To Sophie, Kayden was an unfathomable man. Especially after today, her curiosity about him had only deepened, leaving her more confused than ever. Back in Inassea, she had assumed Kayden’s identity was simple compared to hers, believing that someone like him could never imagine her background, and thus, their paths could never align.
Now, it seemed the truly unimaginable person was him.
Kayden didn’t respond to her comment-it was another difficult topic for him. He simply muttered, “Enough. There’s still much for you to handle here. I won’t disturb you anymore. We’ll take our leave.”
Turning his head, he looked at Wood Faulkner and said, “Let’s go.”
The two had barely taken a few steps when Sophie hurriedly called out, “Wait!”
Blushing, she stepped forward and softly asked, “When will you come back to see me?”
Kayden hesitated for a few seconds before replying, “You’re now the head of Azure Cloud Resort. Look around-everything here depends on you. When you truly need me, I’ll return.”
As he spoke, he placed his hand gently on her shoulder before turning and walking away.
—
The sky had darkened as they sat in the car heading back. Another day had passed in the blink of an eye.
Kayden sat in silence, his expression somber, his brows furrowed tightly.
“Mr. Scott, there’s something I’m curious about,” Wood Faulkner, seated beside him, suddenly broke the silence.
“What is it?” Kayden asked, his face emotionless.
Wood Faulkner said, “Azure Cloud Resort faced such a major incident. Why hasn’t the person who helped Gavin rise to power shown up? Logically, with such chaos, the mastermind behind him should’ve made an appearance.”
Kayden nodded slightly and replied, “There are two possibilities. First, the person who helped them is dead. Second, they’re playing a long game and might have a more intricate plan in motion. Personally, I lean toward the first possibility.”
Wood Faulkner seemed inspired by this, frowning as he asked, “Are you suggesting the person who helped them was Cyrus Nightbane?”
Kayden nodded again. “That’s a strong possibility. Otherwise, with the Walsh family going through such upheaval, how could there be no reaction? If it wasn’t Cyrus Nightbane, then it was likely one of Asher Voss’s subordinates. If Cyrus Nightbane is dead, they’re probably consumed by rage. I suspect they’re plotting to kill me, putting everything else on hold for now.”
Turning to Wood Faulkner, Kayden spoke each word deliberately, “A storm is coming. Be prepared at all times.”
Wood Faulkner nodded firmly. “Understood, Mr. Scott.”
—
The taxi driver, a middle-aged man, suddenly chimed in, “You two must be from a film crew, right? You’ve got to be shooting a movie!”
He chuckled, clearly intrigued by their strange conversation. “I don’t recognize you, but your dedication is admirable. Still, let me give you some advice-the entertainment industry is a mess! Way more complicated than you think. Take this young lady-so beautiful! You’re bound to attract envy.”
The driver continued, his tone shifting. “A while back, there was a big incident in the entertainment world. You must’ve heard about it. A director assaulted a moderately famous actress. Later, the actress committed suicide-jumped from the thirteenth floor! They said her body was completely mangled. But her grudge was so deep, she became a vengeful ghost. Seven days later, that same director jumped from the same floor. Everyone said it was the ghost seeking revenge.”
Then, as if trying to spook them, the driver asked, “Do you believe in ghosts?”
Raindrops began to patter against the windows. Though it wasn’t fully dark yet, the sky had grown ominously dim.
Before either Kayden or Wood Faulkner could answer, the radio in the taxi suddenly turned on:
“Recently, several mysterious incidents have occurred near Fifth Avenue in the city. Victims were found dead, seemingly having fallen with their vehicles off a cliff. However, no car wreckage was discovered at the scene-only a paper car traditionally burned for the dead was found beside the bodies.”
The broadcast ended abruptly.
The driver began to chuckle, his laughter unnervingly distorted.
“By the way,” he said, “didn’t you notice when you got in that we haven’t passed a single car on this road?”
As he finished speaking, the taxi slowed to a stop by the roadside.
“This is Fifth Avenue. Ever since the accidents, no driver dares come here anymore. Congratulations, you two! You’re my chosen passengers tonight. Only one of you gets to walk away. The man can leave-I only kill women.”
The driver’s laugh turned sinister, his face twisted with malicious intent.
—
Suddenly, a cold glimmer flashed.
A knife pressed against the driver’s neck, freezing the smile on his face. His expression shifted to one of utter shock.
“Do you think you’re funny?” Wood Faulkner’s voice was icy, devoid of any emotion, colder than the night itself.
Kayden and Wood Faulkner were no strangers to the brink of death. They feared no ghosts. In fact, even ghosts would steer clear of men like them.
The driver barely had time to react before-
Swish!
He let out a blood-curdling scream as Wood Faulkner’s blade pierced his shoulder, blood dripping down.
“Who-who are you? You’re not actors, are you?” The driver stammered, his face pale and twisted in pain.
Wood Faulkner gave a chilling grin. “I never said we were. Now, talk. What were you planning to do?”
The driver’s eyes darted around, clearly searching for a lie to spin.
Swish!
Another stab, precise and merciless. He howled in agony.
“Talk!”
“I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” the driver cried. “I’m just a taxi driver! My wife divorced me months ago. I got bored at night, so I started driving around here. Sometimes, I’d scare a girl or two, knock them out, and… and assault them. When I saw how beautiful she was, I couldn’t help myself. I didn’t think…”
“Enough,” Kayden interrupted coldly. “Cut his Achilles tendons and leave him by the roadside. Then call the police.”
Wood Faulkner nodded and carried out the order without hesitation. Once the job was done, the two drove away, leaving the man to his fate.