Misunderstanding

Mireille’s eyes were bloodshot, veins bursting vividly. Suddenly, she lunged at Raina. Her delicate, seemingly boneless hands were now convulsing, her knuckles whitening as she snapped lightning-fast at Raina’s neck.

But before her fingers could touch Raina, a hand intercepted her.

Mireille jerked her head up abruptly, her face flashing with shock. She hissed, “You…”

Crack—

The sharp sound of bone breaking rang out suddenly.

Mireille screamed in agony, cold sweat pouring down her forehead, yet she refused to give up. Her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at Raina. “How dare you! Raina, you filthy—”

Raina had just crushed one of her arm bones with a single hand!

How was that even possible?

Raina didn’t even glance at her. Calmly, she wiped her fingers and said, “As you can see, there’s nothing I’m afraid of now. So, Second Miss Carrington, you’d better not come after me again. Because next time, the price won’t be just one broken arm.”

With that, Raina turned and walked away.

Mireille’s arm hung limply at her side, the pain from the shattered bone mixing with countless other inexplicable feelings. Flames of rage flickered and danced in her eyes as if they were tangible.

Why? Why was Raina so proud and arrogant before her, even after losing everything?

And why was she left looking like a ridiculous clown, destined to live forever blinded by Raina’s dazzling brilliance?

No, no, no, no!

Clenching her crushed arm tightly, Mireille finally loosened her grip. Then she grabbed a heavy ornament nearby and slammed it hard onto her injured arm!

…

Dodging Leif, Raina smoothly exited the hotel. Instinctively, she glanced toward the spot where the black car had been parked earlier.

The place was empty—the car was gone.

That made sense. It was just a random kid she’d bumped into. After all this time, why would he still be waiting there?

Rubbing her forehead, Raina shook her head slightly and hailed a car, heading straight back to her hotel.

The car arrived quickly. Just as she stepped into the lobby, a small figure suddenly pounced on her, grasping her leg with tiny hands.

That familiar scene repeated itself. Raina was momentarily stunned, then her eyes softened as she recognized the little face — it was the same kid she’d met at the hotel earlier.

But thinking that this kid was Leif’s son — gave Raina quite a headache.

If it were just any other child, it’d be fine. But Leif was a notorious powerhouse who made people nervous just by mentioning his name. She really didn’t want to get involved.

On the way back to Elaris, she had taken the time to check on the major powers in Estravia. The landscape was totally different from five years ago. Of the once-dominant five great families, two had fallen, leaving only three.

And the biggest change was Leif.

Five years ago, Leif was an unknown nobody. Overnight, he crushed two great families with a single blow and rose to fame. In the years since, through unknown means, he kept the other three families under his thumb, becoming the undisputed number one power in the capital.

Wherever Leif’s name appeared, it brought storms of bloodshed and terror.

In other words, no matter what path people walked in the capital, the last person they wanted to mess with was this seemingly refined, elegant Leif.

Before Raina could react, a surprising voice cut through: “...Why is it you again?”

Raina looked up reflexively but didn’t see the speaker first — instead, it was Leif himself who had appeared.

But the one speaking wasn’t Leif; it was his assistant, Rael.

Rael's right hand was balled into a fist pressed against his lips. He coughed twice, maintaining a careful distance from Raina. Quietly, he said, “Miss… if I may be frank, it’s really not good for you to keep following us like this… A young lady should keep her dignity, and not… not…”

‘Not to keep pestering Mr. Vexley. Mr. Leif Vexley was just a cold, emotionless money-making machine. Haha, don’t fool yourself.’

Though Rael didn’t finish the sentence, Raina could clearly read between the lines from his expressions.

Raina said nothing at first.

This misunderstanding was really a bit big.

She exhaled a breath and pressed her brow. “I think you’ve got it wrong. First, I’m not following you — I live here. Second, I’m not pestering you. If you’d been paying attention, you’d see the kid came to me first…”

Before she finished, Gale suddenly let go of Raina’s leg, as if something had hit him hard.

A sudden pang rose in Raina’s heart — an inexplicable sadness.

Gale stepped back a few paces, his face pale. He looked like he had just been triggered by something. Bloodshot eyes, clenched tiny fists. Though he didn’t make a sound, his whole body screamed silently, venting something.

“Gale! Calm down! Listen, be good…” Leif held him tightly, struggling to calm him. If Raina wasn’t mistaken, there was even a trace of fear in Leif’s eyes.

Then Leif growled, “Call a doctor — now!”

Rael pulled out his phone, searching for a number. “Yes, Mr. Vexley, I’m calling right now…”

“It’s too late,” Raina’s voice exploded in their ears.

Rael froze and blurted, “What?”

Raina couldn’t hold back any longer. She stepped forward, pressing several points on Gale’s body hard. Suddenly, Gale quieted down.

More precisely, he had passed out.

The next second, a cold, bone-chilling hand suddenly grabbed Raina’s wrist just as she was pulling back.

An icy, intense gaze locked onto Raina’s face.

On the hand’s third finger was a silver ring, shining faintly.

Raina’s wrist hurt sharply. She looked up instinctively — caught off guard by a pair of dark, unfathomable eyes.

“What did you do to Gale? Why did he suddenly pass out?” Leif’s voice was like a freezing wind, heavy with menace.

“I was saving him,” Raina replied.

Leif sneered, his voice seething with anger, “Saving him?”

Raina didn’t look at him but stared at Gale thoughtfully for a moment, then spoke softly, “His eyes were already bloodshot — clearly out of control. If I hadn’t acted immediately, the boy you’re holding… would already be dead.”

***