Chapter 5

Lilian’s eyes narrowed sharply the instant Leonard’s words reached her ears. So, everything she had been carefully hiding—every secret move she had made—was known to him. And not only that, he remembered it all. Over the past several years, as she had pushed herself relentlessly to grow stronger and meticulously plan her next steps, her mother’s last desperate plea had never left her mind. She had been just six years old then, far too young to grasp why her mother had begged her to abandon the Sinclair family—the very family that had given her life and nurtured her. But once the nightmare had begun, when she had tried to escape, it had already been too late…

Now, granted a second chance, Lilian had started to dig into Sebastian’s background. That’s when the truth about the man had dawned on her. Rumors whispered that Sebastian’s mother was the daughter of an earl, while his father hailed from one of Kingston’s most influential aristocratic lineages. For reasons personal and complex, Sebastian had inherited his maternal grandfather’s noble title and taken the helm of the Austine Financial Group, a powerhouse that dominated international finance. The empire he had painstakingly built from nothing now held sway over the entire nation. Sebastian’s name was more than just a symbol of vast wealth—it embodied ultimate authority, a figure everyone yearned to encounter. Lilian couldn’t fathom how her mother had crossed paths with someone like him, nor why he had demanded that she hand over the Jade Key. Yet one truth stood clear: a man of his caliber could be her most valuable ally. Whether to honor her mother’s dying wish or to further her own ambitions, finding him was now one of her foremost missions after descending from the mountain.

“Thank you, Grandfather,” Lilian said softly, bowing deeply one last time.

“Silly child, what are you doing? Get up,” Leonard urged quickly, stepping forward to help her rise. Like a grandfather reluctant to release his granddaughter, he repeated his counsel again and again. “I know you carry a heavy burden of resentment inside, but I hope you can still find happiness. If you let hatred consume your heart, you will lose every ounce of joy in your life.”

“I understand, Grandfather,” Lilian replied, swallowing the emotions threatening to spill over as she took her leave and began her descent toward Ravenshire.

Ravenshire lay nestled amid sprawling forests and jagged mountain ranges. Lilian chose a less frequented path through the Blackwood Mountains, intent on gathering rare medicinal herbs along the way to store in her space for future use. The Blackwood Mountains were draped in towering trees, their canopy filtering sunlight onto a landscape teeming with precious and elusive plants. After two full days trekking through the dense wilderness, Lilian had amassed a generous collection of herbs and remedies.

As dusk settled, she followed a winding trail that led her to a concealed cave nestled in the hillside. Planning to rest there overnight, she stepped inside. The moment she crossed the threshold, a heavy, metallic stench assaulted her senses—the unmistakable odor of blood. Her brows creased in concern. The cave was shrouded in darkness, and in the shadows, she could barely discern a figure slumped against the rocky wall. Reaching into her backpack, Lilian pulled out a night pearl. The orb flared to life, bathing the cave in bright, ethereal light.