Chapter 1 Chapter 1

A tall, muscular man in a dark coat and dark glasses walked out from Cansington station, his phone glued to his ear. “Have you got the information?”“Yes, General. The girl who saved you from the fire ten years ago is Thea Callahan. She survived after that, but she’s been badly disfigured due to the fire.” The man tightened his grip on the phone, his expression darkening. It was a hot summer day, but the man had a cold aura around him. Everyone who walked past him shuddered involuntarily. His name was James Caden. Ten years ago, James’ family members were burned alive, falling victim to a scheme against them. A young girl rushed into the inferno and saved him without regard for her own safety. All 38 of his family members lost their lives that night, and the first family of Cansington was no more. After James was rescued, he jumped into the river, as it was the only way to survive. He ended up in the Southern Plains where he became a soldier. Ten years later, he had successfully climbed the rank from a nameless soldier to an army general. He had challenged an elite army of 30,000 single-handedly. He had gone on a solo mission, infiltrating the enemy camp and capturing their general alive. He was the legendary Dragon General of the Southern Plains. He was the Black Dragon, a name that struck fear in his enemies. He was the youngest general Sol had ever seen. Once he was made general, he decided to retire and return to Cansington. He had debts to repay and revenge to take. He had to repay Thea for saving his life and to avenge his family. “I want all the information you have on Thea.”“I’ve sent it to your email, sir. Please take a look.” James hung up and checked his email. There was a message waiting for him. Thea Callahan, female, 27 years old. The Callahans were a middle-class family in Cansington. Ten years ago, Thea was still in senior high, a Year 3 student. It was a Sunday, and she was on a day trip to the suburbs with her friends. In the evening, she heard the cries for help from a burning villa. Without regard for her own safety, she rushed in and saved a young man. That young man was James. The accident completely changed Thea’s life. She was lucky enough to survive, but she suffered burns all over her body, leaving her horribly disfigured. Since then, she had become the laughingstock of her classmates. Everyone talked about her behind her back. “Thea, I owe you my life. I’ll spend the rest of it repaying this debt of gratitude.”“The Xaviers, Frasiers, Zimmermans, and Wilsons owe me a life debt. Now that I’m back in town, I’ll make them pay. For the deaths of my family, they’ll pay in blood. All of them.” James clenched his fists, entering a multi-purpose vehicle without a license plate. A man wearing a black tank and cap was behind the wheel. He said, “General, the Callahans will be selecting a husband for Thea in three days. The head of the family, Lex Callahan, has issued a statement. As long as a suitor is willing to marry into the Callahan family, he’ll be under the Callahans’ protection after the wedding.” James frowned. “Selecting a husband?”“Sir, the Callahans are quite a prestigious family, yet Thea is now considered the ugly duckling of Cansington. No one will marry her, and she’s the laughingstock of the family. Old Mister Callahan is desperate, so he came up with this idea. Thea may be disfigured, but many still covet the family’s business and wealth. With that as an incentive, they would be willing to marry into the family.” Every important family member of the Callahans was in attendance in the Callahans’ villa. Today was the day Lex Callahan would choose a husband for his granddaughter. After a meticulous selection process, ten suitors had made it to the final round. Standing in the foyer of the villa, they were of all ages, shapes, and sizes. None of them had an impressive background, including James. Without Thea, he would have perished in the fire ten years ago. Without Thea, there would be no James, the Black Dragon. A girl dressed in an outfit covering herself from head to toe sat on the couch. With a white veil blocking her face, no one could see what she looked like. An old man wearing a three-piece suit stood up, leaning onto a cane topped with the head of a dragon. Looking around at the ten men, he announced, “I’ve chosen… James Caden.” The girl in the white veil shuddered. Had her fate been finally sealed? She knew that from the moment she ran into the fire ten years ago, she had lost everything. The other suitors left, disappointed. James remained standing still. Just then, a man stood up and approached James. Clapping him on the back, the man sneered. “Treat my cousin sister well. She may be disfigured, but she’s still a woman. I’m sure she’ll be able to satisfy you all the same.” That was Tommy Callahan, the eldest grandson of the Callahans. James ignored Tommy, focusing on Thea instead. His gaze lingered on her, though he was still unable to see her face. However, he could see that the veil was wet with her tears. “Thea, go home on your own. I have an appointment.” A middle-aged woman left as quickly as she could, her expression one of mild disgust. The woman was Thea’s mother, Gladys Hill. Gladys was thoroughly disappointed in her daughter. All the other girls in the family had married well, but her own daughter had to marry a man plucked from the streets. “Dad, I’m going to the office.” Thea’s father, Benjamin, ignored his daughter. He left after greeting his father perfunctorily. The remaining Callahans stared at James openly, mocking expressions on their faces. He was tall, strong, and able-bodied, yet he was willing to marry Thea, and into the Callahan family? Thea was the laughingstock of all of Cansington, for crying out loud! James approached Thea and extended his arm, looking at her. Thea, crying silently on the couch, was stunned. “From now on, I’ll protect you. Come with me and you’ll have the entire world in the palm of your hands. I’ll make you the happiest woman on earth.” His voice was strong and unwavering. At that moment, she forgot about the mocking faces of her family. All she saw was the man in front of her. Tall and powerful, yet gentle. James took her hand and pulled her up. Softly, he said, “Let’s go.” Hand in hand, they left the villa. A multi-purpose vehicle without a license plate was waiting outside the villa, accompanied by two men in black suits. James led a stunned Thea over. The men started to say, “Gen…” James waved his hand, cutting them off. “Take me to the House of Royals. I have to attend to my wife’s injuries.” James was not just the legendary Dragon General of the Southern Plains. He was a skilled doctor too. Treating Thea’s scars would be an easy feat.

