Ch. 821..830
Chapter 821
Tiara finally regained consciousness.
She had suffered unimaginable tortures. She was whipped, and her flesh was burnt with a scorching branding iron.
Yesterday, the doctor performed surgery on her and treated her injuries.
When James entered her ward, she was staring at the ceiling, her eyes void of all emotion.
Hearing footsteps, she immediately turned her head. Upon seeing James, she was unable to stop the tears from flowing down her cheeks.
James walked over to her and sat on a chair beside the bed. Grabbing her hand, he consoled her, “Everything’s fine now.”
“J–James, I didn’t tell him anything.” She croaked.
She persevered because she had a conviction. She would never betray James, even if it cost her her life.
“I know.”
Seeing the state Tiara was in, James was distressed.
From her injuries, James could tell she had undergone unimaginable torture. Not even a battle -hardened warrior could withstand such agony, let alone a frail maiden. However, the fact that she stood her ground showed great tenacity on her part.
Looking at her pale face, James scolded himself in his head.
This was all because of him.
If he had been more decisive and pushed Tiara away, she would not have had to go through such an ordeal.
However, what had happened had happened.
The only thing James could do now was to repay his debts toward her for the rest of his life.
He grabbed Tiara’s hand and took her pulse to diagnose her body condition.
She did not suffer any internal injuries. She only required a period of rest to let her body recover.
Seeing the look of anticipation on Tiara’s face, James whispered, “Everything’s fine. You just have to rest well, and your body will recover in no time.”
“D–Did I ruin your plans?”
“Of course not. The research laboratories are no more. You helped me out big time,” James said.
It was the truth.
If it was not for Tiara’s abduction, James would not have made a move on the Emperor’s research laboratories. The Emperor would not have blown up the laboratories to destroy the evidence.
“Thank goodness.”
Tiara was worried that her slip–up would affect James‘ plan.
James, on the other hand, was blaming himself for the incident.
Though he knew that the Emperor would surely make a move, he still instructed Tiara to head to Herbal Biotech. If he had been more careful, this would not have happened.
James did not leave and instead accompanied Tiara in the hospital.
On the other hand, Quincy hurriedly made her way to James and Tiara after learning what had happened.
“What the hell, James?” Quincy scolded the moment she entered the ward. “How did this happen?”
Tiara, who was lying on the bed, said in a feeble voice, “It’s not James‘ fault. I let my guard down.”
Seeing Tiara’s pale face and the bandages wrapped around her, Quincy sighed.
Looking at James, she said, “I watched the news. A mountain near Lily City exploded last night. Many explosions occurred around the same time all over Sol. What exactly is going on?”
As Quincy was part of the team, James was honest with her about everything.
He briefly narrated the chain of events.
“This is my first face–to–face fight with the Emperor. He blew up all the research laboratories. to destroy the evidence.”
Upon hearing this, Quincy took a deep breath.
She never thought that so much would happen in a single night.
After brief contemplation, she looked at Tiara and said, “Things are getting increasingly dangerous. I can’t allow Tiara to stay by your side anymore. She was lucky to have survived this. Next time, she might not be so fortunate.”
Chapter 822
James gently nodded.
He was of the same opinion.
His conflict with the Emperor would only grow more intense.
It would be too dangerous to keep Tiara around.
“I–I’m not afraid.”
Hearing this, Tiara panicked. She hurriedly said, “Please don’t chase me away, James. I’m not afraid of danger at all. Please let me stay by your side. I’m willing to do anything.”
“This is for your own good, Tiara.” Wearing a surly expression, Quincy reprimanded her, ” You’ll lose your life if you continue to stay by his side.”
Tiara hung her head and said in a low voice, “I’m not afraid.”
“Forget it. Let’s not talk about this for now.” James gestured for them to drop the issue. “Let the patient rest.”
Quincy sat down. Crossing her arms and her legs, she looked at James and said, “I’ll support you in anything you do. However, I won’t allow Tiara to stay by your side. It’s too dangerous. She’s lucky to have survived this. What about next time? She’s endured so much hardship just to collect intelligence for you. Don’t you feel bad?”
James felt awful. He could not bear to see Tiara being harmed.
