Chapter 36: He is dead
By the time Ivy stepped into the room, Leo had already fallen asleep—thanks to Butler Rupert, who had informed her that he had taken a nap.
But that wasn’t all.
The old man had been observant enough to notice the bandage on Leo’s hand. When he asked about it, Ivy didn’t bother hiding the truth and told him everything that had happened at school.
Rupert had looked surprised. He knew Leo wasn’t the kind of child to get into fights. But what troubled him more was the fact that his own cousin had been causing him problems—and no one in the family seemed to be aware of it.
As Ivy stood by the side, watching the sleeping boy, a sense of pride filled her heart.
At the same time, a quiet ache settled deep within her.
It hurt to know that even his own family hadn’t been kind to him.
And somehow, it made sense.
Why Xander was so protective of Leo...
Why he didn’t let just anyone into their lives.
After standing there for a few moments, Ivy slipped her hand into her pocket and pulled out the number Sal had given her.
Now that they had decided to meet, she knew things wouldn’t be easy.
Not anymore.
Not now that she wasn’t Raven.
But if she wanted to find the people who had betrayed her, she would have to take a leap of faith—on the one man she could still trust.
With that thought, Ivy quietly headed to the bathroom to change.
***
[Phantom’s Headquarters]
Xander’s car came to a smooth stop in front of the base. Stepping out alongside Taylor, he made his way toward the office, where Hunter and his team were already waiting.
Hunter—Taylor’s identical twin stood at the center.
To outsiders, the two were nearly impossible to tell apart. Same face, same build, same voice if they tried hard enough.
But for Xander and the rest of the team, the difference was obvious now.
Taylor was expressive, dramatic, and loud.
Hunter?
Cold. Precise. And about as emotionally available as a brick wall.
"Why do you always sound like someone just declared war when you call?" Taylor muttered under his breath as they walked in. "Can’t you try being normal for once? My blood pressure actually spiked."
Hunter didn’t even blink. "Sounds like a personal problem."
Taylor looked personally offended.
Before he could launch into a full speech, Xander cleared his throat.
Instant silence.
Taylor straightened immediately. "Ah—Boss, I was just advising him to sound less... threatening on calls next time."
Xander didn’t respond. He already knew how this went.
Taylor would complain. Hunter would ignore him. And somehow, this counted as brotherly bonding.
Still, beneath all the bickering, Xander understood something most people didn’t—
Taylor wasn’t annoyed. He was worried. Because Hunter, for all his sharp instincts and unmatched efficiency, was someone who rarely let anything—or anyone—get close.
And that silence of his?
It said far more than words ever could.
"Boss," Hunter suddenly spoke, stepping forward and ignoring Taylor completely.
"Speak."
"We got a lead."
The moment those words left his mouth, the air in the room seemed to drop.
For days, their rescue team had been searching for the woman who had jumped off the cliff. Yet, there had been no sign of her—not even a body.
But deep down, Xander knew this wasn’t something they could have missed. Not when the attack had been meant for him.
"Who is it?" Xander’s voice lowered, turning cold.
"The attacker was from the DarkKnight Clan."
Xander’s jaw tightened, his aura darkening instantly.
"Set up a meeting with their leader," he said. "I’ll deal with this personally."
Hunter hesitated.
It was subtle—but noticeable and for the first time, everyone in the room, especially Xander, caught that flicker of uncertainty.
Even Taylor frowned, witnessing Hunter hesitate?
That was new.
"He’s no longer alive, Boss," Hunter said finally. "The same day the attack on you was carried out... someone killed him. The organization has already fallen into decline."
"..."
Hunter had been relentlessly searching for the woman he had shot at the cliff. Not a single day had passed without him trying to track her down.
And during that search, they had uncovered something crucial.
"The weapon she used," Hunter continued, "it belonged to the DarkKnight Clan. The one who took the hit on you... was Raven Young."
He then paused for a few second before saying. "One of their most skilled—and most dangerous—snipers."
"What?" Taylor gaped, exchanging a look with Hunter. "But their leader was practically untouchable."
"He was," Hunter replied. "And yet... someone still managed to erase him. Without a leader, the clan has already started to collapse."
Xander said nothing. But his silence was heavier than any reaction.
Deep in his mind, one thing was clear—this wasn’t something he could ignore.
Taking down the head of an organization wasn’t just an act of power. It was a declaration of war. And yet... the underworld remaining silent only made it more dangerous.
"Find out who’s behind it," Xander instructed.
Hunter nodded, and soon after, they wrapped things up and left the headquarters.
***
[Outside]
The moment Xander settled into the car, Taylor turned to face him.
"Boss, who do you think could’ve taken out Morris Hardley?" he asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.
Xander remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed ahead.
Hardley had been untouchable in the underworld—or at least, that’s what everyone believed. But a man like him naturally had countless enemies waiting for a chance to bring him down.
Still... Hunter’s words echoed in his mind.
Raven Young.
One of the most skilled snipers of the DarkKnight Clan.
And yet, the woman who had tried to kill him... had also chosen not to surrender when cornered.
Every organization followed the same brutal rule—if a mission failed, or if a member was captured, they were eliminated without hesitation.
Raven would have known that. She would have known there was no way out. And yet, instead of giving in... she chose to fight head-on.
She chose dignity over submission.
Xander’s eyes darkened slightly as the thought lingered.
"I’m not sure who it is," he finally said, his voice low and steady. "But whoever did this...is someone close to him."
Reviews
All reviews (0)