Chapter 325: New names!!
The night on the island came to an end far too quickly.
The laughter.
The campfire.
The fishing.
The conversations beneath the stars.
All of it slowly became memories.
By the time everyone boarded the yacht, the sky was still dark.
A thin layer of mist floated above the sea.
The world seemed quiet.
Almost asleep.
Only the sound of the yacht cutting through the water disturbed the silence.
Hope and Asher had fallen asleep again, almost immediately after boarding.
Both twins were wrapped in blankets while resting against Elena and Daniel.
Even Alice and Kate looked exhausted.
The weekend had been fun.
But Monday waited for nobody.
The yacht continued toward Star Harbor.
Slowly, the horizon began turning gray.
The first signs of dawn appeared.
By the time they reached the port, it was already six in the morning.
The city was beginning to wake up.
Cars appeared on distant roads.
Workers headed toward their jobs.
Another ordinary week had begun.
As everyone stepped off the yacht, Dion stretched dramatically.
"I don’t want to go to work."
Flora laughed.
"You say that every Monday."
Dion sighed.
"Because every Monday feels like a crime."
Miles frowned "still sleeping are you? Aren’t you working from home?"
Everyone chuckled.
Flora then turned toward Chloe.
She immediately pulled her into a hug.
"You must visit again."
Chloe smiled warmly.
"I will."
"Thank you for inviting us."
She looked around at everyone.
"It was one of the best times I have spent in years."
Elena’s eyes softened.
"You are always welcome, dear."
"I enjoyed spending time with you too."
Chloe’s smile became even brighter.
Nearby, Asher rubbed his sleepy eyes.
His hair was completely messy.
"Bye bye, Big Sis Chloe..."
Hope also waved lazily.
"Come again..."
Chloe laughed and gently patted both their heads.
"I will."
Alice, Kate, and Chloe eventually climbed into their car.
All three looked half asleep.
Especially Chloe.
The moment she sat down, she almost looked ready to fall asleep again.
Miles smiled while watching them leave.
Then suddenly his phone rang.
Monica looked over.
"Who is calling this early?"
Miles checked the screen.
"The villa security."
His expression became slightly serious.
He accepted the call.
"Yes?"
The security guard immediately replied.
"Boss, sorry for disturbing you."
"But there is someone at the gate."
Miles frowned slightly.
"Who?"
"A lady."
The guard sounded uncertain.
"She looks important."
"There is a luxury car parked outside."
"She says she wants to meet you."
"And she is willing to wait until you arrive."
Miles glanced toward Monica.
Then continued.
"Is she alone?"
"Just a driver."
Miles thought for a moment.
"Anything suspicious?"
"No, Boss."
"She has been very cooperative."
"She hasn’t caused any trouble."
Miles nodded.
"Alright."
"I’m on my way."
"Make sure nobody enters."
"Grandpa is inside."
The guard immediately answered.
"We are already doing that."
"Don’t worry, Boss."
The call ended.
Elena looked over from the back seat.
"What is it, son?"
Miles put away his phone.
"Some lady is waiting outside the villa."
Daniel raised an eyebrow.
"A lady?"
"Could she be from one of the clans?"
Miles shrugged.
"Who knows."
"Let’s go find out."
Monica sighed.
"Another mysterious visitor."
...
Some time later.
The vehicles arrived outside Pearl Villa.
The morning sun had barely risen.
The large gates stood quietly ahead.
Beside the road, another luxury vehicle waited.
Miles parked and immediately noticed it.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Then he looked toward everyone else.
"Don’t come out yet."
Without waiting for an answer, he stepped outside.
Several security guards quickly approached and bowed.
"Boss."
Miles nodded.
His attention remained fixed on the unfamiliar car.
Behind him, Elena rolled down the window.
She was curious now.
The door of the luxury car slowly opened.
A woman stepped out.
She looked to be in her late forties.
Elegant.
Composed.
Graceful.
The kind of person who carried authority without needing to speak.
Her clothing was simple yet clearly expensive.
Every movement felt refined.
Miles stared at her carefully.
Something felt familiar.
Very familiar.
Inside the car, Elena suddenly frowned.
She studied the woman’s face.
"Who is she..."
Daniel looked at her.