“I can do this, Quincy.” Like a child, Tiara looked at Quincy pleadingly and said, “Please don’t chase me away.”
Quincy said, “Tiara, I’m not chasing you away. This is for your own good. You’ll leave this place for a while. Once James is done with his work, you can go back to him. How does that sound?”
Tiara shook her head.
Quincy looked at James and asked, “Now, what?”
“Huh?” James glanced at Quincy.
She said coldly, “Thea or Tiara, choose one. You can’t have it both ways, you know.”
James was at a loss for words. He did not know who to choose.
“Sigh…” Quincy sighed.
She knew that James could not make a choice. After all, if he could, none of this would have happened in the first place.
She did not press James for an answer.
“I have work to get to. Tiara, I’ll visit you tonight, ok?” Upon saying that, she stood up and left.
James accompanied her out.
Outside the hospital…
The two were walking side by side.
Quincy said, “Tiara’s a nice girl. She’s more suited for you than Thea. At least she looks at
things from your perspective. Besides, you’ve had your way with her. You shouldn’t let her down.”
Although Quincy had feelings for James as well, she knew that the likelihood of them getting together was virtually non–existent.
James was simply obsessed with Thea.
Now, another competitor by the name of Tiara had appeared.
Quincy admired Tiara’s courage. After all, she was able to endure such hardships. Quincy knew she could never persevere had she been in the same situation.
“I know.” James gently nodded.
Tiara was indeed a nice girl. However, he had yet to disassociate himself from Thea.
“After I remove the Gu venom from her, I’ll sever my ties with her.” James came to a conclusion after thinking long and hard about it.
He had already repaid his debts toward Thea. Everything had been settled the moment she accept the ten billion dollars from him.
That amount of money would compensate for the ordeals she had gone through for the past. ten years. It would also allow her to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
However, he could never repay the debts he owed Tiara.
Chapter 823
Quincy still had feelings for James.
James was unlike any other man. He was a faithful man who dedicated his life to the nation. Any other men would have two–timed Thea and Tiara if given the choice.
However, James was different. He would only choose a single girl to spend a lifetime with. That was he was in such a dilemma.
Quincy tried.
However, James rejected her advances.
She no longer had any regrets.
“What’s going on with Thea’s body? It’s been so long. Yet, she seems to be completely fine. Was she actually poisoned with Gu venom?” Quincy asked.
James shook his head.
He himself did not know as he could not diagnose anything.
Even if Thea was truly poisoned with Gu venom, he could only wait for the venom’s effects to kick in choose
“Whatever. This is your personal matter. I’m not getting involved. No matter who you in the end, I’ll always support you,” Quincy said in a low voice. She was hinting at James that there was another woman by his side apart from Thea and Tiara.
“Thank you. I’ll make careful consideration before making my choice.”
James looked at Quincy thankfully.
Quincy had been supporting him all this while. Without her, he would not have made it this far.
“I’m heading back to work now.” Quincy waved goodbye.
James watched her leave.
Then, he returned to the hospital and entered Tiara’s ward.
He carefully diagnosed her condition once more. Then, he prescribed some medicine and ordered the nurse to prepare them; all for the sake of hastening her recovery.
After that, James leaned on the sofa and thought about his relationship problems.
However, things were simply too complex. He could not figure anything out.
Meanwhile, Tiara had fallen asleep.
As James had not slept for the whole day, he too fell asleep on the sofa not long after.
Ring…
James was awakened by the sound of a phone ringing.
He pulled his phone out and saw that Thea was calling him. After hesitating for a brief moment, he answered the call. “What’s the matter?”
Thea said, “Where are you, honey? You didn’t return home last night. It’s already afternoon. I applied for leave today and will be preparing lunch soon. Are you coming back soon?”
James glanced at Tiara who was sleeping and said in a low voice, “I have something to deal with. I don’t think I’m coming back for lunch.”
“What’s the meaning of this, James? I applied for leave to spend time with you. current condition, what business do you have outside?” Thea grumbled.
“A lot happened last night. I’ll tell you about it once I get back.”
James planned to stay in the Callahans‘ villa to lull the Emperor into a false sense of security.
Now that he had had a showdown with the Emperor, there was no need for him to play the good–for–nothing loser in the Callahans‘ villa anymore.
