อดีตไม่อาจย้อนคืน

A tall, muscular man in a dark coat and dark glasses walked out from Cansington station, his phone glued to his ear.

“Have you got the information?”

“Yes, General. The girl who saved you from the fire ten years ago is Thea Callahan. She survived after that, but she’s been badly disfigured due to the fire.”

The man tightened his grip on the phone, his expression darkening.

It was a hot summer day, but the man had a cold aura around him.

Everyone who walked past him shuddered involuntarily.

His name was James Caden.

Ten years ago, James’ family members were burned alive, falling victim to a scheme against them.

A young girl rushed into the inferno and saved him without regard for her own safety.

All 38 of his family members lost their lives that night, and the first family of Cansington was no more.

After James was rescued, he jumped into the river, as it was the only way to survive.

He ended up in the Southern Plains where he became a soldier.

Ten years later, he had successfully climbed the rank from a nameless soldier to an army general.

He had challenged an elite army of 30,000 single-handedly. He had gone on a solo mission, infiltrating the enemy camp and capturing their general alive.

He was the legendary Dragon General of the Southern Plains.

He was the Black Dragon, a name that struck fear in his enemies.

He was the youngest general Sol had ever seen.

Once he was made general, he decided to retire and return to Cansington. He had debts to repay and revenge to take.

He had to repay Thea for saving his life and to avenge his family.

“I want all the information you have on Thea.”

“I’ve sent it to your email, sir. Please take a look.”

James hung up and checked his email. There was a message waiting for him.

Thea Callahan, female, 27 years old.

The Callahans were a middle-class family in Cansington.

Ten years ago, Thea was still in senior high, a Year 3 student.

It was a Sunday, and she was on a day trip to the suburbs with her friends.

In the evening, she heard the cries for help from a burning villa. Without regard for her own safety, she rushed in and saved a young man.

That young man was James.

The accident completely changed Thea’s life.

She was lucky enough to survive, but she suffered burns all over her body, leaving her horribly disfigured.

Since then, she had become the laughingstock of her classmates. Everyone talked about her behind her back.

“Thea, I owe you my life. I’ll spend the rest of it repaying this debt of gratitude.”

“The Xaviers, Frasiers, Zimmermans, and Wilsons owe me a life debt. Now that I’m back in town, I’ll make them pay. For the deaths of my family, they’ll pay in blood. All of them.”

James clenched his fists, entering a multi-purpose vehicle without a license plate.

A man wearing a black tank and cap was behind the wheel.

He said, “General, the Callahans will be selecting a husband for Thea in three days. The head of the family, Lex Callahan, has issued a statement. As long as a suitor is willing to marry into the Callahan family, he’ll be under the Callahans’ protection after the wedding.”

James frowned. “Selecting a husband?”

“Sir, the Callahans are quite a prestigious family, yet Thea is now considered the ugly duckling of Cansington. No one will marry her, and she’s the laughingstock of the family. Old Mister Callahan is desperate, so he came up with this idea. Thea may be disfigured, but many still covet the family’s business and wealth. With that as an incentive, they would be willing to marry into the family.”

Every important family member of the Callahans was in attendance in the Callahans’ villa.

Today was the day Lex Callahan would choose a husband for his granddaughter. After a meticulous selection process, ten suitors had made it to the final round.

Standing in the foyer of the villa, they were of all ages, shapes, and sizes.

None of them had an impressive background, including James.

Without Thea, he would have perished in the fire ten years ago.

Without Thea, there would be no James, the Black Dragon.

A girl dressed in an outfit covering herself from head to toe sat on the couch. With a white veil blocking her face, no one could see what she looked like.

An old man wearing a three-piece suit stood up, leaning onto a cane topped with the head of a dragon. Looking around at the ten men, he announced, “I’ve chosen… James Caden.”

The girl in the white veil shuddered.

Had her fate been finally sealed?

She knew that from the moment she ran into the fire ten years ago, she had lost everything.

The other suitors left, disappointed.

James remained standing still.

Just then, a man stood up and approached James. Clapping him on the back, the man sneered. “Treat my cousin sister well. She may be disfigured, but she’s still a woman. I’m sure she’ll be able to satisfy you all the same.”

That was Tommy Callahan, the eldest grandson of the Callahans.

James ignored Tommy, focusing on Thea instead.

His gaze lingered on her, though he was still unable to see her face.

However, he could see that the veil was wet with her tears.

“Thea, go home on your own. I have an appointment.” A middle-aged woman left as quickly as she could, her expression one of mild disgust.

The woman was Thea’s mother, Gladys Hill.

Gladys was thoroughly disappointed in her daughter.

All the other girls in the family had married well, but her own daughter had to marry a man plucked from the streets.

“Dad, I’m going to the office.” Thea’s father, Benjamin, ignored his daughter. He left after greeting his father perfunctorily.

The remaining Callahans stared at James openly, mocking expressions on their faces.

He was tall, strong, and able-bodied, yet he was willing to marry Thea, and into the Callahan family? Thea was the laughingstock of all of Cansington, for crying out loud!

James approached Thea and extended his arm, looking at her.

Thea, crying silently on the couch, was stunned.

“From now on, I’ll protect you. Come with me and you’ll have the entire world in the palm of your hands. I’ll make you the happiest woman on earth.”

His voice was strong and unwavering.

At that moment, she forgot about the mocking faces of her family.

All she saw was the man in front of her. Tall and powerful, yet gentle.

James took her hand and pulled her up. Softly, he said, “Let’s go.”

Hand in hand, they left the villa.

A multi-purpose vehicle without a license plate was waiting outside the villa, accompanied by two men in black suits.

James led a stunned Thea over.

The men started to say, “Gen…”

James waved his hand, cutting them off. “Take me to the House of Royals. I have to attend to my wife’s injuries.”

James was not just the legendary Dragon General of the Southern Plains. He was a skilled doctor too.

Treating Thea’s scars would be an easy feat.