Clink.

The fork pierced through the meat and settled softly against the plate.

The atmosphere in the dining hall was grim, and it had been like this for quite some time now.

Ever since Blake had confronted his father about the deal he tried to strike with Corella’s family, things between them had only grown worse.

Blake didn’t regret a single word he had said that day. If anything, the old man deserved far more than that.

Caught between the two, the lady of the house had long since given up trying to mediate. She had left them to resolve things on their own.

Clink.

The fork struck the ceramic again, but this time, it wasn’t the only sound that broke the heavy silence.

"Kyle attended the celebration at Maylith’s?" Mathew asked, his brows furrowing.

"Yes. He told me about it," Blake replied calmly, not even lifting his gaze.

Mathew’s frown deepened. "And who gave you the right to make that decision? I am still the Patriarch of this clan." Growling, he added, "I haven’t made it official that you would take the seat, and considering your behavior you are just forcing me to reconsider."

The lady hesitated, unsure whether to step in or remain silent.

Blake, however, showed no sign of agitation. He simply looked up at Mathew.

"Alright, let’s talk." He wiped his lips before continuing, his tone measured. "The company is now under my control. I own fifty-one percent of its shares, so you no longer hold authority over it. As for personnel, every recruit from the past three years operates under my command. And your savings? Seized by the government. What remains are a few scattered assets... and this house."

Blake leaned back slightly, his gaze steady. "At this point, I’m not sure if you’re ignoring reality... or if you’ve simply gone senile."

"Blake!" Mathew roared. "You will not speak to me like that! I raised you to be the next head of this family. I invested everything in you, only for you to turn around and bark at me like this?"

Blake’s expression remained unchanged, unmoved by the man’s fury.

In a firm, unwavering voice, he said, "I was prepared to let you live comfortably, without forcing you to acknowledge how much you’ve fallen. But you crossed the line first. So now... start counting your remaining days as Patriarch."

With that, Blake rose from his seat and walked away.

Leaving behind a man burning with rage.

.....

Kyle smiled faintly as he approached the cross section of streets, wearing the same formal clothes as yesterday.

A car was already waiting there, and beside it stood a familiar girl, concern clearly written across her face.

As Kyle raised a hand to wave at her, she didn’t respond with a greeting. Instead, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him.

"Hey, I’m okay, Amanda," he said softly, his arms coming around her in return.

He had called her earlier that morning and told her everything that had happened, from his suspicion of being watched at home to the help he received from Blake.

Veronica had asked Blake to keep her connection with Kyle a secret from Amanda, so Kyle hadn’t mentioned her. Not yet.

But deep down, he knew he wouldn’t be able to hide it from Amanda for long.

After all, he was the one who had asked for honesty between them, and yet here he was, holding something back.

"This is unfair... she can’t make your life this difficult," Amanda complained, her fingers gripping his shirt tightly in frustration.

Kyle let out a quiet hum. "Well, she’s been given a free hand by the government, so she’s making full use of it."

He could tell Ava was using every resource available to track down the rogue Nightwalker, going as far as wiring his entire house.

Veronica had also told him that Ava now had access to the city’s live surveillance network.

With that level of authority and support, she had the means to turn his peaceful life upside down.

Still, Kyle knew that as long as he didn’t make any careless mistakes, he wouldn’t be caught.

After all, without his blessings, he was just an ordinary person.

"It must have been difficult sleeping in that warehouse, no? And you said you stayed in the storage room... were you really okay, Kyle?" Amanda asked as she slowly pulled away from the hug.

Kyle gently wiped the tears from her cheeks and said, "Yeah, it was fine. The place was clean, and I managed to get a mattress."

He usually felt uneasy in closed, dark spaces, but the storage room had been fairly wide. And since the warehouse lights couldn’t be completely shut off without a password, there had been enough light for him to sleep without much trouble.

"I told you to stay at my place... you’re just too sensitive about these things."

Kyle chuckled softly and draped an arm around her shoulders. "Alright, now take me out to eat. I’m hungry."

Amanda’s tense shoulders finally relaxed a little before she nodded and handed him the car keys.

Kyle took the driver’s seat while Amanda settled beside him.

As he started the car, Amanda asked, "Have you thought about finding a new place to live? We could talk to a consultant if you want."

She had already brought her savings card with her, fully prepared to make him buy a secure house today, no matter what.

Kyle wasn’t someone who liked accepting favors easily, but this time, Amanda was ready to be stubborn.

"Yes. Blake has already found a place for me and sent the address. Let’s check it out after we eat?"

Amanda gave a slow nod. If Blake had chosen the house, then it was bound to be secure. In his family, Blake was the only one who truly cared about Kyle, so she trusted his judgment.

Kyle, meanwhile, was genuinely starving. He had eaten modestly during the celebration, and after returning, he never got the chance to properly think about food. So now, he was driving toward a well-known family restaurant near the station, a place famous for serving his favorite noodles.

God, he was starving.

"Are we going to Deltome’s?" Amanda asked, somehow already guessing where he was headed.

"Yep. The only noodle place where the food actually feels worth the price." It was the one place he had visited more than ten times. Even on his laziest days, he would drag himself there whenever he got his allowance.

Amanda hesitated for a moment before asking, "Kyle... would you mind if someone else joined us? You see, Melissa doesn’t talk to people much, and Father asked me to take her out for a bit."

Kyle blinked a couple of times before nodding easily. "Yeah, sure. Let’s pick her up first."

Amanda’s house was on the way, so they arrived there quickly.

She called Melissa and asked her to come outside.

Kyle glanced down at himself and muttered, "Man... I should’ve changed."

He was still wearing the same clothes from yesterday. Even though he had taken a bath and brushed his teeth, the fabric still carried a faint trace of sweat.

Amanda leaned closer and placed a soft peck on his lips. "You look handsome as ever. Don’t worry." With that, she leaned back and stepped out of the car.

Kyle chuckled lightly, shaking his head at her words.

He turned and noticed Melissa approaching them, so he pushed the door open and stepped out as well.

Dhak.

The moment his foot touched the ground, he froze.

His eyes widened. His mind went blank.

"Kyle?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Amanda noticed the sudden stillness and called out to him.

But he didn’t respond.

At that moment, the only thing he could register was the golden gauntlet that had appeared on his arm.

Slowly, his gaze shifted toward the approaching blonde girl.

So... it was her.