Hayes Hughes’s pupils constricted, and his words died in his throat.

He thought Silas Grant was joking. After all, Silas had viciously attacked him—his own brother—for Mia Grant’s sake not long ago.

In all his memories, Silas had never shown such a vicious, violent side.

Especially not to family.

Even to outsiders, he always maintained the elegant demeanor of a nobleman.

But now, as Hayes Hughes studied Silas Grant’s expression, he had a feeling the man wasn’t joking.

"Silas..." He found it so absurd he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "If I recall correctly, it hasn’t been that long since the last time you attacked me."

"I suppose not."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Why?" Hayes Hughes didn’t understand. "You love her."

"I do."

Silas Grant crossed his long legs, looking at him with calm composure. "And?"

Hayes Hughes froze. A moment later, he heard the man’s deep voice.

"Hayes, perhaps it’s because you’ve been too well-protected all this time. So much so that you’ve forgotten one thing: I am not like you."

"You’ve been away from Portia for too long. You might not be aware, but across the entire city, arranged marriages are hardly a rare sight. It doesn’t matter if the other family is in business or politics, from Portia or the mainland. People in our position are destined for this kind of fate from birth. We don’t have the right to refuse."

"Not everyone can be one of the few exceptions, like you."

"This is the responsibility that comes with my position."

"If I could choose freely like you, have you ever considered what our entire family would face?"

Silence fell.

Hayes Hughes let out a helpless laugh. "I know it’s difficult for you, Brother, and that it’s been hard all these years. But if this was the fated outcome, then it should never have begun in the first place."

Silas Grant’s smile was cold. "Was I the one who initiated it?"

"..."

Just as Simon Adler was about to fall asleep, he suddenly heard a rustling sound in the room.

He opened his eyes and whispered tentatively, "Mia Grant?"

"Mhm."

A response came.

"What are you doing in the middle of the night? Are you a mouse?"

"I need to go to the bathroom."

"Then hurry up. Turn the light on yourself."

"No need, I have my phone."

Simon Adler didn’t pay her any more mind and rolled over to sleep.

’She’s just going to the bathroom. It’s not like I have to follow her there, too.’

He kept a regular schedule and had to wake up early, so he was dead tired. In no time, his breathing became steady.

Inside the bathroom.

Mia Grant sat in there for a full hour.

She couldn’t quite put a finger on what she was feeling.

She scrolled through her phone and frowned when she saw a message from Yates Donovan.

[Are you in Portia?]

At this hour, she hadn’t expected a reply, but Yates Donovan responded instantly.

[Just landed, baby. Why aren’t you asleep yet?]

[My stomach hurts. Can’t sleep.] After sending the message, Mia Grant pouted, then unsent it and retyped: [I’m watching a movie.]

「Midcrest, Portia.」

Yates Donovan sat in the car, extinguishing his cigarette.

The lazy posture he’d held, leaning against the seat with his chin in one hand, instantly vanished.

Sitting beside him, Mr. Payne couldn’t stifle another yawn.

"Young Master, aren’t we going back to the residence? Or a hotel? It’s so late, there’s no point in us waiting here."

"Why don’t we come back during the day? If Miss Grant goes out, we might run into her."

"I heard from Chengzi and the others that Miss Grant went out the day before yesterday. It seems her freedom isn’t being restricted."

After chattering on for a while and getting no response, Mr. Payne finally opened his eyes to look, only to see Yates Donovan staring blankly at his phone with a face full of misery and spite.

"Young Master?"

He leaned in slightly, and a glance at the contact name confirmed it was Mia Grant.

"Miss Grant is still awake?"

"She said her stomach hurts and she can’t sleep."

"Huh? Did she eat something bad?"

Yates Donovan calculated the dates. "It’s her period."

"Oh, well, not much to be done about that. What are you... agonizing over now?"

"If she can’t sleep just because her stomach hurts, why would she unsend the message and pretend she’s watching a movie instead?"

"..." Mr. Payne blinked. "Could it be that you’re just being too sensitive?"

As if he hadn’t heard a word, Yates Donovan sneered, "So melodramatic in the middle of the night..."

Grinding his back teeth, he tossed the phone aside. "Call them."

"What?" Mr. Payne was stunned.

Yates Donovan glanced over, a sinister smile on his face. "Didn’t you hear me? Tell them to get over here. I’m going in now."

"...In-into the Hughes Family estate?!"

"N-no, Young Master, that’s not a good idea! That’s trespassing on private property! What if we go in and get gunned down..."

"Wouldn’t that be perfect?" Yates Donovan put on his jacket, his smile malicious. "If I die, the entire Hughes Family will be buried with me."

"Dragging that old bastard down to hell with me would solve everything. Worth it."

A vein throbbed on Mr. Payne’s temple. He knew that manic streak of his was surfacing again, and he fumbled to call Mia Grant.

The terrifying thing about Yates Donovan was that, aside from flirting with Mia Grant, he rarely made empty threats. He always did what he said he would.

He had thought Mia Grant had reformed him recently, but who knew that was all just an illusion.

The moment something happened, he showed his true colors again.

’If I can’t stop him tonight...’ Mr. Payne imagined the scene and sucked in a sharp breath.

’The Donovan Family’s eldest grandson launching a night raid on the Hughes estate, getting into a firefight with the Hughes Family...’

’This world is insane.’

The instant the call connected, Mr. Payne scrambled after Yates Donovan and grabbed him.

Yates was about to lash out, his pitch-black eyes fixed on him, his expression terrifying, his aura frigid.

Mr. Payne swallowed hard. He knew that if they weren’t on relatively good terms, Yates Donovan would have a gun to his head right now.

He forced himself to remain calm. "Young Master, it’s Miss Grant’s call."

Yates Donovan told him to get lost.

Having no other choice, Mr. Payne put the call on speaker.

"Yates? Yates!"

The familiar voice came from the receiver, slightly muffled by static.

The man stopped in his tracks, frowning.

He didn’t answer, instead turning and gesturing at Mr. Payne.

Hang up. Now!

"..." Mr. Payne gritted his teeth. "Miss Grant, the Young Master is here. Go ahead, talk."

"What the hell are you doing, Yates? Where are you right now?"

"Hello? Answer the phone, hurry up!"

"I said answer the phone, Yates! You’re going to be the death of me!"

"Hiss... my stomach hurts. Really, it really hurts. Oww."

The next second, the phone was snatched from Mr. Payne’s hand. "I’m coming to get you. I’ll take you to a doctor."

"You don’t have to. I already took some medicine. It’s nothing serious, just uncomfortable."

"What on earth are you doing? Didn’t you just land?"

Yates Donovan said nothing.

Over the phone, Mia Grant sounded exasperated. "Please don’t be impulsive, okay? I’m fine. Let’s just be calm and patient."

"It’s really just my period. I honestly can’t sleep, I..."

"Mia."

The girl’s weak, listless voice was cut off. The man mimicked her, his tone softening. "Let’s go home, okay?"