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

The House of Royals occupied about 20,000 square meters, and it was the most luxurious villa in all of Cansington. It had everything from a garden, a swimming pool, and a golf course. Thea sat on the soft couch of the foyer, looking around at the villa in disbelief. It resembled a palace more than anything. She had known that any man with pride and self-respect would never marry her, much less into the Callahan family back when her grandfather said to find a husband for her. She thought at that time whoever was willing to marry her would be greedy and lazy, coveting her family’s wealth, although she did not know who her husband would be at all. Yet, she had never expected this man who just became her husband would bring her to this paradise. James knelt and lifted her veil. “Don’t…” Thea panicked and shied away. With scars crisscrossing her face and entire body, she was a fearful sight. What if she scared her new husband away? They had not even been properly introduced yet! James removed her veil anyway. Thea was extremely scared, her heart beating out a nervous rhythm in her chest. She felt so ashamed, wanting nothing more than to disappear and hide. James tilted her face up gently. It was a shocking latticework of scars. James traced his fingers over them. His heart ached for her, knowing that it was all his fault. If she had not saved him, Thea would not be in this situation. He had a tender expression on his face, an unusual look for him. Almost in tears, he said, “Oh Thea, you’ve suffered too much.” Thea did not dare to look at James directly. She fidgeted with her shirt instead. Gently, James told her, “Trust me. I’ll help you recover.” Thea panicked again, still not looking at him. “Get the medicine.” James stood up and barked out a command. Immediately, the doors of the villa burst open. A few men in black suits walked in, carrying a few boxes. Inside the boxes were expensive pills, tablets, and other types of valuable medicine. James got to work, fiddling with items inside the boxes and mixing some of them to form a salve. Once he was done, he crouched down by Thea. She was still playing with a corner of her shirt. He took her scarred hands in his, but she pulled away and hid them behind her back. Looking at the floor, she asked quietly, “What… are you doing?”“Relax, Thea. Take off your clothes.” Thea started crying at once and quickly undressed. With tears in her eyes, she said, “Yes, I know I’m ugly. I have scars everywhere. Are you happy now?” She knew that any man her grandfather chose for her would mock her and humiliate her. She had gotten used to it over the years. Ever since the incident, she had been plagued with nightmares. She cried every day, and she could barely remember what it was like to be happy. Looking at James, she bit her lip, still crying. Tears pooled in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. James felt his cold heart thaw looking at her. He hugged Thea to him, solemnly vowing, “I will never cast you aside. No matter what you look like, you’re my wife, now and forever.” Thea was stunned. Was he not going to mock her? She could not dredge up a response. James released her and carefully applied the salve he concocted onto her scars. Then, he wrapped her up with gauze entirely, even her face. When he was done, Thea looked just like a mummy. James guided Thea to sit down with him. “Thea, trust me. Ten days is all it takes. I promise that you’ll be a different person after ten days.”“R-really?” Thea finally managed to respond, though she did not quite believe it. “Of course. I would never lie to you.” Even though she could not see James’ face, she could hear his voice. His voice was magnetic and gentle, and it warmed her heart. In the blink of an eye, ten days had gone by. They were the happiest ten days Thea had experienced in the past ten years. She still did not know her husband’s identity, but he cared for her attentively and stayed with her around the clock. Every night, he told her stories and jokes, lulling her to sleep. Every time she woke up, his strong hands were there, holding her. For the past ten years, she had forgotten what care was, not to mention love. Now, she felt like she was in love. In the villa, Thea was standing in front of the mirror, her body wrapped in white gauze from head to toe, including her face. At the moment, she could not help but feel nervous. For ten days, she had applied the salve religiously, feeling her skin burn. James had told her that as long as she did it regularly, she would be able to recover her looks. “Is… is this really happening?” She was holding onto a pair of strong hands. “Yes.” James slowly removed the gauze from her face and body. Thea knew it was bright in the room, but she was afraid of opening her eyes. “Go on, open your eyes and take a look.” Only then did Thea open her eyes. She was standing naked in front of the mirror. The girl in the mirror still had the remnants of the salve all over her body, but it was evident that her skin was smooth and unblemished. In the mirror, her face was almost perfect. Thea was shocked. Her jaw dropped. After a few seconds, she wiped away the salve on her face, touching it disbelievingly. “What…” She was shocked beyond belief. How could the girl in the mirror with smooth, unblemished skin be her? Ten years ago, she suffered burns and disfigurement. No matter how advanced medicine was back then, there was no coming back from that. But now, she had recovered. Over the past ten years, she had not even looked in the mirror once and woke up from nightmares every single day. Now, looking at her perfect face in the mirror, she cried tears of joy. She fell into James’ arms and bawled, feeling the weight of grief and suffering of the past ten years lift. James hugged Thea tightly. “I’ll never let you get hurt again,” he promised. Thea was excited and overjoyed at first, but then she realized that she was stark naked. Her exuberance turned into embarrassment. She freed herself from the embrace, lowering her head at a loss. James pointed to the bathroom, saying, “I’ve prepared some hot water and clothes for you, but I don’t know your size, so the bras are of different sizes. Just wear whichever is suitable for you.” Shyly, Thea ran to the bathroom. James made his way to the foyer, sinking onto the couch and lighting a cigarette. “General.” A man about 40 years of age entered, wearing a black suit. He held a thick stack of documents, passing it to James with his head bowed. “This is all the information we have on The Great Four. Everything we could find about the deaths of the Cadens is here. Please take a look.” James pointed at the table. “Just leave it there.”“General, they’re low-class families. Say the word, and we’ll take care of them…” James waved his hand. The man stopped talking immediately. James lifted his head and looked at the man in front of him, whose head was still bowed. “I’m no longer the general. From now on, there will be no more Dragon General. Investigating The Great Four will be the last time I use my privilege as well. You don’t have to stay with me. Take the men with you. You’re needed at the border.” The man fell to his knees. “Sir, we’ll follow you to the ends of the earth. The border at the Southern Plains is stable. The enemy will not invade. General, don’t make us leave. Let us stay and help.” James stood and pulled the man up, saying, “Henry, this is a personal matter. I’ll take care of it myself. Once it’s done, all I want is to enjoy a peaceful, quiet life without war and violence. I want to stay with Thea and love her the best I can.”“General…”“Leave. Take the men back to the Southern Plains!” James roared. Henry knelt again. Loudly, he declared, “Take care, General. The Black Dragon Army will be waiting for your return.”“Go.” James sat down again and waved his hand. Only then did Henry turn and leave. Thea emerged from her shower in a while. She wore a white slip dress which showed off her smooth neck and arms. She would have never worn something like this in the past. She was in a rather good mood, humming a tune under her breath. Touching her smooth skin, she grinned widely. She stopped when she saw James smoking moodily on the couch. She walked over and sat down next to him. Her face was flushed, though she did not know if it was because she had just finished her shower or because she was shy. “Um…” She opened her mouth without knowing what to say. Even though she had spent ten days with James, it was different as she was blindfolded. Now that she was faced with him, she was a little shy. She did not know what to say at all. Pulled from his thoughts, James looked at Thea, his eyes sparkling. “Darling, when are we getting our marriage license?”“What?” Thea was stunned, her mouth slightly open. She looked adorable when she was confused. James smiled. “I’m part of the Callahans now. I’m your husband according to your grandfather’s order. Are you regretting it? Don’t you want to marry me?”“I do.” Once Thea caught up, there was nothing to say except those two words. James had shown her so much care for the past ten days that he had wormed his way into her heart. How could she not marry a man like him? She snuck a glance at James. He was tall, strong, and confident. Even just looking at him made her blush and her heart beat faster. One hour later, a man and a woman emerged from the Department of Civil Affairs, hand in hand. Thea looked at the marriage licens. Everything felt like a dream to her. She was officially married now? Fantasizing about her future before this, she had hoped she would one day have a passionate love affair. However, things rarely went according to plan or imagination. Her grandfather had arranged her fate. James, who married into her family, stole her away to a palace-like paradise where she stayed for ten days. In those ten days, she had recovered. She was beautiful once again. Even though Thea knew nothing about James, she was glad to have married him and held onto his hand tightly.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