He had to explain things to Thea.
“I see… In that case, would you like to go to the movies with me this evening?”
“We’ll see.”
James did not accept Thea’s invitation right away. After all, he could not just leave Tiara’s side when she was in such a condition. It would greatly dishearten her.
He hung up the phone.
“James…” A frail voice came.
James turned his head. Tiara was awake. She could tell that it was Thea who called James.
James walked over to her.
Tiara looked at him and said, “You can return home if you have things to do. I’ll be fine here.”
Chapter 824
James smiled and said, “Not at all.”
“Did Thea call you? You didn’t return home last night. She must be worried sick. You should go and meet her.”
“It’s alright,” James consoled her. “Don’t overthink things.”
Tiara knew James was choosing to stay with her because of her injuries.
She believed that James must be missing Thea terribly. She did not wish to make things difficult for him.
“James, listen to me…” Tiara said softly, “There’s no need to feel guilty. I’m content as long as I can remain by your side. Once your body completely rejuvenates and everything is over, I’ll leave by myself.”
Saying that, she smiled.
“Actually, I plan to study abroad.”
The more Tiara said, the more unwilling James was to leave her side.
“Everything’s fine. I’ll explain things to Thea. Besides, we’re already divorced. I’m only staying with her because of the Gu venom inside her body. I’ll sever all ties with her once my True Energy is powerful enough to treat her.”
James had thought long and hard about this. Nothing good would come up between him and Thea. He could not disappoint a better woman just because of her.
Tiara was delighted to hear that James would keep her company, and a smile unconsciously crept up on her face.
At the Callahans‘…
After hanging up the call, Thea sat on the sofa and grumbled, “What the hell is he up to? He hasn’t been back all night.”
She could not figure out where James went.
After brief contemplation, she called Quincy.
Quincy was on her way to Messiah Corporation.
Upon receiving Thea’s call, she turned on speaker mode and asked, “Is anything the matter?”
“Is James by your side?” Thea questioned.
“Yeah, right,” Quincy said. “Don’t overthink things, Thea. I haven’t been in touch with James. for quite some time now. I don’t know where he is.”
“Then, where could he be?”
“Thea, you don’t understand James at all. You don’t know anything about what he’s doing or what his plans are. You aren’t a good match for him.”
“That’s not up to you to decide. You definitely know where he is. Please tell me. His body is still weak, and he hasn’t been back for a whole night.”
Quincy was lost in contemplation.
She knew about James‘ plans.
She knew that James was using his identity as the Callahans‘ son–in–law as a smokescreen to better carry out his plans. However, since he had had an official falling–out with the Emperor, there was no need for him to remain hidden anymore.
She believed it was time for James to put an end to his relationship with Thea. Otherwise, if this dragged on, it would be unfair to Tiara.
“James is at the military hospital. A lot happened last night. As for the specifics, ask him yourself.”
Saying that, she hung up the phone.
Thea frowned.
“Did something happen last night?” She muttered.
Then, she got up and headed out.
At the military hospital…
James was conversing with Tiara when knocks sounded from the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Come in,” James said.
A man in a black shirt and a cap walked in.
His footsteps were so light that they were almost inaudible.
“I knew you would come.
Looking at Gloom, James stood up and pointed at the sofa beside him, “Have a seat.”
Gloom took his seat and glanced at Tiara.
James said, “She’s one of us. Cut to the chase.”
Chapter 825
Although Gloom had been in the Capital all this while, he was well aware of everything that was happening in Cansington.
Naturally, he had heard about yesterday’s events and was here to have a discussion with James.
“You were too reckless.” Gloom’s face darkened.
“Huh?” James looked at him.
Gloom continued, “You confronted the Emperor head–on. Although you’ve forced him to blow up all of his research laboratories, all evidence was destroyed in the process. Now, it would be nearly impossible to find dirt on him. He’s a cautious man who doesn’t repeat the same mistakes. How are we supposed to remove him from his position now?”
James said coldly, “So what if we remove him from his position? He’s not the mastermind behind this. There’s someone else behind the scenes manipulating everything. Even if we remove him, a new enemy would appear to replace him.”
Gloom could not conceal his shock.
