Chapter 12

Initially, only a few people noticed the commotion. However, when Kayla shouted, nearly everyone turned to look. Felicia felt nauseated with disgust. With Arnold around, even the air felt stale. She decided to leave the hall, ignoring the curious gazes behind her, and headed out to the garden for some fresh air. The night was beautiful. The moon shone brightly, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of flowers. Just as her anxiety began to fade, she caught a faint whiff of blood. Was someone hurt nearby? Felicia followed the scent, stepping cautiously toward where it seemed to be coming from. She passed through a flourishing rose garden and rounded a corner, only to find a body lying awkwardly on a cobblestone path. Before the corpse stood a tall, slender figure. The man stood in the shadows, his long, elegant fingers stained with blood, methodically wiping his hands with a handkerchief, his movements meticulous and careful, as if he had a severe case of germaphobia. Felicia could hardly believe she was witnessing a murder. She froze, unable to process what was happening, when suddenly the streetlamp next to her flickered. The tall figure slowly raised his head. What an astonishingly handsome face. He was breathtakingly beautiful, as if he was sculpted by a divine creator. His features were perfect from skin to bone. Felicia had never seen anyone so striking before, and for a moment, she was dazzled. But the more beautiful something was, the more dangerous it could be. He radiated a powerful presence that was impossible to ignore. His deep, sharp eyes held a dangerous glint that was gradually intensifying. Initially, Felicia thought of retreating entirely, but when she recognized who he was, her heart sank. It was Stephan, the head of the powerful Russell family in Seldvale. In her previous life, she had heard many tales about Stephan, known for his ruthlessness, with a temper that could shift without warning. However, why would such a big shot from Seldvale be in a small city like Khogend? Why would he appear in the backyard of the Fuller residence? There was no way he would be on the guest list. If he were, the whole Khogend would know, and she wouldn’t be unaware of it. Hence, Stephan must have hidden his identity to slip in. If that were the case, her chances of getting silenced were quite high. Felicia knew her fighting skills could handle ordinary people. However, facing Stephan, she had no chance. Realizing that, she decided to play blind. She felt around for nearby plants, pretending to be blind, and began to slowly back away. Stephan didn’t move. Felicia sighed in relief and was about to pick up the pace to escape when the streetlamp flickered again, and the next second, Stephan appeared right in front of her, gripping her neck tightly. Felicia instinctively struggled, but it was no use. His large hand, like an iron vice, held her firmly in place. The sensation of suffocation washed over her. Felicia’s face turned red, veins bulging on her forehead. For a moment, she felt as if she had returned to the final moments of her previous life. The same intense feeling of suffocation at death’s door. However, she wasn’t ready to die. A glint of ferocity flashed in her eyes as she gathered all her strength and kicked at his groin. However, she was like an ant trying to shake a tree. Before she could land the kick, Stephan anticipated her move, tightening his grip around her neck. He chuckled, clearly amused by her struggle, never expecting her to try to take him down. But what good was it? She was overestimating her strength. Felicia no longer had a chance to save herself. The suffocation grew stronger, and a whimper escaped her throat as tears streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks. In the dim light, the sight of her tear-filled eyes, the glistening tears, and her desperate expression could soften anyone’s heart. In the next moment, Stephan gently wiped her tears away. His fingers brushed against her skin—cold yet warm. “What beautiful eyes you have. You look quite pitiful when you cry…” His tone was quite flirty, and his deep, soothing voice felt like a lover’s whisper. However, Felicia could sense the deadly intent emanating from him, sending chills down her spine! At that moment, she heard Myra calling for her from the other side of the garden, probably looking for her since she had gone missing. Just when Felicia thought she was about to die, Stephan released her, leaving her with a warning, “I assume you know what to say and what not to say, right?” Felicia obediently nodded, her voice hoarse, “Yes, I didn’t see anything at all.” Seeing Myra about to come closer, Felicia quickly turned to leave, intending to take Myra with her. However, just as she did, the street lamp flickered once more and then exploded. When she turned to look, all that remained were shattered pieces of the lamp. Stephan had vanished, along with the body on the ground. Only the faint scent of blood lingered in the air, a testament to what had just occurred. “Licia, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Myra rushed over, worry etched on her face. “I’m fine,” Felicia said, glancing at the ground. When Stephan nearly choked her to death, she distinctly smelled blood coming from him. This meant that Stephan had likely been attacked and was injured. The body on the ground was probably that of the attacker. The question was, why were they in the Fuller residence? Felicia suppressed her confusion, excusing herself to freshen up. Once in front of a mirror, she covered the marks on her neck that Stephan had left before returning to the hall with Myra. In the hall, the spotlight shone on Kayla and Arnold, who seemed to have reconciled, sitting together at the piano and performing a duet. At first glance, they looked quite compatible. Myra watched Felicia. On their way back from the garden, she hesitated several times before finally speaking up with cautious anticipation, saying, “Licia, I don’t think… I don’t think you have called me ‘Mom’ yet.” “Mom” was such a beautiful word. Felicia’s gaze shifted slightly as she was about to speak. However, a loud call rang out nearby. “Mom! Come here quickly!” It was Kayla, who had just finished playing the piano. “Look, someone’s already doing that on my behalf,” Felicia thought to herself. Resisting the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, she ultimately said nothing. The party was already well underway, approaching the end. At that moment, Matthew stood up from his seat, leaning on his cane. Seeing that, the other guests stopped in their tracks, asking, “Does Mr. Lawson Senior have something to say?” Matthew chuckled, brimming with energy, “You’re right! I came here today to make an announcement!” Finally, he was going to announce the marriage between the two families. Kayla’s expression was full of expectation, her smile unwavering. News of the Lawson family and Fuller family’s potential marriage alliance had circulated in Khogend for some time. It was hardly surprising. Some guests joked, “Mr. Lawson Senior, if you’re here to announce the marriage between the Lawson and Fuller families, we’ve already suspected it. Why not tell us which young lady has caught your eye?” “Yeah, Mr. Lawson Senior, the Fuller family has two young ladies!” Hearing these jests, Kayla nearly exploded with anger. Were they blind? Couldn’t they see that she and Arnold were the perfect match? Even if Matthew didn’t say anything, they ought to know that only she could become Mrs. Lawson. Matthew didn’t keep them in suspense. He turned to Dexter and Myra, smiling as he said, “Let’s talk about the marriage. My grandson, Arnold, is set to marry your daughter, Felicia.”

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