“You… You are so naive…”
Matteo was stunned. This was the first time his daughter defied him.
Disappointment.
Utter disappointment.
No one knew their daughter better than her father. Matteo understood that Madeline’s ambitions were too high, and that wasn’t a good thing.
Your abilities have to match your aspirations; otherwise, it’s nothing but delusion.
They were just common folk. How could they possibly handle an extravagant life of wealth and power?
But what could he say now?
Would severing their relationship really solve anything?
Forget it. He was old now.
Madeline had spread her wings. She could go where she pleased.
Paxton chuckled lightly. “Since you need time to handle family matters, we’ll take our leave for now.”
“Tomorrow, Wayne will come to pick you up. Whether you go or not is up to you.”
The medical book was handed over. The opportunity was given. Whether they seized it or not didn’t matter to him.
The father and son left the Kaur family and made their way to the Grand Elysium Hotel.
One had to admit, Paxton’s entourage traveled in grand style. Ryland Ambrose from DreamDollars Investments waved a hand and rented out the entire Grand Elysium just to avoid any unwanted pests trying to curry favor.
Their arrival in Niarak had already caused a sensation. Everyone wanted to ingratiate themselves with the Clark family, eager to witness Vicente Clark’s towering presence as a Greater Sovereign.
But did gods need the praise of mortals?
Absolutely not.
Inside a luxurious private suite:
When the crowd saw the father and son stride in with a regal presence, an invisible wave of pressure swept over the room.
The elite guests stood to greet them.
“Layla, I hope we didn’t keep you waiting,” Paxton said as he took his seat, gesturing for the others to sit as well.
Layla smiled politely. “Mr. Clark, many of the gentlemen here are friends of my father. We’ve been having a pleasant chat.”
However, she was slightly surprised. Paxton seemed much more relaxed after returning from the Kaur family. The smile on his face even seemed less forced.
“Hmm, your father has been staying out of the spotlight these years. He’s barely in his fifties and already semi-retired. The Woods family still needs you to take the lead.”
“Getting to know these gentlemen better is a good thing,” Paxton remarked with a smile.
Layla didn’t respond.
In her memory, her father had changed drastically over the past decade.
His emotions and actions were no longer as intense. He gradually delegated company affairs to professional managers.
Layla found it odd but didn’t dwell on it.
Her father was never one to enjoy confrontation. As he aged, it was understandable that his ambitions waned.
After all, with a daughter like her-a pride of the Woods family-he didn’t need to overwork himself.
“Honestly, I’m not that interested in managing the company either. I’ll hand it over to professionals in the future,” Layla admitted.
As the legitimate heir, inheriting the Woods family’s assets was unquestionable.
But she didn’t want to dedicate her energy to it.
Paxton seemed to see through her thoughts and smiled faintly. “Layla, your real goals are in cultivation and medicine, aren’t they?”
“Especially cultivation. You’ll need to keep working hard.”
Layla nodded. “My goal is to make the world know my name within five years!”
Her words were not boastful.
No one present thought she was exaggerating because Layla’s talent was undeniable.
Everyone believed that if she hadn’t spent the past two decades focused on medicine, her cultivation achievements would have at least reached Semi Greater Sovereign.
Her status as one of Ostrad’s top prodigies wasn’t just talk-it was confirmed by countless powerful figures.
“Indeed. At the end of the day, cultivation is the ultimate pursuit,” someone remarked.
“Once you’ve mastered absolute power, the whole world will bow to you.”
“No amount of wealth can achieve that. Only cultivation can,” Paxton added with a smile before changing the topic.
“Layla, have you ever considered getting to know Vicente better?”
“Vicente?”
Layla’s stunning eyes shifted to the young man beside her-Vicente Clark.
He was smiling warmly as he looked at her.
“Layla, I’ve liked you since I was sixteen. But back then, my master was too strict, and you were deep in your medical studies. I never had the chance to tell you.”
“But during my training in the West Haralu desert, I often thought about you.”
“Now, with both of us excelling in medicine and cultivation, I think the time is right.”
“Layla, be my woman. If you agree, I promise we’ll become the most celebrated and envied couple in the world!”
There was a mix of dominance and tenderness in his tone, as if agreeing to his proposal would grant her the entire world.
The room fell silent.
The elite guests exchanged shocked glances, their eyes filled with awe.
“What a fantastic pairing! Truly a match made in heaven!”
“Indeed! Mr. Clark is undoubtedly Miss Woods’ destined partner. They’re perfect for each other!”
“If they get married, it will surely shake all of Ostrad to its core!”
Everyone thought the two were an ideal match.
Flawless.
A perfect union.
Even the average Ostrad citizen would support this marriage.
People were so confident that Layla would agree, they began congratulating her in advance.
After all, this was a union of strength and excellence that would elevate both families.
If the two married, countless admirers would envy them to the point of despair.
“What?!”
Layla’s expression changed as she heard Vicente’s confession. A ripple of emotion flashed in her eyes.
This was too sudden.
Too shocking.
She had never even considered it!
She hadn’t even realized Vicente Clark liked her.
Was she destined to clash with the Clark family her whole life?
She had just broken off an engagement with a discarded member of the family, and now Vicente Clark was pursuing her?
Admittedly, Vicente Clark was outstanding.
At just twenty years old, he was already a Greater Sovereign.
The pride of Slatin!
One of the brightest young stars in the cultivation world.
His future was undoubtedly on the Dragon Ranking.
His abilities rivaled those of Lord Valerian Nox.
With his strength, defeating a Semi Greater Sovereign like Jack Jenkins was effortless.
Flynn didn’t even begin to compare.
No-there was no comparison at all.
It was like dust trying to match a mountain.
With Vicente Clark’s help, she could make great strides in cultivation.
Their union would be praised far and wide.
However, she had no feelings for Vicente Clark.
And despite being fellow Slatin natives, this was their first meeting in ten years.
They had little to no connection.
He was practically a stranger.
On the other hand, these past few days, she found herself drawn to Lord Valerian Nox in an entirely different way.
Especially after seeing his chiseled, sculpted physique, Layla felt a flutter in her heart for the first time.
Lord Valerian Nox seemed to possess a magnetic force that deeply captivated her.
She had even dreamt of him three times.
In her dream, he was tall, handsome, and exuded an ethereal elegance in his snow-white attire.
They had even shared an intimate connection.
That night, for the first time, the cold and aloof Layla had shown a shy, feminine side.
Paxton noticed Layla’s distraction and placed a medical book on the table. With a faint smile, he said:
“This book contains formulas for eight body-tempering elixirs, all rare and divine in their effects.”
“Layla, Vicente genuinely likes you. If you agree, the two of you can share this book. I believe your medical expertise will allow you to decipher its recipes.”
“You can use them together and grow stronger together.”
“Before long, the Woods family and the Clark family will become the most powerful families in Ostrad!”