None of the Callahans bothered to look for Thea even though she had been gone for ten days. To the Callahans, Thea was the black sheep of the family and the laughing stock of Cansington. If it were not for Thea, the Callahans’ business would be booming. Once Thea had recovered, she picked up her marriage certificate with James and they went home together. Lex Callahan had three sons. According to birth order, they were Howard, John, and Benjamin. Benjamin was shunned by his own family because of Thea. It did not matter that he worked hard, expanding the family business by leaps and bounds. At home, he did not have any rank, status, or authority whatsoever. Benjamin might be a Callahan Group manager, but he had no shares in the company. All he got was a fixed salary each month with no bonus. As such, he was struggling to make ends meet. It was true that he had bought a house, but there was still the mortgage to pay off every month. “This is my home, Jamie.” Pointing to the doors, Thea said, “It’s nothing compared to the palace you live in though.” James took her hand in his and smiled. “Home is wherever you are.” Thea smiled. Approaching the entrance, she knocked on the door gently. Gladys opened the door. She was slightly shocked to see a beautiful girl and an unfamiliar man. She asked, “Can I help you?”“Mom,” Thea said. Gladys was stunned upon hearing this beautiful girl call her mom. “Mom, I’m Thea. Your daughter.”“What?” Gladys was shocked. Looking at the girl in front of her, she was confused. “Y-You’re Thea?”“It’s me, mom. My scars are all gone now.”“Hi, mom,” James added. “What?” Gladys thought that she would never recover from all the shocks. Holding onto James’ arm, Thea said, “Mom, grandfather picked him as my husband.” Gladys finally responded. She pulled Thea to her side quickly. Coldly, she said to James, “I’ve never acknowledged you as my son-in-law.” She touched Thea’s smooth face. “Thea, is it really you? You… Your face and the scars and your body… What happened?”“Mom, I’ve been undergoing treatment for the past ten days. I’ve recovered now, and will no longer be a humiliation to the family,” Thea choked out. Ever since the incident, she had been an embarrassment to the Callahans, causing them to be the laughing stock of Cansington. Her parents were barely able to show their faces in public. “My girl…” Gladys hugged Thea, crying. “My girl… It’s my fault. I never should have left you alone to deal with it. You’ve been through so much… Come, let’s go inside.” She pulled Thea into the house. Now that Thea had recovered her looks, Gladys had other plans in mind. With Thea’s beautiful looks, she could marry a rich man instead of a lazy worm who was after the family’s wealth. She pointed at the door and coldly ordered James, “Get out.”“Mom, what are you doing? He’s my husband, hand-picked by grandfather!”“Let’s go to the family villa now. I’ll have the old man call off the wedding himself.” Gladys wasted no time, dragging Thea with her. “Jamie…” Thea turned around to look at James helplessly. James shrugged, looking like he did not have a care in the world. He merely followed the two women. The Callahans gathered in the villa’s foyer, looking at the beautiful girl standing next to Gladys in disbelief. How could she be Thea? Thea, who was disfigured for ten years? What on earth happened? How could she have transformed in just ten days? “Thea, is that you?”“Thea? Did you undergo plastic surgery in Korea? Is their technology so advanced that there’s a full-body option?” The Callahans were gobsmacked. They could not believe that the beautiful girl in front of them was the same Thea who was scarred all over. What did she do? Gladys got straight to the point. “Dad, I disagree with this marriage. With Thea’s looks, she could marry someone rich from a prestigious family. How could she marry some spineless worm?” Smoking a tobacco pipe on the couch, Lex stared at Thea. He was struggling to keep up. How did Thea recover her looks in just ten days? However, Thea was a beauty now. There was no denying that. He nodded his head, saying, “You’re right. There are still many eligible bachelors among Cansington’s most prestigious families. I could put a word out and find a suitable husband for Thea.”“No.” Thea stepped up with tears in her eyes. “Grandfather, you decided to marry me off to James. Now that James has helped me recover, you’re not keeping your word. What am I to you?”“You ungrateful brat…” Gladys slapped Thea across the face. She yelled, “What do you see in this penniless man?” Thea grabbed a knife lying on the table and pressed it to her cheek. “I’ll cut my face up if you push me too far.”“How dare you…” Gladys trembled in anger. “Enough!” Lex roared. “What is going on, Thea? This is for your own good. Look at how beautiful you are now. You could marry well and enjoy an easy life. Why do you insist on being with a poor fellow like him?” Just then, James, who had been quiet all this time, spoke up. Looking around at the Callahans, he said mildly, “I don’t care about being part of your family either way, but this is between Thea and me. We’ve obtained our marriage certificate. If she wants a divorce, I’ll go with it. If not, no one will force her to do anything.”“Who gave you permission to speak?” Tommy, the eldest grandson of the family, leaped to his feet and pointed a finger at James. “You’re nothing but trash. You have no right to speak here. If we want you gone, you’re gone.” James reached out and bent Tommy’s outstretched finger backward. Coldly, he said, “No one has ever pointed a finger at me before.”“Ah, it hurts!” Tommy yelled in pain. His body was bent at an awkward angle and his face twisted with pain. He said, “My bad, my bad. Please let go.” James obliged. Tommy panted hard. Looking at James’ expressionless face, Tommy was angered. He picked up an ashtray from the table, preparing to hit James on the head. “What are you doing?” Lex shouted. “Is there no order in the family anymore? Put it down!” Tommy looked at Lex pleadingly. “Grandfather, James has crossed the line. You have to help me.”“Enough.” Lex was still puffing on his pipe, waving a hand. Looking at James, he said, “I’ll give you five hundred thousand dollars. All you have to do is divorce Thea and stay away from her.”“No!” Thea yelled. “How dare you!” Lex slammed his hand onto the table. “I’m not dead yet. I’m still the head of the family. All of you have to bend to my will!” James did not want Thea’s relationship with her family to fracture. His return was fueled by two purposes. To repay Thea, and to avenge his family. He did not want Thea to suffer a broken relationship with her family just so he could fulfill his own purpose. “Grandfather, give me a chance. Let me prove that I’m just as capable as anyone else.”“A chance?” Tommy sneered. “James Caden, according to our information, you’re an orphan. You grew up at an orphanage, and you were in the military for a few years. Thea’s out of your league. Sure, we could give you a chance. Have you heard of Celestial Group? We’ve always wanted to work with them, but we’ve never managed it. If you could make it work, we’d be happy to acknowledge you as part of the family.” Tommy had disliked James from the start. He was a retired soldier after all. He had no money and no power. What was he so arrogant for? Therefore, he came up with this idea to make things difficult for James, hoping that he would give up. He already had a better candidate in mind for Thea, Joel Xavier. The Xaviers was the leader of The Great Four, and it would be a beneficial union. “Grandfather, let James try getting a deal with Celestial Group. If he gets it, we’ll acknowledge him. Otherwise, he’s gone.” Lex puffed on his pipe. “Agreed. Our business mostly deals with medicinal processing. Recently, Celestial Group has been expanding its production, and they have released plenty of order opportunities. Many businesses are fighting to obtain these orders. If you could get an order worth thirty million from them, I’ll tell everyone you’re the son-in-law of the Callahans. You have ten days.”“I don’t need ten days. I’ll get it done tomorrow.” After that, James left with Thea. “He’s bold but stupid. Celestial is the leader of the pharmaceutical groups, worth a hundred billion in the market. It’s almost impossible to get an order from them.” Tommy was unimpressed. Gladys begged, “Dad, you can’t do this. What’s thirty million when Thea could marry anyone from The Great Four?” Lex waved his hand. “We can’t rush it. Celestial’s business dealings are all with The Great Four. It won’t be that simple to get an order from Celestial. Let James try. He’ll give up. By then, we’ll think of an idea for Thea to marry someone from The Great Four. With a marriage alliance, we’ll be able to rise through the ranks in Cansington.”

