A faint smile played on Shane Lockwood’s thin lips, his tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Fabian, you’re overthinking things. Why would I deliberately make you kneel here? I just found your stupidity so grating that I decided to teach you a small lesson, that’s all."
Fabian Lockwood couldn’t take it anymore. His eyes bloodshot, he roared, "I’ll kill you!"
But he had been kneeling for too long, and his legs were completely numb. With a THUD, he collapsed back to the ground, landing sprawled out on all fours.
Shane Lockwood said, "Fabian, you’ve really matured. Since you know you were wrong, you can get up now. There’s no need for such a grand bow between cousins."
"Shane Lockwood, you’re mocking ! I’m going to kill you!" Fabian Lockwood’s eyes were so red they looked like they might start bleeding, filled with nothing but hatred.
Shane Lockwood leaned down, gripped Fabian Lockwood’s chin, and yanked it up sharply. Staring into the hatred in his cousin’s eyes, he suddenly smiled. "You want to kill ? Good. Rember this feeling."
He leaned closer to Fabian, his voice laced with killing intent. "Otherwise, how could I ever justify taking your life?"
Fabian Lockwood froze. His face went ghastly pale, and his body trembled with fear.
Shane Lockwood’s single sentence had dredged up Fabian’s deepest, most primal fear: his fear of Shane.
Having already knelt all night, this sudden shock was too much, and he fainted.
Shane Lockwood clicked his tongue.
’With guts like that, he still dares to covet my things? It’s laughable.’
"Fabian! Fabian!"
Florence Young’s anxious voice rang out, accompanied by the frantic clicking of high heels on the floor.
With a flick of his wrist, Shane Lockwood tossed Fabian to the ground just as he turned to see Florence Young rushing toward them.
He said coolly, "Second Aunt, you’re here. You should take Fabian back and have him checked out. He’s far too delicate. He fainted after just a few words!"
"If you hadn’t deliberately tornted my son and punished him by making him kneel, would he have fainted?" Florence Young roared.
Shane Lockwood’s gaze swept over her indifferently. "It seems my cousin’s illness is contagious. Look at you, Second Aunt, you’re not making any sense."
Shane Lockwood’s voice was very soft, even tinged with a smile.
But to Florence Young’s ears, it was no different from a demon’s whisper. She shuddered in fear, and her anger vanished in an instant.
Florence Young said hastily, "No, I’m perfectly fine. I was just overwrought seeing Fabian faint. I didn’t an it."
"Of course. I’m more than willing to believe you, Second Aunt. Now, don’t just stand there. Hurry up and take my cousin ho."
Florence Young agreed and imdiately went to help her son up.
Fabian Lockwood was nearly six feet tall and weighed around 165 pounds. After so many years of living a pampered life, Florence Young simply didn’t have the strength. The mont she tried to lift him, she nearly fell to the ground herself.
Even so, Florence Young didn’t dare call for help. Gritting her teeth, she struggled to support Fabian as she staggered away.
Erik Irvine couldn’t help but say, "President Lockwood, by provoking them like this, The Second Madam and the Second Young Master might just go berserk."
Shane Lockwood didn’t speak. He took out a handkerchief and coughed twice. When he pulled the handkerchief away, a patch of crimson stained the snow-white fabric.
Erik Irvine cried out in alarm, "President Lockwood!"
Shane Lockwood furrowed his brow. "What are you shouting for?"
Erik Irvine imdiately swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
He scanned his surroundings warily, and seeing that no one was paying them any attention, he spoke in a low, trembling voice. "President Lockwood, I’ll call Mr. Shepherd right now to have him examine you."
"No need." Shane Lockwood tucked the handkerchief into his pocket. "Back to the company."
"President Lockwood..."
Shane Lockwood’s gaze swept over to him, and Erik Irvine could only shut his mouth, his heart filled with worry.
He didn’t dare show it, however.
Shane Lockwood’s health was a matter of utmost importance. Not just him, but no one could bear the responsibility if sothing were to happen to him!
Erik Irvine gritted his teeth and said, "I’ll have The Shadow Division accelerate the search for Quillon Croft. Even if he’s at the ends of the earth, I’ll drag him out!"
The corner of Shane Lockwood’s mouth lifted slightly, his expression gentle. "Mm."
Erik Irvine pushed Shane Lockwood away. Neither of them noticed a servant, partially hidden by the trees, staring in shock at the spot where Shane had just been.
’The Eldest Young Master... he coughed up blood!’
「The Second Family’s Courtyard.」
Fabian Lockwood was already awake.
Florence Young was directing a servant to apply dicine to Fabian Lockwood’s knees.
After kneeling all night, his knees were terribly swollen.
SLAP—
Fabian Lockwood slapped the servant across the face, his own face twisted in a snarl. "Are you fucking trying to kill with this pain?" he cursed.
Seeing her son yelling in pain, Florence Young followed up with another slap. "Useless! You can’t even apply dicine properly! Now get the hell out!"
The servant ran out, crying wretchedly.
Still fuming, Fabian Lockwood reached out to swipe the nearby table lamp to the floor but accidentally cut his hand in the process.
The pain sent Fabian into another fit of dramatic howls.
"Fabian, be careful! Look, you’ve hurt yourself again!" Florence Young’s heart ached seeing her son injured.
Fabian scread, his eyes red, "Mom, I’m going to make Shane Lockwood pay with his life! He insulted like that! I’ll make him pay for it in blood!"
"Alright! Mom will help you. We almost took Shane Lockwood’s life before, and we can do it again!"
Florence Young agreed without hesitation, but deep down, she wasn’t confident at all.
The last ti, she had only succeeded in her plot against Shane Lockwood because she had help, and she had the elent of surprise.
Now that Shane Lockwood had made a trip to the Ghost Gate and back, he was on high alert. Making another move against him would be anything but easy.
What made Florence Young even more uneasy was that it would now be difficult to simply wait for another opportunity.
Lately, Shane Lockwood had been purging his ranks like a man possessed. The people they had planted—all their moles—were about to be rooted out completely!
Just then, a servant from the main residence arrived.
After Florence Young saw the servant out, she was trembling with excitent.
"This is wonderful, just wonderful! It seems even the heavens are on our side. Shane Lockwood coughed up blood! Fabian, call the ’Mister’ right now! The mont we’ve been waiting for is almost here!"
Fabian Lockwood stopped his howling and imdiately dialed a number.
"What is it?"
Hearing the voice on the other end, Fabian’s tone unconsciously beca respectful, almost fawning. "Mister, good news! Shane Lockwood coughed up blood again. It looks like he won’t last much longer this ti!"
"That is good news indeed. I must congratulate you in advance, Second Young Master."
Fabian asked dumbly, "Congratulate for what?"
"For soon becoming the master of The Lockwood Group and The Lockwood Family, of course."
...
Eliza Sutton received a call from Saul Reynolds.
"Innis, the Innis winter collection launch is tonight. Are you coming?"
Eliza Sutton replied, "No, I’ll pass. A small matter like this is best left for you to handle."
Saul Reynolds let out a long, theatrical sigh. "I knew it. Innis ans nothing to you anymore. Before we know it, you’ll have abandoned all of us."
His plaintive voice made Eliza’s skin crawl. "Fine, I’ll go. Is that what you want to hear?"
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