"Liam... pinch me."

Logan’s voice came out strained and unsteady, barely above a whisper. "I’m dreaming, right?"

But Liam stood frozen beside him, too stunned to even respond.

Before them, the opened chest gleamed beneath the dim light, overflowing with treasures so extravagant that even the wealthiest nobles would lose sleep over them. Gold coins spilled like flowing water, jewels shimmered with hypnotic brilliance, and artifacts of immeasurable value were piled carelessly atop one another as though they were nothing more than ordinary trinkets.

It was unreal.

Even more unbelievable was the fact that they had not searched for this treasure at all.

They had simply... come here to retrieve it.

As if someone had known exactly where it was all along.

Liam’s gaze slowly shifted toward Lara, suspicion and disbelief swirling in his eyes.

Just how many secrets was this sister of his hiding?

The question clawed at his mind.

And then another thought surfaced—far more dangerous than the first.

Why did Lara trust them enough to reveal something like this?

Did she truly believe neither he nor Logan would be consumed by greed? That they would not turn against her and claim the treasure for themselves?

Any sane person would have guarded this secret with their life.

Yet Lara had brought them here without hesitation.

Lara, however, seemed to read every thought crossing Liam’s mind. Judging by the conflicted look he kept throwing between her and the treasure chest, she could already guess the storm raging inside him.

...

"You are my brothers," Lara said softly, her calm gaze moving between Liam and Logan. "So I trust you with this treasure just as I entrust my safety to you."

Silence fell over the cavern.

Neither Liam nor Logan spoke.

The two exchanged a sharp look, their hearts pounding almost violently inside their chests.

Did she know? The question exploded in both their minds at the same time.

The truth about their connection to her had remained buried beneath layers of secrecy and circumstance. In the past few days, they had guarded it carefully, never daring to reveal too much, never allowing themselves to cross certain lines.

Yet the way Lara had said those words...

It sounded far too deliberate.

Logan leaned slightly closer to Liam, lowering his voice into a whisper. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"I don’t think that’s the case," he muttered, though uncertainty lingered in his tone. "She’s probably referring to us as family because she’s the Norse family’s goddaughter."

Even as he said it, Logan did not sound fully convinced.

Liam remained silent.

His sharp eyes stayed fixed on Lara, searching her expression for the slightest hint of hidden meaning.

But Lara merely stood there calmly, as if unaware of the storm she had stirred inside them.

A strange fuzzy feeling gripped Liam’s chest.

Then warmth followed soon after—slow, powerful, and impossible to suppress. It spread through his body like heat thawing something frozen deep within him.

Brother.

It was only a single word.

Yet hearing it from Lara herself felt dangerously overwhelming.

Beside him, Logan looked equally affected. His usual carefree grin had long vanished, replaced by a rare expression of shaken disbelief. Even his eyes had softened with emotions he could barely conceal.

Because whether Lara truly knew the truth or not...

Those words were something both of them had secretly longed to hear for a very long time.

Trust.

It was such a simple word, yet it carried a terrifying weight.

Especially when what stood before them was enough wealth to drive ordinary men into madness.

The chest rested atop the jagged rocks after being hauled out of the underground water, its contents glittering beneath the faint light like a dragon’s hoard from ancient legends.

Gold reflected against the rock and limestone walls, jewels sparkled hypnotically, and every artifact inside screamed of unimaginable value.

Any man who laid eyes on it would be tempted.

Liam knew that better than anyone.

"But we might have a difficult time transporting this chest," Lara continued, breaking the heavy silence.

Liam immediately nodded, though his expression darkened.

"That’s true."

His eyes drifted toward the small crack in the rock wall where the men he had brought were stationed outside.

Men he trusted. Men who had followed him for years. Men who would willingly take a bullet for him.

Yet for the first time, doubt crept into his heart.

Because this kind of treasure... changed people.

He had seen loyal subordinates betray their masters over far less.

Brothers who slaughtered each other for inheritance.

He had Seen powerful men reduced to beasts by greed alone.

And this treasure?

This was enough to tempt even saints.

A cold unease settled in Liam’s stomach.

If the others saw what was inside the chest... could he truly guarantee they would remain loyal? Could he guarantee that no greed would bloom inside their hearts?

More importantly—

Could he guarantee Lara’s safety?

His jaw tightened unconsciously.

If even one man became blinded by greed, Lara would be the first target. She was the key to this treasure, the one who knew its location and secrets. In desperate eyes, she would no longer be a person.

She would become possession.

The mere thought sent a dangerous chill through Liam’s body.

Without realizing it, he subtly shifted closer to Lara, placing himself between her and the chest as though acting on instinct alone.

Logan, oblivious to the storm in Liam’s mind, suddenly spoke.

"Then why not ask help from Ares? He has two helicopters at his estate right now."

Lara hesitated. "If possible, I don’t want to trouble Ares..."

"But it would be dangerous for us to travel with this," Liam interrupted firmly, gesturing toward the massive chest resting on the rocks.

Dangerous was an understatement.

Transporting this by land was practically inviting disaster. Bandits, opportunists, betrayal from within—

Too many things could go wrong.

And Liam was unwilling to gamble Lara’s life against human greed.

"Brother, why not call Ares now?" Logan suggested while glancing at Liam. "You and Ares are close anyway."

A faint bitterness flickered across Logan’s face.

Sometimes, he could not help but envy the relationship between Liam and Ares. The two trusted each other more deeply than actual blood brothers.

Liam did not waste another second.

He immediately pulled out the satellite phone from his pocket and dialed Ares’ number.

The call connected quickly.

After briefly explaining their situation and giving their exact location, Liam ended the call.

"Ares is sending one of his helicopters," Liam said as he slipped the phone back into his pocket.

His sharp eyes swept once more toward the cave entrance, vigilance still lingering within them.

"It’ll arrive in less than an hour."