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

After leaving the Callahans’ villa. Thea was crying. “Jamie, I’m so sorry. I don’t even have any control over my marriage.” James took her hand. “It’s okay. Grandfather has made the statement. If I manage to get an order from Celestial Group, he’ll have no choice but to acknowledge us as husband and wife.”“It’s Celestial Group we’re talking about.” Thea was worried. Born and bred in Cansington, she knew all there was to Celestial Group. Celestial Group was an international company, having broken into the Cansington market just recently. The Great Four basically monopolized Celestial Group’s orders. James only smiled. “We’ll never know if we don’t try.” Thea thought of something suddenly, saying, “Oh yeah, I remember now. An old classmate of mine is working at Celestial Group. In fact, she’s the head of a department there. Let me get in touch with her. She might be able to connect us with the higher management.”“Okay.” Holding hands, the both of them walked home to Thea’s. Thea’s house and the Callahans’ villa were located in the same residential area. Where the headquarters of the Callahans’ was the villa, Thea’s place was in a high-rise building. The two of them took a leisurely stroll back. Gladys had arrived ahead of them, and she refused to let James into the house. James shrugged. There was nothing he could do. “I’ll go home then, Thea.” Thea knew she had no choice either, so she nodded. The priority now was to secure the orders from Celestial. That way, the Callahans would have no choice but to accept James as part of the family. After settling down at home, she got in touch with her classmate whom she had not spoken to for many years. On the other hand, James returned to the House of Royals, situated in an area where the most luxurious villas of Cansington were. He sat down on the couch and lit a cigarette. Taking out his phone, he dialed a number. “Bring me the chairman of Celestial Group.” He hardly wanted to press his privilege as the Dragon General, but it could not be helped if he wanted the deal with Celestial. Soon, a middle-aged man about 50 years of age arrived at the house. Wearing a suit, he was heavyset and starting to go bald. “Gen-General.” As soon as the man entered the House of Royals, he fell to his knees. In Cansington, he was in charge of Celestial Group. Hailing from the capital, his name was Alex Yates. Before arriving, Alex had taken the time to find out with whom he would be meeting. He was kneeling in front of the legendary Dragon General of the Southern Plains. He showed no mercy on and off the battlefield, and his enemies cowered in fear when they heard about the Black Dragon. The Dragon General was no ordinary man. He was more than important, and therefore commanded the highest level of respect. Still kneeling on the ground, Alex felt a trickle of perspiration slide down his spine. “Alex Yates?” James put down the stack of documents he was holding in his hand. Looking at the middle-aged man kneeling on the ground, he waved a hand and said mildly, “Why don’t you stand up?”“Yes, sir.” Alex stood. He was sweating profusely, but he made no move to wipe his sweat away. Shaking in fear, he wondered if he had somehow offended this modern-day Ares. Why was he summoned? “Tomorrow, my wife Thea Callahan will be visiting Celestial Group, asking for a deal of thirty million. You’re to handle it personally. Don’t mess it up.” Alex sighed in relief and broke into a smile. “Of course, General. Even if it’s a deal of three hundred million, it would be yours if you say the word.”“Remember, my wife’s name is Thea. Thea Callahan.”“Yes, sir.”“That’s all. You may leave now.”“Yes, sir.” Alex felt like he had been granted amnesty and left at top speed, still soaked in sweat. As part of the Yates family from the Capital, he helmed Celestial Group in Cansington. Even The Great Four had to be careful lest they provoke him, but his role was reversed when meeting James. After Alex left, James rose from the couch and muttered to himself, “I’ve been back for more than ten days, but I have not paid my respects yet.” He walked out of the house, planning to take a taxi to the ruins of the Caden house in the suburbs. However, there was a multi-purpose vehicle without a license plate waiting outside. A dark-skinned man in a black tank stood by the car. James walked up and cut Henry a glare. “Didn’t I tell you to take the men and return to the border?”“General, all the other men have returned to the Southern Plains. It’s just me now. Won’t you let me stay?”“Call me James. The general is no more in Cansington.”“You got it.”“Take me to the Cadens’ cemetery.”“Well, get in the car then, James.” … Soon, James was at the spot where the Cadens’ villa once stood. The villa had been burned to ashes, now replaced by graves. Cansington’s first family was now worm food, their home in ruins. The sky was dark. Gray clouds gathered overhead. Pitter-patter. The heavens opened and unleashed a torrent of rain. At the cemetery, a young man stood there in a brown coat. Behind him was another man, holding an umbrella over him. Thud. James fell to his knees. Ten years ago, the Cadens were the first family of Cansington. He was only 18 years old then. The same year, his father married another woman. His stepmother was Rowena Xavier of The Great Four, belonging to one of the most prestigious families in Cansington. Rowena had a plan all along. She slipped into James’ grandfather’s bed, accusing him of drugging her. His grandfather’s reputation was left in tatters and the Cadens were reduced to a joke. That very same year, Rowena lodged a report against his father, accusing him of corruption and bribery. His father was so angry that it triggered a heart attack. Not only did Rowena not save him, but she pushed him off the third floor. She told everyone else that his father Nicholas committed suicide because he felt guilty. After the death of his father, the Xaviers, who led The Great Four, converged at the Cadens’ and killed his grandfather. They held the entire Caden family hostage, forcing them to hand over their family treasure, a painting named Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge. After they obtained it, The Great Four burned the house down with the Cadens still within and divided the Cadens’ assets. “Dad, you’re a sinner. You’re the reason the Cadens are gone. You should have never married Rowena Xavier. You should have never brought that vicious woman home…” James knelt in front of the grave, crying his heart out. It was a myth that men did not shed tears. It just took a certain amount of pain. He hated his father. His father fell in love with the wrong woman, resulting in the demise of the Cadens. He hated Rowena Xavier. He hated The Great Four even more. The Xaviers, Frasiers, Zimmermans, and Wilsons murdered the Cadens. “Grandfather, I will not let you die in vain. I swear I’ll avenge your death. The Great Four will not live in peace. I’ll bring you the heads of The Great Four as proof.”“My condolences, General.” Henry was still standing behind James, holding the umbrella. Henry had never seen James so distraught before. In fact, he did not think that the almighty Black Dragon even had an emotional side. He had shown no hint of fear against enemy armies, but in front of the graves, James was a puddle of tears. “General, Megatron Group, belonging to the Xaviers, will be having a celebratory banquet tonight. Megatron and Celestial have signed a permanent agreement. From now on, Megatron will have early access to Celestial’s orders before letting the other groups and companies choose. The head of the Xaviers is also turning eighty today. It’s a double celebration.”“Megatron…” James clenched his fists. Megatron was the Cadens’ family business. Now, it had fallen into the Xaviers’ hands. He stood up slowly, a murderous glint in his eye. “Get me a coffin. We’re going to the banquet. It’s time to collect a debt.”

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

The Xaviers were the leaders of The Great Four in Cansington. It was a day of celebration for them. Megatron Group, one of their many businesses, had signed an agreement with Celestial Group, and they were now the best of business partners. In other words, the Xaviers’ influence would be even more widespread thanks to this agreement. Also, the patriarch of the family, Warren Xavier, was turning 80. Outside the Xaviers’ villa, a fleet of luxurious cars gathered. All the celebrities in Cansington were there for the double celebration. “This is a bottle of Retrouve wine worth eight million dollars, gifted by The Frasiers. They wish Mister Warren Xavier many happy returns!”“The Wilsons present a painting, The Black Thorn by Jacqui en Blanc, worth twelve million dollars, and they wish the Xaviers good wealth.”“The Zimmermans have gifted Mister Xavier a Froit Mi watch worth eight point eight million dollars…” At the main entrance, a lady held a microphone in her hand. She enthusiastically announced the gifts that guests had brought for the entire room to hear. In the foyer, Warren was dressed in a blue suit. Although he was 80, he looked fit and alert. Hearing about all the gifts he was getting, he looked as happy as a lark. The banquet was full of people from important families in Cansington. Even the second-rate Callahans had made it. In an attempt to suck up to the Xaviers, Lex Callahan had pulled out all the stops, spending a small fortune to get a Monique wallet for Warren. Everyone was busy trying to make their own connections and expand their networks. Outside the villa, a man wearing a brown coat and a mask on his face approached, carrying a coffin. The coffin weighed at least 100 kilograms, but the man supported it with just one arm, carrying it with ease. It was James. His return was fueled by two purposes. To repay Thea, and to avenge his family. Now that he was Thea’s husband, he might be recognized. As he did not want to get her into trouble, he put on a black mask to conceal his identity. Crash! As he reached the entrance, he threw the coffin with all his might. It shattered the Xaviers’ door and landed in the foyer of the Xaviers’ villa. Everyone was shocked at the sudden intrusion. The noise stopped abruptly. It was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. What was going on? It was Warren Xaiver’s 80th birthday. Who was so bold as to actually bring a coffin to a celebration? Warren was chatting with the other heads of family when the coffin came sailing through. His expression darkened and he shouted, “What’s this? Where are the security guards? What are they doing? Who sent this? Take it away at once.”“Warren Xavier, may I present this coffin as your birthday gift? It’s your eightieth birthday today, but this time next year, it will be your death anniversary.” A voice rang out from outside the doors. A man with a brown coat and a ghost mask then sauntered in. “Who… who are you?” Warren stared at James. This was the Xaviers’ place, and he was the head of the family, a very important person in Cansington. Who had the guts to cause trouble at his home? “I’m someone who wants your life.” The cold voice cut through the space. With the black ghost mask on his face, James stalked over to Warren. “Not today.” A man in his twenties walked over and pointed at James. “I don’t care who you are. When you’re at the Xaviers, we’re in charge.” That was William Xavier. Still pointing at James, William attempted to remove his mask. Coldly, he said, “You’re a coward for hiding behind a mask. Let’s see who you are.” James attacked. He grabbed William’s arm and lifted him off the ground before twisting it. Crack! William’s arm was torn clean off his body. Blood fountained everywhere. “Ah…” William howled in agony. All the guests were in shock. As they were people of status and lived in peace, they had never seen such gore or violence before. Many of them stumbled backward, worried that they would be the next target. Looking just like a modern-day Ares, James threw the arm away carelessly. He had a confident, aggressive air about him. Coupled with his display of power earlier on, the Xaviers were so scared that they were trembling, backing away as much as they could. Even Warren retreated slightly, his arm reaching behind his back, ready at a moment’s notice to grab a weapon and kill the uninvited guest. James stalked toward Warren slowly. William’s moans of pain echoed through the foyer. After a while, he slumped into a dead faint, unable to take the pain anymore. The foyer suddenly quieted. Only James’ footsteps echoed, sounding like the harbinger of doom. “Kneel.” James’ order rang out, clear as a bell. James was extremely imposing. It was the cumulation of being a seasoned soldier and general with murder as second nature. Under his murderous stare, everyone was scared silly. Coupled with how easily he tore William’s arm off, no one dared utter a single word. Even Warren was affected, and he lost his bearings for a second. At that moment, he forgot to fight back and his knees buckled. He fell to the ground, kneeling. Crash. Upon seeing this, the celebrities were stunned. Warren Xavier, the patriarch of the Xaviers, the leader of The Great Four in Cansington, was kneeling on the ground. James held a wire in his hand. It was an odd sort of wire with several joints. Upon closer inspection, one could tell that it was made out of countless needles. “Warren Xavier, do you care to admit your sins?” Just then, Warren realized that he was kneeling, though he did not know why. Sweat slid down his spine. He wanted to stand up, but he did not have the strength anymore. “Boy, do you know who you’re speaking to?” Even though he could not stand, Warren still looked strong. His arm was still behind his back, ready to attack with a weapon anytime. The other Xaviers did not even try to protect Warren, worried that they would be hurt as well. “I might as well tell you the reason. Ten years ago, a fire razed Flora Lakeside. It burned for an entire day. Thirty-eight lives were lost, and now, you’ll pay in blood.” His cold, merciless voice rang through the foyer. James moved. In a flash, he appeared behind Warren. He wound the silver needle wire around Warren’s neck and pulled. Blood spurted, and Warren’s head thudded to the ground. “Ah!” Cansington’s celebrities screamed and fell to the ground, all of them shivering in fear. Upon Warren’s death, the Xaviers did not know what to do, frozen to the spot. James produced a black bag. He scooped Warren’s head into it and turned to leave. Long after he had left, The Xaviers’ villa remained dead quiet. Everyone squatted on the ground, cradling their heads in their hands. Warren’s headless corpse remained motionless in the foyer. … At the Cadens’ cemetery, Thomas Caden’s grave. James leaned the black bag against the tombstone. He took a flask out and swigged a mouthful from it. He poured the rest of it in front of the grave. “Grandfather, don’t worry. I’ll make sure that our entire family rests in peace. I’ll also get Moonlit Flowers on Cliffside's Edge back.” After that, he got up and left. When he returned to the House of Royals, he took a bath. In the Xaviers’ villa. The celebrities who were there for the celebration left. In the foyer stood a coffin. Warren’s corpse lay on the ground. William, who had lost an arm, had been sent to the hospital. All the Xaviers were kneeling at Warren’s corpse. In the lead was a beautiful woman wearing a dress. She was Warren’s youngest daughter, Rowena. The same Rowena that destroyed the Cadens utterly. She was in a terrible mood. “Has anyone called Trent?” Her roar echoed through the quiet foyer. “Y-yes. We’ve called him.”“Leave everything as it is. We’ll wait till Trent gets back.” … It was a quiet night. In Cansington’s military region, a few helicopters painted with the words “Western Border” landed. A middle-aged man clad in a military uniform wearing a cold expression exited the helicopter. Outside, a row of fully-armed soldiers stood in a line. They saluted the man. A jeep appeared and the man got into it. It headed straight to the Xaviers’ villa. Upon his arrival, he assessed the situation in the villa and saw Warren’s headless corpse. He removed his hat and fell to his knees. “Dad, I’m sorry I’m late. I swear I’ll bring the culprit to justice no matter who he is.” His voice, full of rage, echoed through the house. “Trent.” Rowena appeared suddenly. The man was Warren’s fourth son, Trent. Trent was expressionless, his face dark. “I need the banquet’s surveillance video.”“I’ll get it right away.” Rowena nodded and got someone to retrieve it. Trent stood up and inspected Warren’s wound before watching the video. He saw the entire process of James killing Warren. Coldly, he asked, “What did he say before killing dad?” Rowena said, “Ten years ago, a fire razed Flora Lakeside. It burned for an entire day. Thirty-eight lives were lost, and now, you’ll pay in blood.” Trent clenched his fists upon hearing this and his expression darkened. “A survivor of the Cadens?”“It must be.” Trent pressed his palms into his face and waved a hand at Rowena. “Bury dad. Keep it simple. I’ll make a trip to the Capital and ask the big man there about potential Caden survivors.”

