LOGINBriella bit her lip and furrowed her brows. “I’m leaving.”
“Tsk. So you’re just gonna flirt and then run off halfway?” Diego looked at her contrite expression, and just like that, all his anger vanished.
It disappeared—just like magic.
As long as she was still in front of him, no matter how much she hurt him, he could take it.
He scoffed at his own weakness, his helplessness… but still, he was more than willing to be that way for her.
“I wasn’t flirting,” Briella said, clearly annoyed.
“Emotional teasing counts too,” Diego replied patiently, bending slightly to meet her gaze, calmly arguing his point.
“…Think what you want. I’m going home.” Briella frowned.
But Diego suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her arm. His palm was damp.
A faint metallic scent—blood—lingered in the air.
“Hiss—wh
Briella tilted her head back slightly, her eyes hazy as she looked at him.“...Diego.”“I’m here.”Diego reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently resting her head on his shoulder.Briella could smell the scent of antiseptic and the cool fragrance of bamboo and cedar on him.She clutched the hem of his shirt tightly.Her eyes were slightly red, and her voice hoarse.“When you treated Leticia like that, I wasn’t stupid... But I just—just couldn’t bring myself to believe it. The memories from the past hurt too much. They hurt so badly that I started to doubt everything. So I kept denying you, and denying myself... forcing you to repeat yourself over and over again. Am I... being overly dramatic?”Diego’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, his eyes stung, and the veins in the hand behind her head bulged as he tried to contain himself.
Inside the Car.Jules pressed his lips into a thin line.‘Ria, I’m sorry. This time, you have to face it. If you can’t harden your heart… I will. Even if you end up hating me for it.’Ria blinked once, brushing off the dazed look on her face, returning to her usual cold expression.She stepped forward toward the house.But just as her foot landed, she froze. Her gaze sharpened. She whipped her head toward a shadowy corner.“Who's there?”The corner was dim. Something seemed to shift in the darkness.Her fingers curled into a fist as she took a cautious step forward.Suddenly, a yellow blur burst out from the shadows and charged at her.Ria narrowed her eyes and stepped aside. “A dog? Where did you come from?”She scanned the area, then called out sharply, “Who’s hiding? Too scared to show yourself?&r
Emeris.The alliance base was heavily guarded.Philip stepped out of the car, pressing down the brim of his cap to cover most of his face.A golden pin on his chest glowed under the lights.Glancing at the man standing at the entrance, he sneered, “Mr. Jake, you’re in such a hurry? Couldn’t even wait a bit and had to block me at the door?”“Heh.” Jake held a cigarette between his index and middle fingers, the ember still glowing near his eyes.His smirk didn’t fade. “Isn’t that so? Would I not personally welcome WildMoon? Please, after you.”Philip chuckled under his breath.He didn’t refuse and walked straight inside.Jake raised an eyebrow, not in a rush either. He flicked the cigarette to the ground, gently crushed it out, and followed behind.Along the way, Philip’s face remained hidden in the shadows, but everyone could clearly see the pi
Diego lay in the hospital bed, skimming through documents. His face was still a little pale, and the familiar pair of gold-rimmed glasses perched on his nose only added to his scholarly elegance.There was a faint trace of weakness between his brows, a residual effect of surgery. His gaze, lowered toward the papers, looked calm and composed as sunlight from the window spilled over him, casting him in a radiant, golden glow.A soft sound stirred him.He lifted his eyes, a flicker of familiarity flashing across them. That voice… it sounded like—Moa stood frozen at the doorway, cradling her cheeks with both hands.‘Wow! Daddy still looks so handsome even when he’s sick! No wonder he’s our daddy!’The little girl bolted forward, launching herself at Diego’s bed in one energetic leap.Without hesitation, she climbed up and hugged Diego tightly, her smile bright as a little sun.&ldq
“Sir, didn’t you say you came to find Miss Skye? Why haven’t you contacted her at all?” Steven asked in confusion.Idris smiled slightly and pushed his wheelchair. “I’ve discovered that there are undercurrents surging in Avenlith. We shouldn’t act rashly. Since I’ve already arrived, there’s no need to rush. You go contact the BM Group. Once Skye knows, she’ll definitely come to find me.”Steven nodded. “Yes, sir.”He then withdrew.A while later, Biley knocked on the door. “Mr. Hank.”“Biley.”Biley stepped forward. “Is there anything important you need me to do?”“Do you know about the major bloodline upheaval among the noble families in Avenlith decades ago?” Idris turned slightly.Biley was visibly shocked. That matter…He bowed slightly. “Why bring that up now, Patriarch? That inc
Diego’s eyes sharpened further. “You didn’t come here just to tell me this, did you?”"Not bad, Mr. Elsher. The power structure among the noble families in Avenlith is terribly unbalanced right now. It's only a matter of time before chaos breaks out."Dutton took over the conversation smoothly."So… what is it you want?" Diego’s voice was cold, cutting through the room like ice.Taylor cast him a sidelong glance.Roman’s expression turned grim. He was direct. "We need the Elsher Cartel to intervene."Diego’s eyes landed on Dutton. "The Mortensen family is one of the oldest noble houses. Don’t tell me you can’t even keep the new families in check?"Dutton didn’t react much, but his voice carried weariness."There’s been a massive reshuffling among the noble families in Avenlith for years. At first, the newcomers kept their heads down. Most of them now serve