"Relative?"
Elena slowly shook her head.
"It feels like I’ve seen her somewhere."
"But I don’t think we have ever met."
Unable to resist her curiosity, Elena opened the door and stepped outside.
Monica immediately followed.
"Aunt..."
The security guards instinctively positioned themselves near Elena.
The woman finally stopped in front of Miles.
Then her eyes moved toward Elena.
For several moments she simply observed them.
Then a gentle smile appeared.
And she spoke.
"We call it a beginning..."
"...but it is the exact instant."
The moment those words left her mouth...
Both Miles and Elena froze.
Their eyes widened.
Then, almost instinctively, both finished the sentence together.
"Destiny stops waiting."
Silence.
The morning breeze suddenly felt colder.
Miles and Elena looked at each other.
Then back at the woman.
Elena’s voice trembled slightly.
"How do you know that line?"
The woman smiled softly.
"Edward used to say it."
Elena took a step forward.
"Yes..."
The woman’s eyes became distant.
As though remembering someone precious.
"I taught him that."
"He was a sweet child."
The words hit Elena deeply.
Miles stared at her.
Then realization suddenly appeared in his eyes.
His voice became uncertain.
"You..."
"You are Nora..."
Monica immediately looked toward him.
"Nora?"
"You mean the Nora whose book you found in the tribe?"
The woman smiled again.
"You recognized me, child."
Elena looked completely confused.
"But Edward never mentioned you."
The woman laughed quietly.
"He rarely talked about family."
Then she looked directly at Elena.
"I am your aunt, dear."
"The youngest of that generation."
"The youngest sibling of Big Brother Tim."
Everyone froze.
Even Daniel looked stunned.
Miles blinked.
"Huh?"
The woman stepped closer.
Then gently touched Miles’s face.
There was affection in her eyes.
The kind only family possessed.
"My child."
"I am your great aunt."
For a moment nobody spoke.
The revelation was too sudden.
Too unexpected.
Behind them, Hope and Asher were still sitting inside the vehicle, half asleep and completely unaware of the family history unfolding before them.
Daniel moved beside Elena.
Both were trying to process everything.
Then Elena suddenly remembered something.
Her eyes widened.
"Edward used to talk about Aunt Noey."
The woman’s smile immediately became warmer.
"He did."
"He was such a sweetheart."
"He gave me that nickname."
For the first time, genuine emotion appeared in her eyes.
A hint of sadness.
A hint of longing.
And a great deal of affection.
Elena smiled.
The tension around her disappeared completely.
Then she turned toward Miles.
"Son."
"Let’s invite her inside."
Miles looked at Nora.
Then at Elena.
Then back at Nora again.
His mind was still struggling to process everything.
A mysterious woman had appeared out of nowhere.
A woman connected to his dad/
And apparently...
His great aunt.
Still confused, Miles slowly nodded.
"Alright."
And just like that, the gates of Pearl Villa began opening for a guest nobody had expected.
....
Paris
Louis’ Mansion
The mansion was quiet just like always.
The halls that once carried laughter now felt empty.
The grand residence stood illuminated by soft golden lights, yet somehow the warmth seemed absent.
Inside the living room, Louis sat alone on a large couch.
An old family album rested in his hands.
Photographs captured moments that could never return.
A younger Chloe smiling beside her parents.
Family vacations.
Birthdays.
Simple moments that had become priceless memories.
An empty glass sat on the table nearby.
The faint scent of alcohol lingered in the room.
A house helper quietly cleaned the surrounding area, careful not to disturb him.
Louis slowly turned another page.
Then another.
His fingers eventually stopped on a photograph.
A picture of his son.
The room became silent.
Louis stared at it for a long time.
His eyes slowly softened.
A faint smile appeared.
"So at last..."
"I am sitting here alone."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
The years seemed to weigh heavily upon him.
His gaze remained fixed on the photograph.
"Is that what you were worried about that day, Ghost?"
The question vanished into the silence.
No one answered.
Louis gently touched the picture.
"How can I let a child make a sacrifice for me?"
His eyes became moist.
"You carried so much."
"So much more than anyone knew."
He leaned back into the couch.
A tired sigh escaped him.
Then another small smile appeared.
"But I am happy."