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

Early the next morning, James received a call from Thea. “Hey honey, I’ve managed to get in touch with my classmate. She’s willing to help and has set an appointment up with the chairman, Alex Yates. Where are you? Let’s go to Celestial Group’s office now and secure the order. Grandfather will accept you then!” Thea’s excited voice sounded through the phone. “Wait for me at home. I’ll pick you up in a bit.” After hanging up, James rolled out of bed and got ready at top speed. “Where are we going, James?” Henry was already waiting with the car. “To Thea’s.”“Hop in.” James complied. With Henry at the wheel, they reached Thea’s place in no time. They waited for her outside. Thea appeared soon. As she was going to meet the chairman of Celestial Group, Thea had put in extra effort to groom herself. Wearing a pretty, form-fitting dress and her black hair hanging loose over her shoulders, she was a vision to behold indeed. “Honey.” Having seen the black multi-purpose vehicle approach from a distance, Thea jogged up to the car with a joyful expression on her face, saying, “My classmate pulled out all the stops. She’s made the appointment for us, so all we have to do is show up at Celestial Group’s office.” James smiled thinly. It had nothing to do with her classmate at all. If he had not spoken with Alex Yates, there would not be any appointment to speak of. However, seeing as Thea was so happy, he decided not to spoil it. Instead, he complimented her. “I knew it. You’ve got this, darling. It’s all up to you now. If we don’t get the order, I’m out.” Thea smiled brilliantly. “Don’t worry. I won’t let that happen.” She might still be hazy about the details of James’ background, but she had been to his villa before. The House of Royals was the poshest villa in Cansington, and it had a hefty price tag attached to it. Any Tom, Dick, or Harry would not be able to afford it. She felt impossibly lucky that he was hers. Now, she wanted to prove her capability to him. She wanted to show him that she was no longer the old Thea. Even though she had been a laughing stock for years and years, she kept up with her studies at home and was an accomplished scholar. “Let’s go, darling.” Thea got into the car. James said, “Henry, to Celestial Group’s office.” Thea cuddled up to James and thought about what happened last night. She said, “Honey, did you know that old Warren Xavier was killed last night?” The Xaviers were the leaders of The Great Four. As the head of the Xaviers, Warren was famous. Everyone knew who he was. At the Xaviers’ banquet last night. There was a celebration where they celebrated the partnership of Megatron Group and Celestial Group. Now that Megatron would be getting first dibs on Celestial’s orders, their business and influence would expand even more. It was also Warren Xavier’s eightieth birthday. However, a mystery person crashed the party with a coffin. He beheaded Warren and took his head with him. News spread fast, and it was the hottest news in Cansington at the moment. Now, the relevant departments were investigating the incident. There was not much to go on with, though. James pretended to be shocked at Thea’s question. “I went straight to bed after I got home last night. I didn’t know about this. The Xaviers are part of The Great Four in Cansington, right?”“That’s right,” Thea said. “The Xaviers are the leaders of The Great Four, and their businesses span various industries. Megatron Group alone, belonging to them, is more powerful than all the Callahan’s businesses added up, and the Xaviers have plenty of businesses too.” Thea looked slightly envious. “All the women in Cansington desperately want to marry the Xaviers so that they can enjoy an easy life.” James smiled a little. “Didn’t you have a chance yesterday? Divorce me, and you’ll have your chance.”“Ugh.” Thea looked unimpressed. “Being in a rich family isn’t a bed of roses. Over the past ten years, I’ve witnessed too much ridicule for my liking. To them, I’m nothing but a joke. I know full well who’s treating me sincerely. I don’t care about marrying the rich. Besides, my husband is rich.” With that, she grinned, a blissful expression on her face. James squeezed Thea’s hand. She was quite a logical woman. Henry said nothing, focusing on the road. Soon, they reached Celestial Group’s office. An international group, Celestial Group was the Yates’ family business, which hailed from the Capital. Their headquarters was an impressive, eight-story building. James and Thea exited the car. Thea looked up at the imposing building, panic creeping over her. Over the past ten years, she had stayed home as much as she could. However, she had a strong thirst to visit and explore the world outside. The reason why she studied so hard at home was to free herself from the proverbial cage and soar higher. She took her phone out and called her classmate. About 20 minutes later, a woman in thick makeup and a work skirt approached them. When she saw Thea standing at the entrance, she could not hide her surprise. She had heard that Thea recovered her looks. Thea had even sent her a picture, but she did not believe it. She was forced to accept the truth now that she saw Thea in the flesh. She looked envious as she noticed how beautiful Thea was now. Coming up to them, she asked hesitantly, “Thea?” Excitedly, Thea grabbed the other woman’s hand. She said, “Jane, it’s me! You’ve really made it as the head of a department at Celestial Group!” Jane Whitman was extremely flattered. She smiled and said, “I’m just trying to make a living. Thea, if you want to meet the chairman, you still need the general manager’s permission. Let’s go.” Thea stood rooted to the spot. When they spoke on the phone yesterday, Jane promised that she had made an appointment with the chairman, Alex Yates. “Thea, you must know that it’s not easy to get an order from Celestial. If you want the order, you’ll have to…” She bent closer to Thea and whispered something in her ear. Thea rejected Jane’s idea firmly. “Absolutely not.” Jane lost her patience. “Thea, if you’re unwilling to make sacrifices, how will you get anything in return? I’ve sent your picture to the manager. He has agreed to let you obtain the order if you sleep with him. You don’t even have to see the chairman!”“Jane, I thought we were friends. Is this how you treat a friend?” Jane looked unimpressed. “You want to get an order without a sacrifice? Let me tell you right now. It’s impossible. I’ve made it clear, so think about it and let me know if you still want to go ahead.” She turned and left after that, her heels clicking against the floor loudly. Thea was on the verge of tears. She turned around to look at James who had remained silent all this time. “I’m useless, aren’t I?” James comforted her. “Of course not. Why not try and see Alex Yates straightaway? I think he’ll see you. Go on, I’ll wait for you in the car.” James gently pushed Thea in the direction of the building. Just then, Jane returned with a middle-aged man. The man was in a suit and tie, looking like a successful businessman. Jane had her arm curled intimately around his, approaching Thea once again. Smiling, she said, “Thea, this is the manager of Celestial Group. He’s in charge of all the business connections. He calls the shots on who gets the orders.” The only reason Jane was in this position today was all because she had slept with the manager, Linus Johnson. She was his mistress. Jane had sent Linus a picture of Thea last night. Linus was intrigued immediately. He promised Jane that he would promote her to the position of deputy department manager if she would help him get Thea into bed. Now that Linus saw Thea in the flesh, he was even more aroused. Thea was even more beautiful in person. He swore that he would get her into bed by hook or by crook. He walked up to her with his chest puffed out. “Thea, right? Jane has told me everything. It’s a hot day today. Why don’t we take this discussion to a hotel room? Don’t worry. Come with me, and you don’t have to worry about the order. I’ll even give you a deal of fifty million dollars!”