He never expected James to know so much in such a short amount of time, not to mention that he had managed to cultivate True Energy and become a grandmaster of martial arts.
James looked at him and asked, “Who’s the one behind the Emperor? Is it the Ancient Four?” Gloom shook his head. “No. The Emperor’s full name is Theodore Johnston. He’s from the side family of the Ancient Four’s Johnston family. Besides, the Ancient Four would never get themselves involved in the power struggle of the Solean court.”
James was surprised.
He never expected Gloom to have heard about the Ancient Four. It seemed that he was not merely a bodyguard.
“Speak. What business do you have with me?”
Gloom handed a document to James.
James asked, “What’s this?”
Gloom replied, “Since you’ve had a showdown with the Emperor, he’ll have to go. This is evidence of the Emperor’s crimes all these years. It should be enough to remove him from his position.”
James flipped through the document and looked at Gloom puzzledly.
The fact that this document was being handed to him could only mean that the King knew what the Emperor had been doing all this while. Why did he not remove the Emperor from his position but instead allowed him to do as he pleased? He even directed James to make a move on the Emperor to collect evidence. What was the point of all this?
As if aware of James‘ thoughts, Gloom hurriedly explained, “It’s complicated. The King has long wished to reshuffle the cards. However, the dynamics in the Capital are both complex and complicated. Each powerful figure is nothing more than a pawn. Not only that, their interests are entangled with each other’s. The Johnstons of the Ancient Four are not the only benefactors of the Emperor. Think of it like a row of dominoes. A single push, and everything. comes crashing down. That’s why the King dared not act recklessly.”
“Then, why act now?” James asked puzzledly.
Gloom explained, “Because you’re the one carrying it out. The King wanted you to collect evidence and remove the Emperor from his position. However, time is running short. Besides, you’ve emerged as a figure that can’t be underestimated. Only you can kill the Emperor and prevent the situation from spiraling out of control.”
“Why?” James was puzzled.
Was he now a force to be reckoned with just because he cultivated True Energy?
What other forces had an influence on the dynamics of the Capital and Sol apart from the Ancient Four?
Who was the one behind the Emperor?
Who were the ones involved in the plan a century ago?
Everything was like an enigma to James.
No one told him anything.
Gloom said, “Because you’re a Caden, the leader of the Ancient Four. Not only that, you’re now a grandmaster in martial arts. Even though you’ve just recently accomplished such a feat. and have yet to be classified as a first rank, you demonstrate immense potential. Your every action represents the Cadens. No matter how strong those forces in the Capital are, they’ll have to be careful not to cross the Cadens.”
James took a deep breath.
Gloom had revealed the true extent of the Cadens‘ influence in Sol.
“I want to know more,” James looked at Gloom and said.
Chapter 826
James did not want to simply act carelessly before he had all the facts in front of him.
Gloom glanced at James and asked, “What do you want to know?”
“I want to know more about the plan a century ago and the incident where the King wiped out the Gu Sect. I want a thorough explanation of the current power dynamics within the Capital.” Gloom remained silent. After a while, he shook his head. “It’s too complicated. It’s too hard for me to explain with words only. You’ll come to understand soon.”
James said, “One last question.”
Gloom looked at him. “Go ahead.”
“Who’s the current King’s preferred candidate in the fight for succession? Where does he stand on this matter?”
Gloom said, “I don’t know who he’s eyeing at the moment. However, I can say with certainty that the nation’s development is at the forefront of every decision the King makes. Everything he does is for the sake of the people, not to purge his political opponents.”
When he heard this, James let out a small sigh of relief.
“By the way… Earlier when you said that I’m now a grandmaster of martial arts, you mentioned that I’m not even a first rank. What did you mean by that?”
“Naturally, there’s a ranking system for the cultivation of True Energy.”
James tilted his head. “I’d like to know more.”
Gloom continued, “The first rank is the lowest stage of cultivation, while the ninth rank is the highest.”
“That’s it?”
Gloom replied dryly, “This isn’t rocket science, you know?”
“Then how strong would one be at ninth rank?”
Gloom sank into silence. After a few seconds, he shook his head. “I don’t know. For thousands of years, there haven’t been any records of anyone reaching the ninth rank. If there really was someone, the only person that comes to mind is the Prince of Orchids. He’s the lord of the Ancient Four’s ancestors.”
