LOGINRafael stood at the center of his private lounge doing his pre-race warmups. He wore a fitted black racing suit. The tailored cut emphasized his tall, lean build, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist shaped by years on the track. His arms and calves were defined with the kind of strength and control built for explosive performance.His short black hair was tied back simply, with a few loose strands falling over his forehead. Sweat had slightly dampened them, pressing them against his smooth skin. This only made his dark eyes, straight nose, and sharply defined lips stand out more.Unlike his usual arrogant, dominant presence on the track, Rafael felt completely different that day. The aura he gave off had changed drastically.The scandal that framed him for murder had felt like hell. It dragged him from the top of his career into public condemnation. He was met with doubt, slander, and rejection everywhere.Even after the truth came out and his name was cleared, the experience l
Warren and Titus wouldn't question or probe Aria or Landon. Instead, they kept their worries and hopes to themselves. They only protected Aria and Landon with unwavering acceptance. The Carver residence's gates slowly closed behind Aria and Landon. It shut out the gentle warmth of the courtyard sunlight, the lingering scent of sandalwood, along with Warren's and Titus' silent care and concern. Landon opened the rear car door, carefully shielding Aria's head as she got in. Once she was seated, he leaned in to close the door gently before getting into the car on the other side.The engine rumbled to life, low and steady. The black sedan pulled away from the narrow alley outside the Carver residence, merging into the flow of traffic and heading off into the distance.It was quiet inside the car. The faint rush of wind outside and the distant hum of passing traffic were muffled by the closed windows, fading into nothing more than background noise.The air conditioning inside the car
Aria came back to herself slowly. She turned her head to look at Landon, but even that small movement seemed to feel heavy and difficult. The cold resolve in her eyes had finally dulled just enough to let her vulnerability and pain bleed through. The rims of her eyes had gone red when her gaze found his. And when she saw the worry and the care on his face, the wall she'd been bracing for so long gave the faintest shudder. Her hands still hadn't stopped trembling. After a moment of silence, she drew in a long breath and shoved the tide of emotion back down. She forced herself to sound composed, but the tremble running through her words betrayed her anyway. With eyes full of determination and grief, she looked up and met Landon's gaze. As she spoke slowly, it sounded as if she was forcing all those words out. "The person we tried to look for in the Netherrealm and couldn't find any traces of him at all was my mentor from my past life." Her throat tightened on the word "mentor", a
Sylas spoke to Thayne. "What's the matter? You got scared when I mentioned Hollowlight Sect, didn't you?" His voice was low and rough, laced with the kind of cold that only came from the deepest parts of the Shadowsteel Realm. Every word hit Thayne's soul like a hammer blow. "You've been sitting in that cage playing mute for a thousand years, and now you finally decide to move? Too bad. You could scream yourself hoarse, and she'd never hear you. "And even if she did, she couldn't save you. All you'd accomplish is giving me one more leash to yank her around with." Thayne's soul convulsed. The faint pulse of energy around him spiked wildly, and more threads of spirit began unraveling from the cracks. He locked his eyes on Sylas with intense hatred, and he poured every last shred of strength he had into his throat. What came out was barely a whisper, but it was hoarse with fury and heartbreak. "Sylas, you monster! This is between you and Hollowlight Sect. You want someone to com
Aria caught herself against the tree trunk to stay on her feet. Her other hand hung at her side in a tight fist, nails buried so deep in her palm that blood had started seeping out. It dripped from her fingertips and left faint red spots on the grass below, but she didn't feel any of it. The agony in her chest had swallowed every other sensation whole. All color had drained from her face, leaving it ashen but steely. Whatever grief had been pooling in her eyes a moment ago was gone now, frozen over and replaced by killing intent. Nearly a thousand years' worth of hatred had been smoldering inside her, and this was the moment it all caught. But she hid all those emotions behind her eyes, refusing to let even a flicker of them show. She knew better than to fall apart right now. Panic and grief were exactly what Sylas wanted, so the more she gave him, the easier she'd get manipulated. She needed to stay calm so that she could get answers and find an opening. It took a long momen
At the Carver residence, the warmth in the courtyard hadn't faded yet. The leaves on the locust tree rustled overhead like a slow song. Sunlight was scattered across the stone table in soft patches, and the smell of the coffee was still drifting through the air. Aria was still taking in the love and understanding from Titus and Warren. She could also still feel the heat from Landon's palm against her skin, and the worry that had been sitting behind her eyes had eased off a little. She was sinking into the quiet of it. Even her breathing had slowed. But right in the middle of all that, her phone buzzed in her pocket. It was faint, but clear enough to cut straight through the silence of the courtyard. The soft buzz was hitting her with so much unease. Aria instantly tensed up. The hand around her cup went still, and her fingers, which had only just loosened up, pulled tight again. That heavy feeling she'd managed to shake a few minutes ago came creeping back with more caution. Wi
Aria had never been to the Vanderbilt Hotel before. Right from the entrance, she could see that the lobby still kept its classic Art Deco charm. There were massive marble columns, intricate details everywhere, and water features flowing through the space. It was a nice blend of Ignisian and Glacia
Asher couldn't stop thinking about his parents. However, due to his current identity, he didn't dare call them. If they found out he was still alive and it ruined Feran's plan, he'd never be able to go back to them. Aria took the phone from him. "Your turn." "Alright, I'll talk." Hope sparked in
Torven said to Sawyer, "You've moved Wyatt somewhere else in secret, and that's pretty smart of you. But it won't change anything. "Oh, and I want the original USB drive. If it's a backup, you won't ever get to see your daughter again." His voice had been altered to prevent any problems if Sawye
Huck felt his heart sink. He wasn't an idiot, and he knew how things worked. That was exactly why his eyes widened as he stared at Aria. "W-Who the hell are you?" "Mr. Maddox, you know me pretty well, don't you? I'm just someone from that village in Grindham." Aria held up some papers. "Unless you