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

Linus looked like he wanted to eat Thea up right there and then. Ever since he became the manager, he had slept with countless women, offering them benefits with his role. At first, most of them rejected him. However, after a while, they started to offer themselves up to him to gain access to deals, partnerships, and other benefits. Jane was keen to make Linus’ plan a success as well. Making him happy was imperative to her own benefit. She walked up to Thea and pulled her aside. “Thea, I know that you’ve suffered over the years. Now that you’re beautiful again, you have to use your looks to your advantage. We won’t stay young forever, you know? Once this golden period is gone, we’ll never get it back.”“I’m married. I won’t do it.” Thea refused to give in. Jane lost her temper. “Who do you think you are, Thea? Don’t you know it’s an honor that Linus likes you? If you offend him, you can forget about working with Celestial Group. Forever.”“Jamie…” Thea walked over to James. James ignored Linus and Jane, gesturing toward the entrance. “Go on,” he said. “You’re meeting the chairman, not a lowly manager. Just ignore him.”“Who are you, boy?” Linus looked at James coldly. “F*ck off.” James only had two words to say to him. He was still the legendary Dragon General of the Southern Plains after all. Linus was a complete nobody. In the chairman’s office on the top floor of the Celestial Group building. Alex had been waiting for Thea since morning. After all this time, she still had not shown up. Being extremely anxious, he went downstairs to the first floor, checking with reception if a woman named Thea Callahan had asked to see him. The reception confirmed that no one by that name had come by. Oh sh*t, he thought. Thea was the Dragon General’s wife. If he had somehow missed her or messed this up, not even the power the Yates name had could protect him. Alex exited the building, planning to wait at the entrance for Thea. As soon as he walked out, he saw his manager speaking to two people. He glanced over and noticed James. He shuddered involuntarily, his knees almost buckling. Wiping the sweat from his face, he quickly made his way over to them. “Gen…” Before he could finish, James glared at him. Alex understood at once, quickly stopping himself. James said, “Thea, isn’t that the chairman? Why are you still standing here? Go on. My fate depends on you.” Thea followed his gaze and saw the balding man. Her eyes lit up. That was the chairman of Celestial Group indeed, Alex Yates. “Ha ha.” Jane burst out laughing. “What a joke. The chairman is in his office.” Linus wore an ugly expression on his face. “Thea, let me make this clear once and for all. If we don’t go to the hotel now, you’ll never be able to make a deal with Celestial, ever.” He had to have Thea. Every connection Celestial had with other companies and businesses was under his charge. Besides the core partnerships, he decided on the distribution of the extra orders. If he blocked the Callahans off within Celestial, Thea would never get an order. Alex approached them. With a wooden expression, he asked, “What are you doing? Don’t you have work to do?” Jane and Linus turned around together. Their smug expressions slid right off their faces as soon as they saw Alex. “S-sir.” Linus started sweating. If the chairman found out what he had been doing, he would lose his job. All he could do was pray that Alex did not hear what he had said earlier on. Alex spread his arms. “What’s going on?” James lightly shoved a stunned Thea. Thea came to her senses. “H-hi, Mister Yates. I’m Thea Callahan from Eternality Group. I’m here on behalf of the company to explore a collaboration with Celestial Group. We would like to obtain some orders from you.” As Alex Yates was a very important person, Thea felt small talking to him. She lost a bit of her confidence. Cansington was the capital of medicine. There were thousands of medicinal processing companies operating in Cansington, and these companies depended on big pharmaceutical organizations like Celestial to survive. As Eternality Group was not a large company, they were not yet qualified to work with a company as large as Celestial Group. “I’m asking you again. What are you doing here?” Alex’s face was stern as he looked at Jane and Linus. James piped up. “My wife’s here to talk business with Celestial, but this manager wanted to take advantage of her. He’s abusing his power by dismissing Eternality Group. I think that as a large company, Celestial Group should deal with this matter fairly.”“Of course.” Alex nodded and said, “He’s right. Looks like we have some corruption to eradicate in the company. Linus Johnson, right? Go to the finance department and collect your salary. You’re fired.”“Huh?” Linus was shocked. Had he been fired just like that? “S-sir, don’t listen to him. The Callahans are too small to work with us. Celestial’s orders are meant for the more capable companies. They were bothering me, so I came up with an excuse to brush them off. All I do is for the company’s benefit.”“Do you want me to repeat myself? And you, pack your things up and get lost.” Alex pointed to Jane. He turned to James and Thea after that, smiling at them. “Miss Thea Callahan from Eternality Group, was it? This way to my office, please. Let me handle this personally.” Alex gestured politely with his arm. Thea was confused. Since when was the chairman of Celestial Group this polite and easygoing? James pushed her lightly again. “Go on then. This is a golden opportunity. My fate is in your hands.” Thea caught up and nodded. “Oh, yes. Okay. Of course. No problem at all, Mister Yates.” She was a little nervous. Over the past ten years, she had barely left the house. She had read a lot of looks and gained plenty of knowledge, but this was her first time conducting business after all. Furthermore, she was trying to make a deal with the chairman of Celestial Group, of all people! She lost her confidence and turned to James, looking scared. “Honey, I-I don’t think I can do it.”“Mister Yates has extended an invitation to you personally. What else are you afraid of?” James pushed her, saying, “Go on. I’ll wait for you in the car.”“Miss Callahan, this way, please.” Alex bowed slightly, gesturing with his arm again. Jane and Linus goggled at this display. They were right outside the building of Celestial Group. As they were a big corporation, there were always plenty of reporters lurking around. Many of them snapped pictures as they saw this scene play out. It would be big news. Alex Yates was the chairman of Celestial Group after all. The Great Four were imposing, but even they had to play by Alex’s rules. Now he was being so respectful toward this woman. Who was she? What family did she come from? Why had nobody seen her before? Thanks to Alex’s invitation, Thea finally entered the building. James, on the other hand, climbed into his car. Sitting in the passenger seat, he lit a cigarette and passed one to Henry. Henry did the same and took a drag from it. He asked, “General, was all that necessary? All you had to do was ask, and the Yates would have given you their entire corporation.” James blew a smoke ring. “And why would I want it? As a gift for Thea? She might not like it. All I have to do is support her in her endeavors. Also, how many times do I have to tell you? Don’t call me General. It’s James here.”“Sorry, James. It’s hard to break the habit.” On the top floor of the Celestial Group building. Alex took Thea to his office and made tea for her himself. Thea was extremely shocked. Quickly, she said, “Mister Yates, l-let me do it myself.”“Please sit down, Miss Callahan. I’ll make the tea. Make yourself at home, please.” Thea could not wrap her head around it. “Mister Yates, I’m here to talk business…”“Yes, yes, I know. Have a cup of tea first. I’ll get someone to prepare the contract right now. Oh, is an order of a hundred million enough? If not, I can increase the volume.”“What?” Thea was stunned. She had not even said anything, yet Alex had given her an order of a hundred million dollars just like that. Since when was it so easy to conduct business with Celestial? Alex noticed that Thea’s expression was uneasy, and thought that a hundred million was not enough. Immediately, he said, “Is it not enough? I’ll give you more. How does five hundred million sound to you?”“No, no, it’s enough. A hundred million is enough,” Thea replied hurriedly. Five hundred million? What was going on? With an order of five hundred million, the commission would be 20%. If the deal went through, the Callahans would get a profit of a hundred million dollars. The Callahans were not able to pull off such a huge order yet. They would be scrambling to keep up, and even an order of a hundred million dollars would require them to put their best foot forward. Alex was extremely efficient. In no time, his secretary had drawn up a contract. Thea signed it, still in a state of shock. Before she left, Alex gave her his business card. “Miss Callahan, this is my card. Let’s keep in touch.” He never mentioned James once. He knew who James was, yet Thea did not seem to know. As the chairman of Celestial Group, he knew how to read body language fairly well. James did not want his identity exposed. That much he knew. Thea took the contract with her. As she left the building, she felt like all that happened was like a fever dream. It was too easy. She had barely spoken, yet Celestial had practically gifted the order to her. She got into the car. “Honey, I think that Alex Yates is trying to get into my good books. I barely said two words before he gave me an order worth a hundred million dollars. Actually, he wanted to give me an order worth five hundred million.” James smiled. “You must have met him before.”“Impossible. In the last ten years, I have not made any friends.” Thea rolled her eyes and looked at James, her eyes sparkling. “Honey, Alex was only so nice to me because of you, right?”