James took a deep breath. He did not expect Gloom to know about this too.
“How about the eighth rank?”
“Records of them are few. As far as I know, only the Ancient Four’s ancestors have reached such a rank. However, thousands of years have passed, and they are all now buried deep beneath the earth.” Gloom explained yet again.
“Then the seventh rank?”
“I don’t know.” Gloom shook his head.
“What rank is the strongest grandmaster today?”
Gloom finally stood up. “I’ve said enough. Everything will be clear soon. Within the
document, there’s a secret order from the King. You may now return to the Southern Plains. and resume your position as the Dragon King. After that, return to the courthouse, obtain the Blade of Justice, and kill the Emperor.”
Having said everything he needed, he turned to leave.
James watched the man walk away.
This man’s ordinary looks belied his incredible skills.
Even though James had cultivated True Energy and was now a grandmaster of martial arts, he knew he could not even hold a candle to Gloom.
“Ranks, huh? I wonder what’s Gloom’s rank then.”
James murmured.
He was positive that Gloom was also a grandmaster. He just did not know exactly how strong he was.
“The dynamics in the Capital are more complex than I initially thought.” James sighed and clutched his temples.
The King had begun closing in on the Emperor.
Eliminating him would only be the beginning.
Once the Emperor is dead, Sol would be thrown into disarray. Anything could happen then. However, now that it had come to this, James had no choice but to press on.
“Back to the Southern Plains as the Dragon King, huh?”
He murmured absentmindedly.
Tiara was lying on the bed listening to their conversation.
Although she could not understand most of what they were saying, she knew that James had been reinstated.
“Congratulations, James!”
As he glanced at Tiara, he let out a disappointed sigh. “There’s nothing to congratulate me on. If I had the choice, I’d prefer the carefree life of an ordinary citizen.”
Chapter 827
If he had the choice, James would have chosen to return to ten years ago before the Cadens’ residence was razed to the ground.
His life would have taken a different turn.
In this alternate timeline, he would most likely end up with Quincy and spend the remainder of his life with her. However, time and tide wait for no man.
Since these were the cards he was dealt, he had no choice but to play the game as best as he could.
“James, you should return to the Southern Plains. Don’t worry about me. I have the hospital’s nurses to care for me.”
Tiara knew that James had been reinstated.
He was no longer the Black Dragon, the commander-in-chief of the Southern Plains. He was now the Dragon King.
James nodded.
Returning to the Southern Plains and regaining control of the Black Dragon Army was far more important than his personal feelings.
“I’ll give Quincy a call before leaving.”
James fished out his phone and dialed Quincy’s number.
Quincy had just finished work and was about to leave the company when James called. She asked worriedly, “What’s wrong? Did something happen to Tiara?”
“No, I’m going back to the Southern Plains.”
“Huh? Why? What for?”
James slowly explained his reasons to her, “The events last night have alarmed the King. So, he sent one of his men here with evidence of the Emperor’s crimes. He also gave me a secret order to return to the Southern Plains and regain control of the Black Dragon Army. After resuming my position as the Dragon King, I’ll return to the Capital, retrieve the Blade of Justice, and get rid of the Emperor.”
“What? You’re reinstated?” Quincy was stunned by the sudden revelation. Immediately after, she spoke in a cheery tone, “Congratulations!”
“I’ll be leaving soon. If you have the time, please accompany Tiara.”
“Sure, no problem at all. I’ll take good care of your side chick. You can rest assured.” Quincy snickered teasingly.
“Alright, whatever. I’m hanging up now.”
James hung up the phone exasperatedly.
Then, he looked at Tiara and said, “Rest well. I’ve told Quincy to visit you often and keep you company.”
“Okay, I heard you. Anyway, you should leave for work now.”
After assuring Tiara, James got ready to leave.
At that moment, the door burst open unceremoniously.
A glamorous woman with wavy, long hair walked in. She was wearing a revealing low-cut dress, which accentuated her curvaceous figure.
That woman that just entered… was none other than Thea.
Removing her sunglasses, she threw a glance at Tiara who was on the bed. Glaring at James, she made no effort to hide her irritation. “Why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going?”
