“Alright, let’s go in.” Kayden spoke with a calm indifference, taking a step forward as if the world around him didn’t matter.
Sophie quickly grabbed his arm, her voice trembling with tension. “Kayden, are we just going in like this? Shouldn’t we call someone for backup?”
Before Kayden could respond, Wood Faulkner cut in, his tone steady and confident. “There’s no need. With Mr. Scott and me here, it’s more than enough.”
“No!” Sophie exclaimed, her instincts screaming against their overconfidence. These two had no idea what they were walking into at the Azure Cloud Resort.
On the way here, neither of them had made any arrangements, acting as though they already had everything under control. Their composure was unsettling, almost arrogant.
Sure, Kayden was powerful-powerful enough to make the Alfredson family tread carefully around him, especially after he had saved their patriarch’s life. But that was different. The Alfredson patriarch was a good man, one who knew how to repay debts of gratitude.
The Azure Cloud Resort, however, was not so simple. Sophie knew this place all too well, having grown up here.
“This place is dangerous, far more so than you think!” she said, shaking her head. “Please, call for backup. There are too many people at the Azure Cloud Resort, and plenty of them are professional killers!”
Sophie didn’t fully understand just how strong Kayden or Wood Faulkner were. She assumed their confidence came from careful planning and preparation, but to her shock, they were charging in recklessly.
Kayden shook his head, his voice steady. “There’s no need. The Azure Cloud Resort is hardly worth such effort.”
Without wasting another moment, he started walking again, ignoring Sophie’s attempts to stop him.
When they reached the entrance, two guards stepped forward, blocking Kayden’s path. One of them barked, “Stop right there! What are you here for? Buying information?”
Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes landed on Sophie. His expression shifted abruptly, and he blurted out, “Miss Sophie, you-”
“Swish!”
The man didn’t get to finish. Kayden’s blade flashed, slitting his throat in one swift motion. Blood spurted from the wound, gushing like a burst pipe.
For Kayden and Wood Faulkner, who were no strangers to bloodshed, such a scene barely warranted a reaction. Their expressions didn’t even flinch.
But Sophie, a sheltered girl who had been protected her entire life, was horrified. The sight of the guard’s lifeless body left her trembling.
The second guard, frozen in terror, stared wide-eyed at the scene. He opened his mouth, about to scream, but Kayden’s blade was already at his throat.
“Si-sir, I won’t scream! I swear, I won’t make a sound!” the man stammered, raising his hands in surrender.
Kayden’s lips curled into a cold smile, though his eyes remained as dark and menacing as ever. “No,” he said firmly. “You will scream. Scream as loud as you can. Announce that Miss Sophie is back. Use every ounce of strength you have. I want everyone in the Azure Cloud Resort to hear you!”
With that, Kayden kicked open the grand doors of the Azure Cloud Resort. The sound reverberated like a thunderclap.
“Now, scream!” he commanded.
The guard’s face went pale. Was this man insane? Charging into the Azure Cloud Resort with just two women? It was madness.
“Kayden!” Sophie cried, panic gripping her. “What are you doing? Why are you making him scream? If he alerts the entire Walsh family, we’ll be surrounded! We won’t even have a chance to escape, let alone settle the score. We could’ve snuck in and kidnapped Uncle Gavin instead!”
To Sophie, this was the only logical plan. Kidnap her Uncle Gavin, negotiate for justice, and escape. It was risky, but far safer than what Kayden was doing now.
Wood Faulkner sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. “You insult Mr. Scott by suggesting such a crude tactic. Kidnapping? Such a lowly strategy would never be used by Mr. Scott, even on a battlefield. And certainly not here, in this insignificant Azure Cloud Resort.”
Before Sophie could respond, Kayden pressed his blade closer to the trembling guard’s throat.
“Now, scream,” he ordered coldly. “Make it loud. Call everyone in the Walsh family here. I’ll deal with them all at once. Leaving loose ends only wastes my time.”
The guard, shaking like a leaf, finally mustered the courage to scream. “Miss Sophie is back! Miss Sophie is back!” His voice was shrill and desperate, echoing through the expansive estate.
Kayden smirked, withdrawing his blade and shoving the guard aside. “Not bad. You’ve got a decent voice. You can keep your job as a guard.”
The guard, clutching his neck, stumbled backward, his heart pounding. He had just brushed past death itself.
Within moments, the commotion drew a crowd. The courtyard quickly filled with Walsh family members and armed guards, who surrounded Kayden and his group in a tight circle, as though fearing they might escape.
On the opposite side, the Walsh family stood in confusion, their eyes fixed on Sophie.
A woman in a long yellow dress stepped forward, her voice sharp and commanding. “You little wretch! Isn’t today supposed to be your wedding day with the Alfredson heir? What are you doing here? And who are these people you’ve brought with you?”
Her words were laced with contempt, her disdain for Sophie evident. She carried herself like a regal phoenix, while in her eyes, Sophie was nothing more than a fallen sparrow.
The woman’s golden curls framed a face adorned with expensive jewelry-a necklace of emeralds and a jade bracelet on her wrist. This was Ivy, Gavin’s wife and the current overseer of the Azure Cloud Resort.
Since Sophie’s mother had passed away, Ivy had taken over the household. She had always been jealous of Sophie’s mother, who was destined to be the lady of the house, a position Ivy could only dream of.
After Sophie’s mother’s death, Ivy made it her mission to take out her resentment on Sophie. She tormented the girl endlessly, forcing her into servitude and even attempting to have her assaulted by the household staff.
To Ivy, Sophie was nothing more than a tool for her revenge-a puppet to control, a scapegoat for her bitterness. She relished in making Sophie’s life a living hell.
The hatred Ivy bore for Sophie’s mother had never faded. Instead, it had been passed down, manifesting in her cruel treatment of Sophie. Even now, the scars of Ivy’s abuse lingered, a haunting reminder of the woman’s merciless nature.