Chapter 8 Chapter 8

James shrugged. “What do you mean? I’m just an orphan. How could I possibly meet Alex Yates?”“Oh, come on. What about the House of Royals then?” James launched into an explanation. “How could I afford it? It belongs to a friend. We grew up together at the orphanage. He’s out of the country and knew that I needed a place to stay, so he graciously allowed me to stay there and look after the house for him.”“Really?” Thea still looked doubtful. “Of course. Why? Planning on divorcing me if the House of Royals isn’t mine? A little materialistic, aren’t you?”“No!” Thea pouted. “You helped me recover and gave me a new lease of life. We’re married now, and I’m your wife. Money is not a problem. I’ll take care of us!”“Thea, I’m sorry! It’s all my fault!” Just then, a woman rushed over and threw herself against the car window. Her hair was a mess and her face was red and swollen. From the looks of it, she was just beaten up. The woman was Jane Whitman. Linus followed closely behind her. He yanked her hair violently and threw her against the car, hard. “You b*tch! I lost my job because of you! I’ll kill you!”“James…” Henry started to say. James waved his hand. “It’s none of our business. Let’s go.”“Honey…” Thea looked at Jane, who was heavily injured. Worriedly, she asked, “Honey, will everything be okay?” James smiled at her. “They’re having a lovers’ tiff. We’d better not get involved.”“Thea, I’m sorry. I didn’t know that you knew the chairman. Please help me.” Jane fell to her knees, begging Thea. After Linus had finished beating her up, he came to the front of the car. He took out a pack of cigarettes that cost a hundred dollars per packet and offered one to Henry. “Bro, no, kind sir, could you please wind the window down? Please let me speak to Miss Callahan.” Henry turned around to seek permission from James. James nodded lightly. Henry wound the window down. Linus moved to the back and offered a cigarette to James. James did not take it. Linus smiled awkwardly. “Miss Callahan, it’s my fault for not knowing how important you are to Mister Yates. Please do me a favor and tell him not to fire me.” He took an envelope out and offered it to Thea. “Here’s ten thousand dollars as a small gesture.” Thea looked at James. James put his arm around her and smiled. “Darling, let’s go. We have to show grandfather the contract. We’ll only be an official couple with his approval.” Thea understood, nodding in agreement. Furthermore, she did not know Alex Yates and could not help either of them. It was their own fault anyway. “Henry, let’s go.”“Got it.” Henry started the engine and drove off. “Thea…” Jane remained kneeling on the ground, crying her heart out. Thea ignored her. In the car, she stuck her tongue out at James, smiling mischievously. “Honey, do you think that both of them lost their jobs because of me?” James said, “Not entirely. Celestial’s a huge company, and they would never allow a worker like Linus to spoil their name. With the way he was abusing his power, it was only a matter of time before he got fired. All you did was hasten things along.” Thea felt relieved after hearing James say that. Soon, they reached the Callahans’. Ever since the Callahans learned that Thea had recovered her looks, they had made plans for her. Tommy had even invited a friend over, planning to introduce Thea to him. His friend was Joel Xavier, a playboy who had the world wrapped around his finger thanks to the wealth of his family. Just last night, the Xaviers had suffered a major blow with Warren’s death. Joel was indifferent about the whole matter. What could he do anyway? He could not bring a person back from the dead. Over the years, Warren had been in complete control of the family. He kept reducing Joel’s allowance as well. Now that he was dead, Joel’s father would be the new patriarch. Once his father was in control, he would be more important than ever. Furthermore, Warren’s funeral was simple and the family was not in mourning. According to Tommy, Thea had recovered her looks and was a great beauty. He was here to see how beautiful she was now, given that she was so ugly before this. In the villa, the Callahans swarmed around Joel, almost like they were worshiping a god. Tommy felt important. He sat on the couch with his legs crossed, saying, “Grandfather, Joel’s a good friend of mine. I’ve told him how pretty Thea is, which is why he’s here. Thea has to divorce James and become Joel’s girlfriend.” Lex smiled in agreement. “Of course. Young Joel Xavier here is a perfect match for our Thea.” The Callahans’ flattery went straight to Joel’s head and he reveled in it. This was what it was like being part of The Great Four in Cansington. Everywhere he went, there were people waiting to butter him up. “Grandfather.” Just then, Thea entered with James. As soon as she was in the house, she produced the contract. Happily, she said, “Here’s the contract with Celestial Group. Does this mean that James can stay?” Tommy bounded to his feet at once and pointed to Joel who was sitting on the couch. “Thea, let me introduce you to Joel Xavier. You know who the Xaviers are, right? The leaders of The Great Four? Why don’t you light a cigarette for him?” Joel almost started drooling at the sight of Thea. He had known Thea before when she was disfigured. Now that she was beautiful again, she looked just like a goddess. It looked like the trip to the Callahans’ was well worth it. Thea was much more beautiful than all the other women he had fooled around with. He swore that he would get Thea into bed. Thea glanced at Joel. His stare was making her extremely uncomfortable. “Who is he? I’m not lighting a cigarette for him.”“Watch your words,” Lex said coldly. “How could you speak to Joel like that? Apologize at once.” Joel waved a magnanimous hand. “Mister Callahan, don’t berate Thea. I love the stubborn ones. Also, what was that about getting an order from Celestial?” Tommy hastened to explain. It was then Joel noticed James, who was standing behind Thea. He had thought that James was the driver. Who knew that he was Thea’s husband, hand-picked by Lex? His expression darkened. “Mister Callahan, I want Thea. Annul the marriage immediately. Otherwise, all it takes is one phone call from me and the contract with Celestial will be void. Don’t forget that the Xaviers are Celestial Group’s closest business partner. We get the lion’s share before the orders are distributed among the other businesses.” James barely glanced at Joel. “I heard that Warren Xavier is dead. You’re a Xavier, no? Why are you here instead of mourning at home?”“F*ck you.” Joel straightened up and grabbed James’ collar, raising his hand to slap him. James blocked the slap. Gently, he pushed Joel away. Even though James had barely used any strength, Joel still stumbled, falling onto the couch. That only made him angrier. He was part of The Great Four, used to everyone worshiping him. Now, this nobody was pushing him? Worse, who was he to mention his late grandfather? Everyone knew about Warren’s death, but no one dared mention it. Except for James Caden. Joel produced a switchblade and threw it onto the ground. Coldly, he ordered, “Cut one of your own hands off and I’ll spare your life. Otherwise, I’ll kill you myself!” Tommy stood up, grinning widely. “Joel, come sit down and have a cigarette. Calm down. It would be too easy to get rid of this piece of trash. Don’t hold back on our account. Even if he dies, no one would care. Once he’s dead, Thea will be yours.” Thea was furious, her teeth grinding. Joel sat down and gave James a death glare. “For what you said earlier on, you’re dead. No one will be able to save you.” James smiled, ignoring all of them. If they were not at the Callahans’, Joel would be dead by now. Thea passed the contract to Lex in a subdued manner. “Grandfather, we did what you told us to. If we could get an order from Celestial, you’d acknowledge James as my husband. This order isn’t just worth thirty million. It’s worth a hundred million. Please take a look.”“What? A hundred million?” Lex was shocked. “Grandfather, you’ve got to hear this! The chairman of Celestial Group invited Thea to his office personally!” Just then, a girl stumbled into the room, her expression disbelieving.

