As Derek pondered these prospects, Aelfric interjected with a sudden query. “Derek, I heard you were engaged before. Who was she?”
Aelfric’s inquiry startled Derek, setting his heart racing with the fear that revealing his relationship with Marissa could lead to a catastrophe. Marissa was a constant source of anxiety for Derek, akin to a ticking time bomb. His concerns about her potential outbursts even invaded his dreams, where he repeatedly schemed to remove her from his life
After a moment of uneasy silence, Derek replied with a tight smile, “Aelfric, why bring that up? She’s merely an uneducated girl from a small village. I’ve cut off all connections with her long ago.”
Aelfric, scrutinizing Derek’s face for signs of deceit, pressed on. “Rumors say you’ve been battling depression because of her. Is there any truth to that? If there’s still affection there, you’d do well to stay away from my sister.”
“Aelfric, there is no need for worry,” Derek hastily said. “That’s just the media trying to drum up clicks with sensational stories. There’s no truth to it.”
Neil quickly came to his son’s defense. “Aelfric, let me assure you, Derek has completely cut off any ties with that girl from the village. In the past, his grandmother from the Tucker family, desperate for her grandson to marry, pushed that girl towards Derek. He never took to her.”
Aelfric, who had already suspected that the stories were exaggerated, felt reassured by the father and son’s firm denials and decided not to probe further. With Aelfric dropping any concerns about his sister’s marriage to Derek, Neil allowed himself a brief sigh of relief. Their conversation swiftly turned towards a mutual adversary, Connor
Aelfric harbored ambitions to elevate the Warren family to the pinnacle of Blebert’s elite, aspiring to lead all the influential families. He detested that Connor often outperformed him, despite them being the same age. From childhood, his goal had been to surpass Connor. The prospect of collaborating with Neil to undermine Connor excited him. Together, they planned to share the spoils of their victory
Neil queried, “Aelfric, given the recent animosity between Connor and Amiri, and with Black Snake accepting the task of eliminating him, we have a golden opportunity. What’s our best approach?”
“This is indeed a critical moment,” Aelfric acknowledged. “However, we must approach this calmly. Connor is a master strategist, and his next move is unpredictable. We need to observe quietly until the right moment.”
“I respect your expertise in these matters,” Neil responded. “You have my full support and assistance.”
Aelfric gave a slight nod. “I’ve heard that Connor will be on the Sunrise soon. Amiri is also set to be there. When they collide, and with Black Snake poised to strike, it will be quite the spectacle. We should be there to witness it and leverage the situation to our advantage.”
“That’s exactly what I want. I’ll find an excuse to accompany Connor,” Neil said eagerly. “I’ll reach out to Black Snake and Amiri in secret to coordinate with them. Keep me informed of any updates on Connor,” Aelfric instructed
“Okay,” Neil responded
Aelfric glanced at Derek then turned back to Neil. “Let’s end here for today. Once we’re on the Sunrise, we need to stay alert and seize any opportunities that arise. Now, I’d like to have a word in private with my future brother-in-law.”
Neil caught the hint and said his goodbyes
Once Neil had departed, Derek faced Aelfric alone, his anxiety mounting. Aelfric, a seasoned martial artist, exuded a formidable presence marked by a lethal intensity. Derek, overwhelmed by the tension, felt genuine fear. Aelfric’s gaze was icy and piercing, reminiscent of an eagle’s stare. Unable to meet his eyes, Derek bowed respectfully. “Aelfric, what can I do for you?”
Aelfric remained silent, scrutinizing Derek from head to toe, which intensified Derek’s panic. Suddenly, the room fell deathly silent. The oppressive atmosphere nearly choked Derek, and a cold sweat broke out across his back. Without warning, Aelfric moved. Derek barely registered the movement before he was airborne from a powerful kick. He crashed against the wall 15 feet away and then plummeted to the floor. With a grunt, Derek coughed up blood
Derek felt as if all his organs were out of place. He lay on the floor, writhing in agony, unable to stand despite several attempts
Aelfric watched Derek with a cold expression and said with disdain, “Look at you. You’re so frail. How are you supposed to protect my sister? If you weren’t Neil’s son, I never would have consented to your marriage with her.” Derek grimaced in pain and remained silent under Aelfric’s harsh words
Aelfric approached Derek, towering over him, and said, “Since I’ve agreed to this marriage, for my sister’s sake, I will train you. But it all depends on your willingness to grow stronger.”
