They drove off in a rush. The moment the cars pulled up at the family estate, Elena jumped out and hurried toward the entrance. The security guards bowed respectfully.
"Welcome, young mistress."
She didn't even respond. She just kept moving straight inside, her steps quick and worried.
Alexander lingered for a second, turning slowly to take in the grand surroundings. This was his first time here. He quietly assessed the massive house, the manicured grounds, and the overall security. Not bad, he thought to himself.
Then something caught his eye. A dark, smoky energy, like black mist, was rising from the roof, right above the room where Robert lay. It looked like it was leaking out from inside. No… Elena's father had been cursed with some kind of dark, forbidden magic. Alexander's eyes locked onto it.
Nadia and Dr. Li Wei were already heading inside.
Nadia suddenly turned around. "What are you looking at?"
Alexander snapped out of it and turned quickly.
Before he could take another step, she continued,
"Have you never seen a house this nice before?" Nadia sneered, her voice dripping with disdain.
Alexander paused, pointing a finger at his own chest in disbelief. "Me?" he murmured, as if he couldn't quite believe her arrogance.
"Yes, you! Aren't you supposed to be at her side? Don't worry—after all this is over, I'll personally see to it that she fires you." She turned on her heel and swept inside with Dr. Li Wei, who had been silently waiting for her.
Alexander swallowed hard, a flicker of amusement crossing his features. I haven't even officially agreed to this job yet, he thought. But just as he moved to step inside, his gaze drifted back to the roof. He stared at the dark energy for a long beat and nodded slowly. A small, knowing smile curved his lips as he slipped one hand into his pocket. He stepped inside to face the storm.
The moment Elena stepped into the room, everyone gave her cold looks. When she finally saw Drake, a wave of shock washed over her. She couldn't believe his nerve, after everything that had happened, he was back. He was the one person she never wanted to see again. He sat there with his legs crossed, his face turned away in a show of arrogance, acting as if the life of her grandfather, and the fate of her family, were held firmly in his hands. Elena stared at him for a few seconds, then looked away and moved toward her grandpa. She leaned forward and reached out to touch his hand.
"Get your cursed hands off my husband!" Margaret snapped, pushing Elena's hands away.
Elena hadn't expected that, but she held herself together. All she wanted right now was to see her grandpa healthy again.
"Elena," William called. "I'm so sorry."
She looked up at him.
"There was no other choice," he continued. "We had to beg Drake to come back, even after what happened, and all for your sake. Where did you even find that man to embarrass Young Master Drake? Do you want to destroy this family?"
Elena's mouth opened, but she closed it slowly. Her heart broke at the way her father spoke to her. Tears gathered in her eyes.
"It took us time to beg him to return," William added.
"Alright," Drake said, too relaxed and confident, as if he owned the room. He stood up. "Now that she's here, let's start the deal."
"To hell with your deal!" Elena snapped.
Everyone's faces tightened. The words sounded annoying, irritating.
"Let me see where your stubbornness will lead you this time," Harlan said. "Because whether you like it or not, you're going with Young Master Drake back to his house this morning."
A small smile curved Drake's lips.
"Please, my son," Margaret said softly. "Can you go on with the treatment? The deal has already been made."
"I forbid him to treat my grandpa," Elena said firmly. "I brought my own doctor."
"Not again," everyone muttered, faces squeezing in frustration.
Drake laughed and turned to Dr. Zhou Fen, who laughed along with him.
"Are you out of your senses?" Margaret barked.
"You'd better pray that the so-called doctor of yours doesn't step into this room," Mark said coldly. "If he does, I'll cut him to pieces and feed his body to the dogs."
"Exactly," Clara added.
"You all can't stop me from treating my grandpa!" Elena barked back.
Just before anyone could respond, slow clapping filled the air.
"Alright, good. I love this," Drake said, stopping his clap and sitting back down. "I'll sit here and watch your doctor try to treat him."
"You are nothing but a disgrace to this family," Margaret said, glancing at her watch. It was already 11:02 a.m. Worry filled her heart.
Nadia walked in with Dr. Li Wei. She immediately noticed the heavy tension in the room and glanced slowly at everyone.
"Please, Dr. Li Wei, come forward," Elena said.