Chapter 9 Chapter 9

The girl was Tommy’s younger sister and Howard’s daughter, Megan Callahan. As soon as she entered, she noticed Thea and James. She could not help staring at them. She then approached Lex and showed him an article on her phone. Lex saw an image of Alex bowing to Thea, his arm outstretched. He was gobsmacked. That was Alex Yates, the chairman of Celestial Group. In Cansington, even The Great Four had to play by his rules. He snatched up the contract on the table and confirmed that it was indeed an order for a hundred million dollars. He burst out in laughter. “Ha ha, excellent job, Thea. You’re a Callahan through and through! It’s time for Eternality Group to shine!”“What about James, grandfather?”“What? Joel Xavier is here?” A middle-aged woman walked in. It was Gladys, Thea’s mom. She noticed Joel as soon as she entered and made a beeline for him, a big smile on her face. “You must be Joel. I’ve heard so much about you! What do you think of Thea? If you want her, she’s yours.”“Mom.” Thea was so angry she stamped her foot. Looking at Lex, she almost burst into tears. “Grandfather, we did what you asked. We’ve got the order, and you have to keep your word.”“Hmph.” Joel looked disdainful. “So what if you’ve got the contract? As I said, all it takes to void this contract is one phone call.”“How dare you…” Thea pointed at Joel angrily and looked at Lex, pleading with him. “Grandfather.” Lex put the contract down. He did not know why Alex Yates had dealt with Thea personally. Then again, there was no denying that Celestial Group were close partners with the Xaviers. If they offended Joel, they could lose the contract. Furthermore, it was Thea, not James, who obtained the contract. Puffing on his tobacco pipe, he said, “Thea, you obtained the contract. It has nothing to do with James at all. I stand by my decision. Divorce James and marry Joel.”“That’s right.” Joel looked smug as if he knew that he had won. Once Thea was his, he would find a way to get rid of James. He did not believe for a second that Lex Callahan would offend him for a nobody like James. If they offended him, the Callahans would have a hard time. Gleefully, Joel said, “A smart choice, Mister Callahan. My dad is about to become the head of the family. If you make me happy, you’ll get all the orders you want.”“Honey…” Thea looked at James tearfully. James looked at her, asking, “What do you want, Thea?” Firmly, Thea said, “We’re married now. I’m your wife. Unless I’m dead, we’re not getting a divorce.” James nodded and said, “Call Alex Yates and explain the situation to him. Let’s see if Joel was being truthful when he said he could void the contract. If Joel has that much power, then I think you’ll be happier with him. At any rate, it’s better than staying with a poor man like me.” The Callahans looked at James with some admiration. Lex smiled. “James, you’re a smart man. Don’t worry. I’ll keep my word. After the divorce, I’ll pay you five hundred thousand dollars.” Thea did not know what James was thinking. She was worried that James felt like there was no other choice. She held onto James’ hand tightly. “Honey, don’t worry. I’ll make sure you get to stay. If they try and throw you out, I’ll kill myself.”“Call Alex Yates.”“Okay.” Thea took out her phone and Alex’s business card. Just as she was about to make the call, Gladys snatched the phone out of her hands. “Enough of this nonsense! This piece of trash has agreed to the divorce! Why are you still so stubborn? What good could possibly come of staying with him? Joel is so much better!” Joel waved a hand, not having a care in the world. “Let her make the call so she’d give up. Thea, ask if Celestial wants to work with the Xaviers or the Callahans.” Gladys obliged and passed the phone back to Thea. Joel looked as if he had already won. The Callahans were only a second-rate family in Cansington. There was no way Celestial would give up the partnership with the Xaviers. The call connected. “Mister Yates? It’s me, Thea Callahan. We signed a contract earlier on. Yes, it’s me. Joel Xavier said that he could void the contract that I just signed with you.” In Alex Yates’ office. Alex was furious. He shouted, “Joel? Which Joel? Joel Xavier? No one has the authority to void a contract that I signed.”“The Xaviers’ Megatron Group. Joel also asked if you’d rather work with the Xaviers or Callahans.” Thea spoke in a small voice. The Xaviers were part of The Great Four after all, and the Callahans were a second-rate family. “Okay, relax, Thea. Let me check and I’ll call you back right away.”“Sure.” Thea hung up. Joel looked smug. “How did it go?” Thea said, “Mister Yates said that he’ll call me back.” After Alex hung up, he conducted an investigation immediately. He had never cared much about the company’s partnerships. The vice president usually handled it. He summoned the vice president, learning that Celestial had just signed an agreement with the Xaviers’ Megatron Group which allowed them first dibs on orders. “Walton, you’re fired! Pack your things and get lost!” Alex ordered the business department to cancel all the orders with Megatron. From now on, Megatron would never get any of their orders. Once he had made the necessary arrangements, he returned Thea’s call. “Hi, Thea. I’ve figured out everything. We’ve canceled everything with Megatron. From now on, Eternality Group gets first dibs on our orders. Would that please you?” Thea’s phone was on loudspeaker. Everyone heard what Alex said. They were in shock. Joel was the only one laughing. “Thea, who did you call? He’s bold, isn’t he? What’s this about canceling everything with Megatron and working with Eternality? Only a fool would make this choice. Did you pay someone to pretend to be the chairman of Celestial?” Joel spoke loudly and the loudspeaker amplified his voice. Alex heard everything clearly. He lost his temper. “Joel Xavier, yes? From now on, the Xaviers are finished!” After that, he lowered his voice and said, “Thea, don’t worry about the orders. No one would be able to cancel them. The Xaviers gave you trouble, eh? Hold on. I’ll take care of it immediately. The Xaviers will go bankrupt within half an hour!” Alex hung up. Then, he issued a string of orders. “I don’t care what you do. I want the Xaviers to go bankrupt within half an hour!” Alex Yates was the chairman of Celestial Group. Even though he hailed from the Capital, he was still a powerful man in Cansington. If he wanted the Xaviers to go bankrupt, it would be done. James looked pleased with the turn of events. Looking at Thea’s confused expression, he smiled. “Thea, I think Mister Yates is quite fond of you. Are you his goddaughter?” Joel looked bored. How could the Xaviers go bankrupt within half an hour? What a colossal joke! Just then, he received a call from his father. “You little b*stard! What did you do? Celestial has canceled the partnership with Megatron!” Joel was at a loss for words.