James’ expression hardened. “How’d you find this place?”
“Quincy told me about it.”
Despite not being invited in, Thea walked into the room and sat on the sofa. She crossed her legs as if she were trying to flaunt them for everyone to see.
“What happened last night?”
James did not expect Thea to be here. He took a moment to collect himself before replying, This is none of your concern.”
Thea could no longer hold back the emotions that she had been bottling up all this while. She stood up and yelled at him, “I’m your wife, James! How is this none of my concern?!”
She pointed at Tiara, who was bandaged from head to toe, and asked, “What happened to her? Why is she injured?”
James took a deep breath.
Since he was returning to the Southern Plains, this was a perfect opportunity to come clean with Thea.
He sat down and lit a cigarette.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, the Emperor has been targeting me all this while. After returning to Cansington, I immediately began doing some digging on him. Last night, while Tiara was out gathering intelligence for me, she was abducted by the Emperor’s men. I went to save her, and the Emperor got away.”
James explained the events as briefly as possible.
“Are you saying that you’ve been pretending to be sick all this while?”
James shook his head. “Not exactly. I’m just suppressing the Gu venom inside my body.”
“How could you? Aren’t I your wife?! Why am I being kept in the dark when people who are practically strangers know all about your plans? I can be of use to you as well. Are you just worried that I’m going to create more trouble for you?” Thea fumed as she continued her questioning.
James drew a deep breath before he replied as tactfully as he could, “Thea, we’re no longer married. I’ve repaid my debt to you. Since we’re no longer husband and wife, let’s stay out of each other’s personal affairs from now on, alright?”
“Repaid your debt? Hmph!”
Thea stood up and gave her reply. Her words were laced with derision. “Do you know how much pain and suffering I had to go through? I was mocked and ridiculed for ten long years because of you. You’re not even close to squaring out your debts with me!”
“What do you want then?” James looked at her indignantly.
Thea narrowed her eyes at her ex-husband. “James, you will never get rid of me. Ever.”
“Thea, please stop behaving like a child. When we divorced, you promised that we’d end it on amicable terms. Must you really have to make this difficult for the both of us?” James was frustrated at her petulant arguments.
“Have you truly made up your mind to leave me?”
Chapter 828
Thea grit her teeth furiously.
It was as if she had turned into a completely different person at that moment.
“We simply aren’t meant to be, Thea.”
“Mark my words,” Thea’s eyes burned with hatred as she glared at James. “You’ll regret this, James. I promise you!”
She stomped out of the door, scorned and upset.
The ward was once again enveloped in silence.
Tiara did not utter a single word throughout the entire argument that happened in front of her.
After Thea left, she urged James to follow her, “What are you doing, James? You should chase after her!”
James simply shook his head.
He had already laid everything out for Thea, there was no need to chase after her now.
As long as Thea did not rock the boat too much, James was content to leave things the way they were.
“Rest well and get better soon. Once I return from the Southern Plains, I’ll come to visit you.”
James had finally left the ward. He immediately headed toward the military region to look for Blithe King.
After her outburst, Thea left the hospital. The moment she stepped out of the premise, she burst into tears.
She knew she had broken James’ heart before. Nevertheless, she learned from her mistakes. Thea put all her effort into reconciling with him only to be cruelly rejected and given the cold shoulder. 2
Thea laid her head on the steering wheel and let the dam of raging emotions within her burst forth in a torrent of bitter tears.
“Would you care for a tissue, miss?”
An unfamiliar voice came from beside her.
This startled Thea out of her emotional breakdown.
Glancing sideways, she noticed a man sitting in the passenger’s seat.
He was a white-haired elderly man and he wore a brown jacket.
“Wh-Who are you?” Thea regarded the man warily.
“Oh, can’t you remember me?” The elderly man looked at Thea with a bright smile.
Thea stared closely at the elderly man. She had no recollection of them ever meeting.
She shook her head. “No.”
The elderly man nodded. “I guess I should have expected as much. After all, you were unconscious ten years ago.”
“Wh-Who are you?”
The elderly man continued to smile gently at her. “You saved James from the fire ten years ago and got badly burned in the process. Did you think you survived without anyone’s help?”
When he mentioned her past, a deep frown formed on Thea’s face.
