Kayden never expected to run into one of his father’s former subordinates here. He eyed John Baker, memories of his childhood flooding back. John had always been kind to him, the one he could confide in when trouble arose.
Seeing John again, Kayden was overwhelmed by a sense of familiarity. John carried the essence of his father.
“Mr. Baker!” Kayden choked up for a moment before continuing, “I’m fine, really.”
“Ah, you child…” John had so much to say, but for a moment, he didn’t know where to begin.
Finally, he placed a reassuring hand on Kayden’s shoulder and said, “Come on, let’s go to my house. I just got back from grocery shopping and was about to make dinner. We can talk while we eat.”
Kayden glanced at the Alfredson family villa, then at Wood Faulkner. “You go on ahead. I’ll join you later.”
Wood studied Kayden briefly, understanding the situation’s importance. He nodded. “Alright.”
“Young master, is this… your girlfriend?” John asked, his tone curious.
Kayden shook his head. “No, just a friend.”
“Mr. Baker,” he added, “you don’t need to call me ‘young master’ anymore. I’m no longer that. Just call me Kayden.”
John sighed deeply, his voice tinged with sadness. “I see. These past years must have been hard on you, haven’t they?”
John’s sympathy was evident. He had been a witness to the events that unfolded years ago in Kayden’s family, events that had left deep scars.
Kayden shook his head lightly. “Not too bad. Could’ve been worse.”
He didn’t elaborate. The truth was darker-his life had been filled with death and killing. But at the very least, he had survived.
“Mr. Baker, what brought you to the Western Frontier?” Kayden asked, puzzled. He remembered John’s hometown was Vernon, and it didn’t make sense for him to end up here.
John sighed, his tone wistful. “Life. After what happened to your family, I left Vernon. A friend invited me here to start a business. But it didn’t last long before it went under. Luck wasn’t on my side, and after a string of failures, I decided to settle here and make do.”
“Kayden, I’m sorry for what happened back then. I couldn’t save you.” John’s face was filled with guilt.
Kayden waved it off. “Mr. Baker, it wasn’t your fault. It was fate. Everything was already written.”
“Yes, yes,” John said with a helpless shake of his head.
The two turned into an alley and walked into a small residential complex.
John lived in a modest three-bedroom apartment. It wasn’t large, but it was sufficient for a family.
“Look who I’ve brought home!” John called out as they entered.
His wife, May, appeared with their daughter, Emma.
May was in her forties, slightly plump, with some age spots on her face. Despite this, she maintained a fashionable appearance, her curly hair and designer clothes giving her the look of a well-off woman.
Emma, standing beside her, was a young girl a few years younger than Kayden. She was pretty, with bright, lively eyes.
“This is Kayden,” John said enthusiastically. “And this is my wife, May, and my daughter, Emma.”
“May, Emma,” Kayden greeted with a polite nod.
May’s expression shifted slightly. “Why are you bringing random people home? I thought it might be Ryder. Who is this? And what’s with the familiarity, calling us by name?”
John exclaimed, “Don’t you know who this is? It’s Kayden, Mr. Scott’s son!”
“Mr. Scott?” May paused for a few seconds before her eyes lit up. “Ambrose Scott’s son?”
John nodded eagerly. “Yes, yes, exactly! You remember now, don’t you?”
May’s gaze sharpened as she looked Kayden over. “Well, it really is Mr. Scott’s son. I didn’t think much of it when he was a child, but now he does resemble his father.”
“Come in, quickly!” May suddenly became very warm and welcoming, ushering Kayden inside.
Kayden sat on the couch while May rushed to bring out a tray of candies and sunflower seeds, her enthusiasm touching Kayden slightly.
“Ah, so you’re the young master. I didn’t recognize you at first,” May said, her tone growing more ingratiating.
“You must have returned to the Scott family by now, right? Judging by your clothes, it seems like you’ve been reinstated. I always said the Scott family wouldn’t abandon their own blood. After all, you carry the Scott name. They couldn’t possibly turn their back on you.”
Kayden remained silent, but May continued.
“Emma, come sit with Kayden. He’s the young master of a prestigious family, far better than that Ryder. Go on, sit next to him and get to know him. I’ll go cook!”
Kayden shook his head. “May, I haven’t returned to the Scott family. Please don’t call me young master. After my parents died, I severed all ties with the Scotts. Just call me Kayden.”
A loud thud seemed to echo in May’s mind. The smile froze on her face. She blinked, her voice trembling. “What did you say? You haven’t gone back to the Scott family?”
Kayden nodded. “That’s right, May. I haven’t returned. In fact, I only feel hatred for them now. They killed my parents. How could I ever go back?”
“Hatred?” May’s face darkened as realization dawned. She sank onto the couch. “So you’re not the Scott family’s young master anymore?”
Kayden nodded again. “No, I’m not. And I don’t want anything to do with them.”
May’s expression hardened as she scrutinized Kayden. “Then what are you doing here?”
“May, I’m just here to take care of some business. I happened to run into Mr. Baker,” Kayden replied calmly.
May crossed her arms, letting out a cold laugh. “I thought you’d gone back to being the young master of the Scott family. Turns out you’re so full of pride that you won’t even return to them.”
“If you’re not with the Scott family anymore, then why are you in my house?”