“I will,” Derek quickly responded. “I have no other choice but to become stronger.”
“Good. Since you can see that, you’re not a fool.” Aelfric nodded, appearing pleased for the first time. “Your father is both ambitious and ruthless. Your brother Foley has fully absorbed these traits from him. In the future, Foley is likely to emulate your father and eliminate anyone who stands in his way for power. You will be his main target. If your brother mistreats you, my sister will suffer too, so I’ll help you confront him step by step.”
“I’ll follow your every instruction, Aelfric,” Derek said, gritting his teeth and getting up
“Good.” Aelfric gave Derek a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Right now, your father, the Warrens, and the Brocks are tied together by mutual interests. You don’t need to act against Connor just yet. First, you need to build up your strength. A strong physique is the principle of everything. Starting today, I’ll have someone train you. You must be ready to endure hardship.”
“I’m prepared for hardship,” Derek said
“Okay.” Aelfric nodded again, satisfied. “Your engagement party with Melinda is just a few days away. I’ll be there in person to back you up and boost your profile among the elite families, which will also give your brother a warning and make him hesitate to hurt you.”
“Thank you so much, Aelfric,” Derek was visibly moved
Aelfric gave Derek a sense of security that he hadn’t felt in a long time. Growing up, Derek was often belittled due to his family’s poverty and frequently bullied by other kids. Over time, this led Derek to become quite self-conscious and timid. He often fantasized about a powerful protector descending from the heavens to protect him. Eventually, Derek found protection under Marissa. Standing behind her, he felt exceptionally safe. But after becoming Neil’s younger son and understanding the complexities of family politics, he lived in constant fear. Now, he felt secure once again
The alliance through marriage with the Warren family was like a lifeline for Derek. It was exactly what he needed at his most desperate moment. With this in mind, Derek straightened up, a slight, proud smile beginning to form on his lips
After leaving the hotel, Marissa planned to meet with Ferris to prepare for Caylee’s surgery. On her way, Marissa received a message from Aelfric addressed to Black Snake
Marissa had complex feelings about Aelfric. Aelfric was the first student personally trained by her mentor and was highly competent. He had been the chief instructor before Marissa eclipsed him, relegating him to deputy. Though Aelfric always treated her with respect, Marissa sensed his reluctance to fully accept his new role
Black Snake had never directly interacted with Aelfric before, so receiving a message from him was unexpected. Everyone in their circles wore many hats, but Aelfric reaching out as the deputy chief instructor of Doomsday Base indicated he was acting on behalf of their organization. Doomsday Base’s rules were clear: learning skills there was permissible, but using the organization’s name for personal ventures outside was strictly forbidden and would lead to severe consequences. What was Aelfric planning?
Curious, Marissa opened the message from Aelfric
Aelfric’s message cut straight to the chase. “Mr. Black Snake, I offer my services to assassinate Connor Daniels at no charge.”
Marissa’s eyes narrowed instantly. She hadn’t anticipated that Aelfric would make such a bold move as contacting Black Snake to eliminate Connor. She felt fortunate for her swift actions. She had been the first one to accept Amiri’s job, which shielded Connor from a more dangerous situation. She typed back, “Mr. Warren, are you approaching me in your capacity as deputy chief instructor of Doomsday Base? Do you represent the interests of Doomsday Base?”
Aelfric confirmed with a simple, “Exactly.”
Marissa replied, “According to my knowledge, Doomsday Base focuses solely on training martial artists and stays clear of external affairs. You’re proposing a partnership on behalf of Doomsday Base. Has this been sanctioned by King or Black Mallow?”
Without hesitating, Aelfric replied, “The three of us have consented to this arrangement.”
Marissa expressed her doubts. “Really? My assassinations are typically for profit. Doomsday Base is offering to help me achieve my goal for free. Is there a personal vendetta here?”
Aelfric was terse in his response. “Mr. Black Snake, I’d prefer fewer questions. Just let me know if you’re in or not. That’s all I need.”
Before Marissa could reply, Aelfric added, “Mr. Black Snake, there’s no reason for you to turn down my offer. With the backing of Doomsday Base, your chances of success are greatly enhanced. We ask for nothing from the reward. Isn’t that an attractive proposal?”
Marissa couldn’t suppress a sneer. “Indeed, I see no reason to decline.”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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