Did this man save her ten years ago?
“Who are you?”
“You can call me Mr. Caden.”
“Huh?” Thea tilted her head in confusion.
Still smiling all the while, the elderly man replied, “My name is Thomas Caden.”
“Thomas Caden? As in James’ grandfather?” Thea exclaimed excitedly.
“That’s right.” Thomas smiled.
Thea took a deep breath and looked at the man in front of her. Ten years ago, the fire burned the Cadens’ residence to the ground, killing everyone aside from James.
She never would have thought that James’ grandfather would still be alive after the disaster. She also did not expect this man that had suddenly approached her to have been living in
hiding for the past ten years.
“How can I help you, Mr. Caden?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted James to regret leaving you? Well, I’m here to grant your prayers. Haven’t you wondered why the Gu venom in your body hasn’t affected you yet?”
Now that he mentioned it… Yes, Thea had been puzzled all this while.
Back then, at Mount Thunder Pass, she definitely consumed the Gu venom. However, she hasn’t felt any effects at all, even after such a prolonged period.
Thea’s face lit up as she put two-and-two together. “W-Were you the one helping me in secret?”
“Hah! Your beauty is only matched by your brains. If you want James to be filled with remorse over how he treated you, you need to possess great strength. After all, James managed to cultivate True Energy and is now a grandmaster of martial arts!”
“From today onwards, you’ll be the young mistress of the God-King Palace.” Thomas declared nonchalantly as if he were stating a simple fact.
Chapter 829
Thea looked at the man who claimed to be Thomas Caden in bewilderment.
Despite having been married to James, Thea knew nothing about the Cadens. After all, James had never disclosed any of this, to begin with. Even after discovering James’ true identity, he never brought it up with Thea.
What she was sure of was the news that there were no survivors in the fire that claimed the Cadens’ residence.
With this fact in mind, she could not figure out how Thomas managed to survive. That aside, she was not entirely sure what a God-King Palace was.
She asked him apprehensively, “A-Are you really Thomas Caden?”
“Who else would I be then?” Thomas met Thea’s stare head-on.
Thea followed up with another question. “What’s the God-King Palace?”
Thomas answered plainly, “All you need to know is that it’s a force to be reckoned with. By becoming the young mistress of the God-King Palace, you’ll be the most powerful woman in the world.”
Thea was taken aback.
Then, she exclaimed, “So you’re the one making things difficult for James all this while…!”
“I reject your offer. Now, get out of my car.” Making it clear that he was no longer welcome, Thea pointed at the car door.
Thomas shrugged indifferently. “Looks like I made the right choice. In all honesty, I was just testing you. James really is my grandson, though. What do I stand to gain if I made things difficult for him? Do you know how many enemies he’s made?”
“Huh?”
Thea could not keep up with all these revelations.
What the heck was wrong with this old man?
“Do you know why he’s given up on you?”
“Why?”
Thomas continued as if he was delivering a lecture, “Firstly, you callously broke his heart. Next, he has no other choice. He’s surrounded by people who want nothing more than to bring him down. If he continues to stay by your side, his enemies will use you against him. He’s just trying to protect you. Lastly, he has many other women vying for his attention. My grandson is simply too set in his ways. Back in my day, no one would raise a fuss about having a mistress
or two.”
Thea’s face hardened in response to what she just heard.
Without caring about how she felt, Thomas kept speaking, “The Emperor’s downfall is all but imminent. Once he dies, chaos will descend on the populace. The King thinks that he can use James to solve all his problems. However, the Cadens are a bunch of senile and obstinate fools.
They’re not concerned over the fate of their descendants. Once James makes his move, it’s all over for him.”
Thomas muttered under his breath.
Thea could not understand a single word of what he had just told her.
Thomas glanced at Thea. When he saw her brows knit in confusion, he smiled, “I’ll give you a simple choice. Will you have your revenge against him or do you wish to protect him in secret?”
“What do you mean?”
Thea was still unclear about what he meant.
“I’ll support you in any decision you make. If you choose to have your revenge, James will lose everything and be at your feet. You can whisk him away to a remote location and spend the rest of your life with him there without worrying about anyone bothering you.”
“What about the alternative?”
