She never expected to be greeted by such a scene. Among the two women, the one who opened the door looked vaguely familiar, as if they had met before, though she couldn’t quite recall where.
The other woman, standing behind, wasn’t even fully dressed, as though she had just stepped out of the shower.
A man and two women, together in one room-one of them still in a bathrobe. It wasn’t hard to guess what had transpired inside. Judging by the looks on their faces, it was clear they hadn’t slept all night.
Ivy Taylor felt her heart sink to the bottom. She never thought Kayden could be this kind of person. Two women-he had brought back two beautiful women at the same time. The thought left her choking on her breath as she clenched her jaw and scooped Vivian into her arms.
With a dark, stormy expression, she said, “Sorry for disturbing you! Vivian, let’s go.”
Throughout the entire exchange, Kayden didn’t utter a single word. He simply watched Ivy Taylor leave in silence.
“Kayden, was that your daughter?” Leah asked, her wide eyes filled with disbelief.
Kayden shook his head. “No, she lives next door. Alright, you should go rest now.”
Leah hesitated for a moment, then murmured an “oh” before heading into the bedroom, still doubtful.
Once Leah left, Wood Faulkner was summoned into the room.
As soon as both women settled in to rest, Kayden received a text message:
“One week from now, remember to come celebrate Vivian’s birthday. Take care of yourself-I don’t want Vivian to be deceived by you.”
The message was from Ivy Taylor. Kayden glanced at it but said nothing.
It was obvious Ivy Taylor assumed he had spent the night with the two women in that way. But Kayden didn’t intend to explain. He had no reason to explain anything to Ivy Taylor-she was just a woman he had crossed paths with, nothing more.
Once the two women were fast asleep, Kayden left the house. He went to withdraw some money to leave for Leah as emergency funds during this period.
By noon, Wood Faulkner and Kayden were on their way. Their destination: Western Frontier.
They didn’t drive themselves. Western Frontier was too far, and the roads were rough. Driving would have been exhausting. Instead, they chose the faster option-high-speed rail. Flying wasn’t an option due to the weather conditions over the past few days, which had grounded all flights.
Western Frontier was vast and sparsely populated. Many people preferred to travel there as a form of self-discipline or personal challenge. Some drove, some walked, and others cycled. Every year, countless people made their way to Western Frontier.
On the high-speed rail, Kayden gazed out the window, his thoughts drifting far and wide.
Wood Faulkner sat beside him, silently watching him with an unreadable expression. Her eyes were filled with Kayden, but in Kayden’s heart, there was only Georgia. He was not a man of divided loyalties-Georgia had been the only one in his heart from the beginning.
Sitting opposite Kayden was a man and a woman. The woman was an enchanting beauty in her forties, exuding a mature charm that was both striking and elegant. She wore a black coat, her face kind and naturally adorned with a gentle smile, even when she wasn’t trying.
The young man beside her, in his twenties, seemed full of energy. From the moment they boarded, his gaze had been fixed on Wood Faulkner.
The two bore some resemblance to each other, leading one to assume they were mother and son.
“Young man!” the woman across from them suddenly spoke. “Would you like some tea?”
She leisurely took out a teacup as she offered.
Kayden turned his head to glance at her and replied, “No, thank you.”
The woman found it odd. This man had been staring out the window ever since he got on the train, paying no attention to the beautiful woman beside him or herself, sitting right across. She couldn’t help but strike up a conversation.
“You’re not from Western Frontier, are you?”
Kayden turned to look at the woman again. Her accent suggested she was a local of Western Frontier.
He shook his head slightly and replied, “No.”
“Ha! You have quite an extraordinary presence. You must be a government official, I assume?” The woman pushed the cup of tea closer to Kayden.
Kayden didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he instinctively studied the woman in front of him.
“What is it? Do I interest you?” she asked with a playful smile.
Her words prompted the young man beside her to speak up. “Hey, don’t flatter yourself! My mom interested in you? That’s impossible. Who do you think you are to assume-”
“Ranger, shut up!” The woman scolded her companion sharply.
The young man snorted in dissatisfaction but sat back down reluctantly.
“Forgive him, sir,” the woman said with a warm smile. “My son speaks without thinking. I hope you won’t take offense.”
Kayden shook his head slightly. “It’s fine. He’s just a child.”
The young man’s face froze in disbelief. A child? He wasn’t much younger than this guy, yet he was being dismissed as a child. This was infuriating! But out of respect for his mother, he swallowed his complaints.
The woman chuckled lightly. “You’re quite humorous, sir. By the way, are you headed to Western Frontier to attend the cultivators’ auction?”
Kayden’s interest was piqued despite himself. “Cultivators’ auction? Who’s organizing it?” he asked coldly.
“Of course, it’s-”
The young man began to speak, but the woman interrupted him again. “The Rocco family of Western Frontier. In Western Frontier, who else but the Rocco family has the power to organize such an event?”
The Rocco family. One of the four major families of Seclela.
“They’ve invited many cultivators to attend this grand event. Judging by your temperament, you must be cultivators yourselves. Aren’t you planning to participate?”
Before Kayden could reply, seven men suddenly walked into the train car from the other end.
Their attire was peculiar, resembling traditional clothing from a specific ethnic group. Their dark skin made them stand out sharply.
“You two, move!” The leader of the group didn’t even glance at Kayden and Wood Faulkner. His eyes were fixed intently on the enchanting woman. But his words were directed at Kayden and Wood.
“Madam, someone has paid us to take your life. This time, you won’t escape,” the man declared.
The woman’s expression shifted slightly, while the young man beside her began trembling uncontrollably.
“Mom, it’s them again! It’s them!”
The woman ignored him and calmly picked up her teacup, her demeanor unshaken. “You people are truly persistent. You’ve chased me for so long and still won’t give up, even in this train car. I wonder what kind of reward that witch offered you to make you so willing to be her dogs.”
“Enough talk, madam. Prepare to die!”
With those words, the man drew a handgun and aimed it at the woman’s chest.