He stepped ahead. Margaret stood up, eyes fixed angrily on Elena. "If anything happens to my husband, you and your so-called doctor will spend the rest of your lives in jail."
Dr. Li Wei paused, clearly insulted and threatened. Margaret moved away from the bed to give them space but deliberately shoved past him. Li Wei turned to look at her.
"Please, sir," Elena said softly. "Ignore them and save my grandpa. Please. Don't listen to them."
Dr. Li Wei swallowed hard, he turned and stepped forward. He checked Robert's pulse, then set down his bag and pulled out his needles. He observed the old man carefully again.
"Hey, listen," Drake called out. "If you can't treat him, just stop wasting time. And by the way, if anything happens to the old man, I'll personally deal with you."
"Exactly," Clara said.
"I'll make sure he doesn't leave this room alive," Margaret added.
"Ma, this man is capable," Nadia tried. "He's a top master."
"And who invited you?" Margaret barked. "If I hear your voice again, I'll disfigure your face with my hand and send you back to your father."
Nadia kept quiet, not wanting to cause more trouble for Elena.
"Top master? That's very interesting," Drake said with a smirk. "Let's see what your top master can do."
Then Alexander walked in. Everyone turned to look — they had never seen him before.
Drake's heart jumped a little. Their eyes met. He stood up quickly. "You? What are you doing here? You still have the guts to show up in front of me after what you did yesterday?"
"Are you talking to me?" Alexander replied, his voice firm yet calm, like a true hero. "Do you need another beating?"
"Enough!" Elena said.
Everyone looked curious about what was happening between him and Drake in the room.
"And who is this young man, Elena?" William finally let out the question that was boiling in his mind.
"My new personal bodyguard. I hired him."
"Personal bodyguard?" they repeated.
Drake tilted his head, studying Elena. She was definitely quick, hiring the very man who had saved her that night just to keep him away. She believed she was smart, but she had no idea she was actually helping him find the one person he wanted to destroy. Today, he would make sure that man regretted ever interfering. He remained still as he slipped his phone out with a quiet precision only a seasoned fighter like Alexander could notice. "Hello. About the chat. Same place. Now," Drake said.
While Drake's call was still active, William's voice broke through the tension, sounding both tired and sharp as he looked between his daughter and the stranger standing behind her.
"And since when did you start needing a personal bodyguard?" he demanded, his eyes narrowing as he studied Alexander. The weight of his disappointment felt like a physical blow. "Don't tell me... is this the same man from yesterday? The one who caused all that trouble?"
"Yes, I am," Alexander cut in. "Yesterday is in the past. Today is a new day. Let's forget what happened yesterday."
"Forget?" Drake pointed at him. "Look, kid, I was just thinking about how to find you, but it seems you're destined to die by my hands. Just wait and see what I'm capable of."
"Yes, Young Master Drake," Harlan added. "This man deserves to die."
Alexander's gaze hardened as he looked at Drake. "Seems you didn't learn your lesson yesterday." He said pointing at him like a warning.
"Ouch!" A sharp, stinging pain suddenly flared in his side. Nadia leaned in closer, her breath hot against his ear as she hissed, "Don't you dare speak out of impulse. Control your words, except you want to die." her eyes flashing a warning, before finally letting him go.
Alexander felt the warmth of her breath and the desperation in her touch. He went quiet, waiting for the moment the "War God" would truly be needed.
Everyone in the room mistook his playful behavior for laziness.
"For a moment, I actually thought he was someone important," Clara mocked, her voice dripping with disdain. "I didn't realize he was just some weakling looking for a way to survive, clinging to Elena like a stray dog just to get by." A wave of cruel laughter broke out in the room.
"What a complete shame," Mark added, shaking his head. "Is this your so-called bodyguard? Not only is he a beggar, but he's arrogant, too."
William said, sounding disappointed, "It's embarrassing. Is this really the best you could find? An arrogant beggar?"
Elena couldn't take it anymore. Her voice came out sharp and protective. She stood taller, her eyes flashing with a cold fire. "That is enough," she responded, "Who I hire is my business. He's my bodyguard, and you don't get a say in it."
A sense of satisfaction washed over Alexander as he listened to her stand up for him. She has more heart than I thought, he told himself. But he wasn't ready to surrender his freedom just yet. I came here to treat her grandfather, not to be a bodyguard. He said to himself.