Ch. 482: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life Chapter 482

Chapter 482

Jace gave off the vibe that he knew something—like he was on the verge of making a big decision.

But all he did was offer a faint smile. "What could I possibly know? Anything I know isn’t a secret anymore."

The truth was, the only thing he knew for sure was that he’d recognized Julie the moment he saw her. His cooperation with Bianca? That was just a ploy to drive a wedge between Julie and Kevin. He’d been hoping to use the opportunity to get closer to Julie.

But his carelessness backfired. Julie ended up captured by Archer, and Karina, not recognizing her, injected her with poison.

"Oh. Get some rest," Karina said abruptly, turning to head back to her room.

Tomorrow would be another long day. Not only would she have to stay by Norah’s side, but she also had personal matters to deal with.

Yi Tribe

Baimo and Pharaoh stood in the council chamber, the weight of the moment pressing down on them.

Pharaoh stared at the map hanging on the wall, hands clasped behind his back. After a long pause, he picked up a red marker and circled an area in the north. Then, he drew two long arrows pointing south.

His voice was heavy, commanding. "Calvin, that traitor, wants to shake up the Yi tribe. He’s trying to bring Craggaville into this mess. What a joke! He’s delusional. We need to defend this land at all costs—we can’t let the Confederates take it. As for these two arrows, send two waves of troops here. We’ll lure them in and strike."

Baimo understood Pharaoh’s plan, but his mind was elsewhere.

He stepped closer to the map and pointed at the territory of Country S. "If Calvin wants a fight, let’s drag Country S into it. Craggaville is here… and it’s not untouchable."

Craggaville wasn’t the powerhouse it had been a century ago, but that didn’t mean it was powerless. Even if they couldn’t bring down the Craggaville State entirely, they could still force it to react—and in doing so, improve the Yi people’s standing on the global stage. Right now, the Yi tribe’s reputation was in shambles.

Pharaoh didn’t respond, which Baimo took as silent approval.

But for Pharaoh, the war wasn’t the only thing weighing on him. The thought of Norah—Julie—filled him with guilt and regret.

"I failed Julie," Pharaoh said, his voice cracking. "I want to make it up to her, but she won’t give me the chance. Is there any way you can bring her back? Make her see us differently? You two used to be close, didn’t you?"

Baimo’s lips curled into a bitter smile. "That was before. And even then, relationships can be… complicated."

The truth was, Norah’s relationship with him had never been that strong. Her arrival in his village had been a calculated move, not some heartfelt connection. Now that she’d gotten what she wanted, she had no reason to stay close to him.

Pharaoh sighed deeply. "If she won’t accept us, then we’ll have to protect her from afar. Once the war is over, we’ll bring her back. She’ll stay then."

In Pharaoh’s mind, no child could truly reject their parents forever.

Baimo’s smile turned even more sardonic. "You realize that now? What about before?"

Back then, Pharaoh had been so consumed by his experiments, so blinded by Calvin’s ambitions, that he’d neglected everything else.

Pharaoh’s throat tightened. "That’s in the past. You’re my son, Baimo. You should be helping me figure out how to win Julie back, not mocking me. And remember, you’re the leader of the Yi tribe now. Some decisions are yours to make."

Pharaoh’s eyes were bloodshot. Ever since he’d learned that Norah was Julie, he’d stopped wearing his mask. The guilt was written all over his face.

Baimo had tried to reason with Norah, even tried to smooth things over for Pharaoh. But he couldn’t condone everything Pharaoh had done.

With a cold tone, Baimo shot back, "If you don’t trust me, handle it yourself."

Without another word, he turned and walked out of the council chamber.

Country S, Presidential Palace

The man the president had been treating had finally woken up. His face was heavily bandaged, his body wrapped in white gauze like a mummy.

The president frowned as he looked down at the motionless figure. "Are you trying to outlast me?"

If it weren’t for the president’s men keeping watch, this man wouldn’t even be alive to blink.

"No," the man rasped, his voice rough from disuse.

The president smirked. "You wouldn’t be in this state if you’d just cooperated. Focus on healing. If you want to live long enough to see the person you’re desperate to meet, you’ll do as I say."

The man didn’t respond immediately. After a long pause, he muttered a quiet, "Yeah."

His gaze drifted to the window, where the full moon hung like a silver disc. Tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival—a time for family reunions. But for him, there would be no reunion.

Norah’s Morning

Norah was jolted awake by a phone call. It was her dad, Jack. Even though Pharaoh was her biological father, Jack and Gwen would always be her parents in her heart. Their love and care had shaped her.

When she answered, Jack’s voice was hesitant, almost cautious. "Norah, are you back home?"

She’d sent them a text before leaving for the Yi tribe, saying she’d be abroad for a while. But after everything that happened, she hadn’t reached out. Now, hearing Jack’s voice, she felt a pang of guilt.

"I got back yesterday," she replied, her voice hoarse.

Jack pressed on. "You must have a lot to deal with today. But Norah, come over for dinner tonight. If it’s too much, your mom and I can come to you."

"I’ll come when I can," Norah said quickly. She couldn’t let them go out of their way for her. They’d already done so much.

But before she could say more, Kian knocked on her door. "Ms. White, are you up? Mrs. Edwards has rallied the shareholders and top management. They’re causing chaos in the boardroom, demanding you return all the shares. We need to head to the company now."

Norah’s expression darkened. She hadn’t expected Siena to move this fast. The woman was relentless.

But Norah wasn’t about to panic. "Let them stir up trouble. We’ll let them sweat for a bit. Right now, we focus on what we need to do."

She paused, then added, "And make sure you have all the original documents ready—the ones Kevin transferred to me."

"Already done," Kian confirmed.

Norah nodded. She had a plan, and she wasn’t about to let anyone rush her.