"Very happy."
His gaze shifted toward another photograph.
This one showed Chloe.
Smiling.
Alive.
Happy.
"I am happy that you found her."
His voice became softer.
Almost fatherly.
"I believe you will keep her the happiest."
Outside the large windows, rain began tapping lightly against the glass.
Louis slowly closed his eyes.
The album slipped from his hands.
It fell onto the floor.
The sound echoed through the room.
The house helper immediately looked up.
"Sir?"
No response.
The helper quickly approached.
"Sir?"
Still nothing.
A sense of panic immediately appeared.
The helper knelt beside him.
"Sir!"
The man’s face turned pale.
He rushed toward the nearest phone.
His voice echoed through the mansion.
"Call an ambulance!"
"Hurry!"
...
Somalia
A hidden room beneath an abandoned warehouse.
The atmosphere could not have been more different.
The room was dark.
Cold.
Merciless.
A single light hung from the ceiling.
Several men were suspended upside down.
Their hands bound tightly behind their backs.
Bruises covered their bodies.
Blood stained parts of their clothing.
The once arrogant gang members now looked terrified.
In front of them stood Marina.
One of the Generals of the Ancient Warrior Order.
She stood calmly with her arms folded.
There was no anger on her face.
No excitement.
No cruelty.
Just patience.
And somehow that made her even more frightening.
One gang member spat blood onto the floor.
"We already told you everything."
Marina sighed.
"No."
"You told me things."
"But not everything."
The man glared at her.
"We don’t know anything else."
Marina casually picked up a chair and sat down.
Crossing one leg over the other, she looked completely relaxed.
"Interesting."
The room fell silent.
Then she pointed toward another prisoner.
"You."
The man immediately froze.
"What?"
Marina smiled.
"You are lying."
The prisoner’s face changed.
Just slightly.
But Marina noticed.
She always noticed.
The warrior beside her stepped forward.
A folder was placed onto the table.
Marina opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Financial records.
Communication logs.
Names.
Locations.
Timelines.
She slowly flipped through them.
Then looked back at the prisoners.
"We already know where the money came from."
No response.
"We know when it arrived."
Still nothing.
"We know who distributed it."
Sweat began forming on several foreheads.
Marina smiled.
Then she closed the folder.
"You see..."
"We already know almost everything."
Her eyes became sharp.
"What interests me..."
She slowly stood.
"...is the one thing we don’t know."
The prisoners exchanged nervous glances.
Marina walked between them.
Her footsteps echoed through the room.
One prisoner suddenly began shaking.
Marina stopped directly in front of him.
The man immediately looked away.
Bad decision.
Marina grabbed his jaw.
Forced him to look at her.
"Who hired you?"
The prisoner remained silent.
Marina released him.
Then calmly stepped away.
The room became quiet.
Moments passed.
Then one scream echoed.
Another prisoner had already broken.
The Kraken Clan warriors were experts at extracting information.
Not through mindless violence.
Through pressure.
Fear.
Psychology.
Observation.
Patience.
Every weakness eventually surfaced.
Hours passed.
One prisoner after another broke.
Names emerged.
Accounts.
Routes.
Middlemen.
Weapon suppliers.
Contacts.
Yet Marina remained unsatisfied.
Because the most important answer was still missing.
Finally.
One prisoner could no longer endure it.
His entire body trembled.
His breathing became uneven.
Marina slowly crouched in front of him.
"One last chance."
The man’s eyes filled with fear.
"I’ll talk."
Marina nodded.
"Good."
The man swallowed hard.
His voice shook.
"The foreigner..."
The room became silent.
Everyone listened.
"He wasn’t the real boss."
Marina’s eyes narrowed.
"Continue."
"He was only following orders."
Marina stepped closer.
"Whose orders?"
The prisoner squeezed his eyes shut.
As if saying the name itself frightened him.
Then finally...
He spoke.
"Wang Qian."
The room fell silent.
Marina slowly stood.
Her expression did not change.
But every warrior present understood.
They had finally found a name.
A real lead.
A path toward the enemy.
Marina looked toward one of her warrior.
"Send everything to Leader immediately."
The operative bowed.
"Yes, General."
Marina looked back at the prisoners.
To be continued...
