Chapter 385

On the morning of his fifth birthday, he leaned against the windowsill, counting the blooming roses in the garden.

His father had promised over the phone to bring home the latest Transformer toy.

Excitement stole his appetite for breakfast.

Then the screech of brakes shattered the afternoon silence.

The antiseptic smell of the hospital hallway still haunted his memories.

Margaret Valentine's sharp nails dug into his tender arm.

The words "jinx" burned into his heart like a branding iron.

From that day on, he never called her "Mother" again.

Gregory Valentine monopolized all their mother's affection.

He and his sister grew like weeds, sheltered only by their grandmother's protection.

The detached "Mrs. Valentine" he used as an adult earned him nothing but her icy nod.

On her deathbed, his grandmother clutched his trembling hand. "Your father's accident... was murder."

Yellowed investigation notes piled up in his study night after night.

Vincent Langley's name kept resurfacing in key leads.

Moonlight now spilled through the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Adrian Valentine's knuckles turned white as he gripped the newly discovered evidence.

His father's drunken apology suddenly made sense.

"They'll pay in blood."

The whispered vow hung in the empty room.

The curtains billowed and fell in the night breeze.

——

Dawn filtered through the sheer curtains as Evelyn Roland struggled against a nightmare.

A shrill ringtone shredded the last remnants of sleep.

"This better be life-or-death."

Nathan Aldridge flinched at her tone.

"The Montreal Herbal Market just crashed!"

Evelyn forced her heavy eyelids open.

Outside, shadows of plane trees swayed in the morning light.

"The Langley family?"

"Prices hit the limit down at opening." Nathan's voice shook. "Every herbal dealer in Northam is begging for partnerships now."

Her fingers absently traced the quilt's edge.

The storm had arrived sooner than she'd anticipated.

"Proceed with the planned acquisitions."

Her own voice sounded eerily calm.

"The procurement team's already en route to Montreal." Nathan hesitated. "Maybe you should rest a bit longer?"

When the call ended,

the bedside clock read 06:17.