"Yo, Sergei. What did you eat today to make you actually call me?" Tristan’s lazy, teasing voice came through the line. "There’s something I need to discuss," Sergei said flatly. "Ah, bad timing. I’m out of the country for... well, who knows how long. Wanna talk over the phone instead?" Tristan’s tone was light, almost amused. Sergei hesitated. Telling Tristan might help but it also risked exposing Calin’s involvement in Lucia Hera’s abduction. In the end, he chose to share only part of the truth: someone was targeting Yeri Zhi, but it wasn’t him, and Rogue wasn’t on his payroll. Tristan’s tone shifted slightly. "Seems like a lot’s happened while I’ve been gone. You want me to tell Shin about your little revelation? Though... I’m curious, what does Shin have to do with Yeri Zhi?" Sergei gritted his teeth. He at least knew that the three: Tristan, Saeki Jie, and Shin had all attended Yeri Zhi’s debut banquet. So what the hell was Tristan pretending for? Could it be that the one who actually had a close relationship with Yeri was Tristan? Or Saeki? However, Tristan’s nonchalant tone quickly ruled that out. "I have no idea. But this whole thing started because of that woman, otherwise why would he go out of his way to harass me?" Saeki replied flatly. Tristan chuckled. "Maybe he’s just bored?" Again with that same ridiculous excuse. Sergei suddenly regretted calling Tristan at all, these two cousins were indeed cut from the same cloth. "Don’t get pissed off yet," Tristan added when he heard no response from the other line. "I’ll call Shin and let him know what you just said. But like I said, I’m not there, so there’s not much I can do." After the call ended, Saeki didn’t feel even slightly relieved. His thoughts kept circling. Did I miss something? What if this wasn’t about Rogue or Yeri Zhi at all? What if Shin just wanted to pin the blame on him? After all, his mother had done something outrageous, trying to ruin Shin’s reputation. And Calin... whenever possible, she’d go out of her way to link herself to Shin like a leech clinging to warmth. Meanwhile, Zahn and Saeki weren’t the only ones with heavy thoughts. Elder Madam Keir need not clarify Shin’s incident with Hadi. Instead, she was already pulling strings to once again bury Hadi’s growing list of scandals. She had scolded Hadi’s wife countless times, begging her to at least maintain the appearance of affection between them. But that useless woman couldn’t even stay an hour in the hospital without bursting into tears, whining that Hadi was scary and violent, that he threatened to hit her if she didn’t leave. In the end, as always, the old matriarch had to clean up the mess herself. Calin sat beside her when Sergei’s call came in. She excused herself and went to a secluded corner of the garden. When he hung up, she stomped her foot in frustration. "What does he even mean? me hiring someone to kill those two bitches at each other’s throats?" she muttered, furious. "I was enjoying the drama online. Why would I ruin the show?" Although Calin was conducting her own investigation, with Sergei refusing to let her use his people, progress was painfully slow. Content orıginally comes from 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩 She only knew that the useless woman, Lucia, had been hospitalized and that something had happened, apparently, someone died but she couldn’t get in touch with her. Still, this wasn’t her immediate concern. Calin returned to where Elder Madam Keir was having tea in the garden. "Grandma," she began cautiously, "I haven’t seen Madam Keir lately. Is she still mad at me after that incident?" That lunatic Eleanor might be lurking somewhere, and Calin didn’t want any more surprises. The old matriarch’s hand trembled slightly. After Eleanor’s fight with Calin, the clan elders had unanimously decided to send her to a private asylum, something Elder Madam Keir could do nothing about. She only prayed that the matter wouldn’t leak and cause yet another scandal for the Keir family. Between Hadi’s mess and Shin’s defiance, she already had enough headaches. "Eleanor went to a private island to recuperate," the old woman replied smoothly. "She’s been confined for so long, she needed a vacation." Calin exhaled in relief. That meant she no longer had to worry about that lunatic interfering with her engagement. "Then, Grandma, have you talked to Brother Shin about the engagement?" Once again, the old matriarch flinched. How was she supposed to say there wouldn’t be an engagement anymore? "How are you, dear? Eleanor didn’t hurt you too badly, did she?" she asked, quickly shifting the topic. Calin shook her head politely. "It’s alright. Actually, I should apologize for how I acted toward Madam Keir. I should’ve been more considerate. And as for my mom, she really went too far. I tried to look for Brother Shin at the company to apologize personally, but he’s either in meetings or nowhere to be found." Elder Madam Keir suddenly had an epiphany. She set her teacup down, sighed deeply, and said, "Calin, there’s something you need to know. The family has been going through... a lot lately. We even had a meeting among the clan