"Where is he?!"
The double doors to the office swing open abruptly, startling everyone inside. But when they see who it is, no one dares speak.
"Master Liam is not here, Madam. He left after finding out you were coming," Yuki Noritsu, Liam's assistant, answers. She knows Mrs. Monfort outranks him — Monfort Industries funds her position, not Liam — so her loyalty lies with the Monforts, in this case, Miranda Monfort. No hesitation.
Claudia trails behind her mother and slaps a hand to her face at Yuki's reply. "He's lost his mind." She mutters.
Miranda's displeasure is plain. "He left after knowing his mother is coming? Good. Very good," she mutters through clenched teeth.
"Mom, let's just go meet Aunt Lei and Thea, okay? Liam isn't in any condition to see Thea — not with those bruises on his face," Claudia says, trying to calm her.
"I told him we were meeting them today! That was two days ago! And he dares to get his face bruised within two days! This meeting's been postponed a few times because of him!" Miranda struggles to keep her temper.
"I have yet to go to the Estate because my dear son keeps hindering me!" Miranda finally shouts.
"Mom, Mom — breathe. Breathe." Claudia motions to Yuki for a glass of water.
"Good. Breathe. There you go. A little sip. Slowly, Mom. Don't choke. That's it. Good." Claudia talks to Miranda like she's five.
"He got those bruises by accident, Mom. It's not like he let himself be beaten black and blue just to avoid meeting Thea, right? Liam is not like that," Claudia adds, still trying to defend him.
You really owe me, Liam!
Miranda snaps her head toward Claudia. "Are you saying you agree with your brother?"
Claudia shakes her head immediately. "No way! You're right — he's wrong. Period."
Sorry, bro. I tried. But Mom's scarier than you.
Miranda turns a sharp gaze on Yuki. "Tell my son this: if he's not at Artie's Coffee by five this afternoon, don't bother coming back to the apartment tonight. Lock his office. Without my permission, he is not to enter it."
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"She said that?" Liam asks over the phone.
He's standing in a phone booth, speaking with Yuki. A baseball cap hides most of his face — only a few strands of jet-black hair peek through.
"Hmm, then it's a good opportunity for me to disappear for a while. What? I'm not gonna tell you! You'll rat me out to my mom!" He scoffs. "It's better if you don't know anything."
Liam hangs up and steps out of the booth. He's about as tall as Arthur, maybe even a bit taller, and definitely more muscular. Dressed in blue jeans and a black T-shirt, he looks nothing like the heir of Monfort Industries.
He smirks and mutters under his breath, "Sorry, Mom. But there's a water serpent with my name on it."
Pulling his cap lower, he slips his hands into his pockets and walks away.
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Knock. Knock.
"Come in."
A man of average height, average face, average clothes, enters silently. He puts a thin black folder on the table. Its label reads: LIAM.
The man turns around and leaves the room. Silent the whole time.
The man on the table opens the folder and takes out a A5 size paper with something written on it.
The man reads the paper and laughs slightly.
Then he flicks his hand, the gem in his ring flashes, and the paper plus the thin black folder are up in flames.
Then he returns to his job, like nothing had happened.
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"I'm really sorry, Lei. That no-good son of mine managed to fool his mother. It looks like he doesn't want to meet Thea." Miranda's face says it all. "I regret promising to come and visit you with him in tow." She sighs heavily.
She's close to tears. Despite how over the top and pushy she's been about getting Liam to meet Thea, Miranda is genuinely sincere — and serious — about wanting Thea as her daughter-in-law. It's been her long, not-so-hidden dream.
And now, her own son is her biggest obstacle. "It's not like I want him to marry Thea immediately! It's just a meeting!" Her voice cracks with frustration.
"Mir, relax. There'll be plenty of time later, trust me." Leila reaches over, trying to comfort her friend. She knows how sincere Miranda is — and she's touched, even honored by it.
Who are the Monforts, after all? One of the most powerful — if not the most powerful — families in the world. Linus Monfort, the current Patriarch, holds the status of a king ruling a small but formidable kingdom. He has only one son and one daughter, and no surviving siblings.
There used to be hundreds of marriage proposals and alliance offers delivered daily to Linus' desk, overwhelming him to the point that he made an announcement: any family who dared send him another marriage proposal or alliance offer would have all current and future dealings with Monfort Industries permanently cut off. Only then did the flood of proposals finally stop.
Even now, though Miranda is the one insisting, Leila knows that without Linus' approval, Miranda would never keep pursuing this.
Leila would prefer her children marry into regular families. That being said, it's even better if the in-laws truly love and care for her children—and are powerful enough to keep them safe.
The real reason the world fears the Monforts? They quite literally hold the world's safety in their hands. They dominate two global industries: Medical and Security.
They're the world's largest medical supplier, and the only family legally permitted to maintain a private army. Their main business is providing security escorts for explorers and miners—soldiers for hire under the polite term "protection service."
In the last few years, Linus added another service: providing security for the world's VIPs. This gives his soldiers a perfectly legal reason to operate in the real world, not just in the dungeons. It adds another reason the world is reluctant to become their opponent.
It also makes Maurice jittery and constantly on edge.
The Monforts want his daughter as their daughter-in-law? Why?
It's a question he's been asking his wife ever since he heard about Miranda's intent — a question his wife still can't answer.
Claudia, sipping her caramel macchiato beside Miranda, notices her mother's frustration and mutters, "You're dead, Liam. You just made Mom cry."
Across from her, Theo is enjoying his macadamia chocolate ice cream. He really wants to go home and try out his new gym, but he knows there's nothing he can do at the moment — so he decides to enjoy what he can. Hence, the ice cream.
Watching him, Claudia sighs with envy. "I can't believe you can eat that without gaining weight. I barely breathe and already gain half a kilo."
The four of them are currently waiting for Delaney, the interior designer Miranda had recommended.
"Ah! There he is!" Miranda exclaims.
Theo turns his head — and his jaw drops.