“He’s currently undertaking a dangerous mission. You can choose to lend him a helping hand in secret. In his time of need, you can be the light to chase away the darkness he’s in.” He smiled as he spoke poetically.
“A-Am I even capable of doing that?”
“Yes, you can. Once you accept my assistance, anything is possible.”
Thea fell into silent contemplation.
She could not be sure that this man was truly James’ grandfather.
“How can I trust you?”
“Haha…” Thomas chuckled. “That’s a decision only you can make. I’ll give you a day to consider my proposal. Call me once you’ve made up your mind.”
Then, he tossed her a card and left her car.
Thea picked up the card. Printed behind it was a number.
As she watched Thomas’ retreating figure, Thea’s mind was still reeling.
“Thomas Caden?”
She murmured his name with uncertainty.
She had to tell James about this.
At the end of the day, she never meant the things she said to him. She just got caught up in the moment and blurted them out without giving it a second thought.
Chapter 830
Thea left her car and immediately headed toward the hospital.
However, when she arrived at the ward, James was nowhere to be seen.
Looking at Tiara who was lying in her bed, she asked, “Where’s James?”
Tiara tried to get up but the bandages that were covering her body made it almost impossible to sit up. With a feeble voice, she responded to Thea, “J-James has returned to the Southern Plains.”
“The Southern Plains? What for?” Thea had not expected this development.
“James told me he was going to regain control over the Black Dragon Army. After he’s done that, he plans to return to the Capital and kill the Emperor using the Blade of Justice”
“Kill the Emperor?” Thea’s jaw hung open in shock.
Thomas had told her that chaos would ensue once the Emperor died. He also told her that everything would be over for James when he makes his move.
“Th-Thea, actually…” The bedridden Tiara tried to gather her strength so she could explain things to Thea.
Alas, she had taken too much time and Thea had already left in a hurry.
As she walked out of the hospital, Thea hurriedly called the number on the card Thomas gave her while making her way to the parking lot.
The call went through but no one picked up the phone.
She opened the door of her car and got in.
The moment she sat down, she nearly jumped in fright upon seeing an old man seated once again in the passenger’s seat.
She patted her chest to calm herself down, “You scared me, Mr. Caden.”
Without missing a beat, Thomas smiled back at her. “Do you believe me now?”
Thea’s face clouded over. “James has returned to the Southern Plains to reunite with the Black Dragon Army. After that, he’ll return to the Capital and kill the Emperor with the Blade of Justice. Just now, you mentioned that James would be done for the moment he takes action. Is that true?”
“Of course.”
“H-How do I save him then?” Thea looked at Thomas pleadingly.
“I told you… You can provide your assistance to him by becoming the young mistress of the God-King Palace.”
“…Fine, I accept your offer.”
Ultimately, Thea did not want James to be in danger. She still was not sure if this man was who he claimed to be, but she had to jump at the opportunity to be of some use to James.
Quincy had told her that she knew nothing about James.
As much as she hated to admit it, Thea had to agree.
She murmured silently in her heart, “If the others can help him, so can I! I’ll show him I’m not a useless woman” !
Thomas removed his thumb ring. Alongside the ring, he also tossed a black token to Thea.
Picking the small items up gingerly, Thea tilted her head and asked, “What’s this?”
“They are the God – King thumb ring and the God King token. You’ll need them to walk around the God-King Palace freely.”
Thea turned the token around on her palm.
The word God – King was carved onto one side. Meanwhile, there was a mysterious-looking pattern on the other.
She quickly put away the ring and token in her pockets. “What should I do next?”
“Someone will come find you.”
After leaving her with only that vague instruction, Thomas got out of Thea’s car.
“Remember not to say a single word about our deal to James.” He cautioned her through the window one last time.
“Mr. Caden…”
Before Thea could ask him more questions, he had already left.
Silence filled the underground parking lot once again.
Thea looked at the God-King thumb ring and the God-King token, and voiced her thoughts, What kind of organization is the God-King Palace? Is he really James’ grandfather? Shouldn’t he have died in the fire ten years ago? How’s he still alive? Why did he tell me not to breathe a word of this to James? Could he possibly be one of James’ many enemies?”
Thea was in a tough spot.
She was at a loss for what to do. Things just did not seem to make sense.