elders." Calin’s eyes lit up. She knew how absolute the elders’ decisions were. Even Shin Keir the favored grandson, heir, and CEO would have no say once the elders decided. The old matriarch started with trivial matters, circling around irrelevant topics before finally holding Calin’s hand and patting it gently. "Calin, you have no idea how much I wanted you to be my granddaughter-in-law. You know I’ve long treated you as such. But... Shin’s birth origins have deeply angered the other elders. It’s a volatile topic. And your mother leaking that in public...it’s tantamount to threatening the entire clan." Calin’s smile faltered. A chill ran through her as dread settled in her chest. "I know it wasn’t you," the old woman continued. "You had nothing to do with it. I tried to reason with them. With your looks, upbringing, and image, who could possibly outmatch you?" But seeing Calin’s disbelieving, wounded expression, Elder Madam Keir sighed. She had no choice but to protect the clan, even if it meant blaming Calin’s mother. The matriarch conveniently forgot it was her who had originally promised Calin the engagement, feeding her hope and confidence. She never expected Shin to completely overturn the clan meeting. "It’s just that what your mother did angered the elders. They’ve chosen another girl to be that brat’s wife," she said at last. "I’m sorry, Calin. But at least you won’t have to endure Shin. You don’t know him well, but I do. Perhaps this isn’t what fate intended for you. Still, if you’d consider it, how about that boy, Tristan?" But Calin didn’t hear a word beyond "they chose another girl to be that brat’s wife." Her ears rang. Her world collapsing. How could this be happening? Why wasn’t it her? She had never pictured herself marrying anyone else but Shin Keir. Her lips trembled. "Grandma... did Brother Shin agree?" Elder Madam Keir’s face stiffened. She couldn’t admit that the clan elders had been utterly humiliated, completely outmaneuvered by Shin Keir himself. That demon had single-handedly turned the meeting in his favor, making the once-feared elders look like jesters. She gave a dignified shrug. "What could he do? The clan elders decided. That’s that." "It’s already a new era," Calin whispered, eyes stinging. "Isn’t it unfair for him?" "This isn’t about fairness," the matriarch said patiently. "Families like ours must always honor the clan’s decision. You know that." But before she could say more, Calin burst into tears. She tried to hold herself back but it was useless. Her chest ached as if her world had caved in, and the thought of another woman taking her place tore at her from the inside. The old woman sighed, pitying her. "What a tragedy... does this girl truly love that demon?" she murmured under her breath. After some time, Calin managed to compose herself. Her voice was small, desperate. "Grandma... can’t you do something? I really love Brother Shin. If he doesn’t have anyone in his heart, then whoever he marries will only suffer or betray him! But I’m different. I can endure it. I don’t expect much. I don’t care about his wealth. Just let me be with him." Elder Madam Keir blinked, startled by her plea. Do something? That heartless demon had already forced their hand by bringing billion-dollar contracts to the table. If she dared to interfere now, who knew what he might do next? No, she didn’t dare risk it. "Calin, dear," she said softly, "don’t be too sad. That brat isn’t worthy of you. But... if you truly want him, then make him fall for you. I believe he wouldn’t let the person he loves suffer." Calin couldn’t listen anymore. None of those words comforted her. Her mind was chaos, her heart heavy. She was so consumed by the fact that she wouldn’t be marrying Shin that she forgot to ask who the new fiancée was. Before she could explode, she excused herself and left. Meanwhile, Lucia finally regained her senses only to be overwhelmed by fear. If she hadn’t ducked and crawled toward the restroom that night, she might’ve been dead. The police had come several times, interrogating her, but apart from her recovered phone and the same statement she gave Yeri, there was nothing else to add. The only reason she panicked when Rogue entered her ward was because she had been paranoid since her abduction, always feeling watched. Later that day, Lucia received a visitor she never expected. Secretary Yun nodded at her curtly, and as per Shin’s orders, handed her a document. Lucia trembled while listening to his calm explanation. "You mean... you know the person who abducted me?" "Yes. She’s not someone you can afford to offend. I suggest you leave the city," he replied evenly. "Why are you helping me?" "This is a matter within the mafia," Secretary Yun said, adjusting his glasses with an unreadable face. "Our boss simply doesn’t want ordinary citizens caught in the crossfire. If you accept the terms in that document, we’ll provide protection until your departure. If you decline, that’s fine too. But Miss Hera..." his gaze sharpened "...if the person who abducted you learns you spoke to the police, she might resort to drastic measures. After all, dead people tell no tales."