor on that journey, and he recalled a little girl knocking on his door, calling him “Dad.”
Vivian.
He had even promised to celebrate her birthday. Nearly a month had passed since then, and if it weren’t for this trip, Kayden might have forgotten about it entirely.
Kayden wasn’t the kind of man to break his promises. He would celebrate that little girl’s birthday.
As he was lost in thought about Ivy and Vivian, a young woman sitting nearby interrupted him. She wasn’t particularly attractive, but she had a noticeable figure. Speaking in the local dialect, she asked, “Hey! Where are you headed? Visiting relatives or buying fruit? You don’t seem like you’re from around here.”
The woman had slightly tanned skin, but her features weren’t bad.
“Just here on some business, visiting a friend,” Kayden replied, though he wasn’t in the mood for conversation.
“A friend? Are you here to see your girlfriend? Or are you visiting Mabel Wren to have your fortune told?” the woman continued.
Kayden was surprised. “Mabel Wren?”
The woman, though young, seemed to love gossip. “Yes, Mabel Wren! Let me tell you, she’s famous around here. No matter what it is, she can see it all. If she sleeps on it, she’ll know your future, your path, everything!”
“I came here after my divorce,” she added. “Haven’t found the right man yet, so I asked Mabel Wren to check my fortune. Are you here for the same reason? To ask about love?”
Her tone carried a hint of flirtation.
“You don’t look like a local. Are you from the city? Do you have a house? A car?” The woman’s questions became increasingly personal, almost like an impromptu matchmaking session.
Kayden chose not to respond. After a few more attempts, the woman lost interest and stopped talking.
Leaning back in his seat, Kayden soon dozed off. When he woke, he had arrived at his destination.
After asking around, he quickly found Felicity’s house.
It was a pleasant area. On his way, Kayden noticed rows of mountains covered in fruit trees-peaches, cherries, dragon fruit. The region was clearly a hub for fruit production.
The buildings were modest, with the tallest only about eight stories high. There were no skyscrapers, no crowded streets. The atmosphere was peaceful. For a moment, Kayden felt this place might suit him.
His divorce had left a mark on him, no matter how composed he seemed. His heart still carried the scars.
Felicity, meanwhile, had returned to her hometown after leaving Vernon. Using what little money she had left, she and her mother opened a small breakfast shop.
When she first came back, she often fantasized about Kayden coming to find her. She even waited for him at the bus station a few times. But now, she only thought of him occasionally. She had come to accept that his promise to visit was just a comforting lie.
Kayden wouldn’t come.
He couldn’t possibly heal the scar on her face. It was a congenital birthmark-something she had been born with. How could anyone make it disappear?
She blamed herself for being so naive, for believing Kayden’s words.
Thinking about it still made her heart ache. Deep down, she wished she could see that domineering man again.
But Felicity knew she wasn’t worthy of him. That day, he had been accompanied by a stunningly beautiful woman.
If only she were as beautiful as that woman. Maybe then, Kayden would choose her.
At that moment, Kayden arrived at the breakfast shop.
It wasn’t a busy time, so the restaurant was nearly empty. Felicity was sitting at a table, lost in thought.
“Felicity.”
Kayden called her name without hesitation.
The sound struck Felicity like lightning. She trembled, turning her head in a daze. When she saw him, she was stunned.
Her eyes widened, her mouth gaped open-enough to fit an egg. She rubbed her eyes, shook her head, and muttered to herself, “A hallucination. It must be a hallucination.”
As she spoke, Kayden walked up to her. “What’s wrong? Is something wrong with your eyes?” he asked.
Hearing his voice, Felicity froze.
This wasn’t a hallucination.
It was real.
She could hear him. This was no illusion.
Kayden was here. He was really here!