Chapter 11: A Father’s Warning

The morning sunlight flooded the grand hall of the estate, its golden rays streaming through the towering windows and casting a warm glow on every piece of furniture. Yet, the atmosphere inside was anything but warm.Kaelan stood in the center of the hall, his back straight and his gaze lowered. His expression was as stoic as ever, but unease churned within him. Seated on the leather sofa before him was Elias Carter, Liora’s father. His sharp gaze was as piercing as a blade, a half-finished cup of coffee resting in his hand.Elias set the cup down slowly, his eyes narrowing as they fixed on Kaelan.“Kaelan,” his deep, authoritative voice filled the room, “I trust you understand your duty.”Kaelan raised his head, taking a steadying breath as he tried to keep his tone calm. “Yes, sir. My duty is to ensure Miss Liora’s safety.”“Nothing more.” Elias leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other, his gaze never wavering. “Your duty is to protect her, not to get close to her.”

Last Updated : 2024-12-09

Chapter 12: The Family Mission

Sunlight streamed into the estate’s conference hall, casting a warm glow that clashed starkly with the icy shimmer of the massive crystal chandelier overhead. Liora stood in front of her father’s desk, her expression calm, though her mind was brimming with questions.Elias Carter sat behind the desk, his fingers rhythmically tapping its surface, the sound reverberating in the otherwise silent room. His gaze, sharp and assessing, swept over Liora, as though evaluating whether she was ready for the burden he was about to place on her shoulders.“Liora,” Elias began, his voice deep and resolute, “it’s time we talked about your future.”Liora blinked, her composure only slightly faltering before she nodded. “I’m ready to listen, Father.”Elias pulled a stack of documents from a drawer and slid them toward her. “You are the sole heir to the Carter family. Our business, our status, the future of this family—all of it will rest on your shoulders.”Liora glanced down at the documents. They de

Last Updated : 2024-12-10

Chapter 13: A Sudden Crisis

Night fell, and the Carter estate was shrouded in tranquility. The light in Liora’s bedroom remained on as she sat at her desk, poring over the documents her father had given her earlier in the day. She tried to digest the heavy responsibility of inheriting the family legacy, but her thoughts kept drifting back to Kaelan.Meanwhile, Kaelan stood in the estate's surveillance room, his eyes fixed on the monitors as the images cycled through the various camera feeds. His senses were sharp, attuned to the slightest sign of disturbance. What he didn’t expect was that a crisis was quietly unfolding.“There’s a problem with the alarm system!” a subordinate’s tense voice came through the communicator.Kaelan quickly pulled up the relevant footage, noticing several cameras outside the estate were offline, and some of the infrared sensors in the surrounding forest had been deliberately sabotaged. His heart sank. Grabbing his radio, he issued a command:“Everyone, stay on high alert! The intrude

Last Updated : 2024-12-11

Chapter 14: A Test of Love

Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains of the safe house, its faint rays adding a hint of warmth to the otherwise oppressive atmosphere in the room. Yet, this fragile peace could not dispel the invisible barrier between the two of them.Kaelan sat by the window, his slender fingers methodically polishing the blade of his knife, his eyes fixed on the gleaming metal. Liora sat on the sofa, her gaze locked on his slightly tense back, her heart swirling with complex emotions.“Kaelan,” Liora finally broke the silence, her voice gentle yet firm. “We need to talk.”Kaelan’s hand paused briefly but did not turn around. “Anything we need to discuss can wait until we’re back at the estate. It’s not safe here.”“This isn’t about safety.” Liora stood and approached him, reaching out to take the knife from his hand. “This is about us.”Kaelan looked up at her, his deep gaze like an icy lake, brimming with restraint. Slowly, he set the knife down but avoided her topic. “Liora, you should f

Last Updated : 2024-12-13

Chapter 15: The Assassination Target

The night wind carried a faint chill as darkness enveloped the entire estate. Only the occasional flicker of lamplight broke the solitude of the night. Kaelan stood in the shadows of the garden, hands buried in the pockets of his trench coat, his gaze fixed on the distant manor. A familiar, icy voice came through his earpiece.“The target has been confirmed. It’s the confidential document near Liora. Time is running out.”Kaelan’s brow furrowed slightly. After a moment of silence, he responded in a low voice, “Are you certain about Liora’s family? Won’t this task trigger something much worse?”“That’s not your concern, Kaelan. Your only job is to carry out orders and bring back the document.”The voice over the earpiece was cold and absolute. The communication was abruptly cut, leaving Kaelan standing alone in the night wind, his mind a turmoil of emotions.When he returned to the safe house, Kaelan removed his trench coat, draping it over a chair, but his gaze remained fixed on the w

Last Updated : 2024-12-17

Chapter 16: Memories of a Mother

Gentle sunlight poured into the room, bringing with it a sense of calm. While in her father’s study, Liora stumbled upon an old wooden box tucked into a corner.The lock on the box was rusted, suggesting it hadn’t been touched in years. Liora carefully brushed away the dust and pushed open the partially closed lid. Inside, she found several letters written on delicate stationery. Each one began with the same name—Elias.Liora’s heart sank. The handwriting was unmistakable—it belonged to her mother. She remembered how her mother used to leave her little notes when she was a child. That familiar handwriting brought tears to her eyes almost instantly.She gently took out the letters and unfolded the one on top. The paper was slightly yellowed, but the words were still legible.**“Elias,When you read this letter, I hope you can still remember the way we were. Back then, we had no money, no power—only each other. I thought that was enough. But you’ve changed.”**Liora’s hands trembled as

Last Updated : 2024-12-19