The news of Leah spending the night at Shaw Mansion spread to Brocade City early the next morning. Griffith Squire had been quite busy lately. Although these prestigious families in Brocade City couldn’t hold a candle to those in power, united they could still be quite a headache.

Since Ian Coldwell fell ill, everything in the Coldwell Family had been managed by his wife Zoe Kingston. Zoe’s original intention was to quickly arrange a marriage alliance between the Coldwell and Seymour families. However, after several months of delay, the Seymour family was still refusing, and rumors were spreading about how the engagement was initially between Seymour’s eldest and Aurora Coldwell, claiming Zoe suppressed her stepdaughter and snatched the marriage.

For a time, Brocade City was abuzz with excitement, and bystanders eagerly watched the drama unfold within the Coldwell Family.

Griffith Squire was quite pleased with the situation, spending his days sipping tea, watching plays, and walking his dog, enjoying his leisure. Thus, he didn’t pay much attention to events in the Imperial City. However, not long after, Leah went to spend the night at the Shaw family.

Griffith’s face turned dark upon hearing the news, and he immediately made a phone call early in the morning.

Leah had fallen asleep only around two or three in the morning and, upon being woken by the phone, saw Griffith’s name and sighed bitterly, feeling that this brother was even scarier than most parents.

"Did you spend the night at the Shaw Mansion?" Griffith’s voice betrayed no emotion, but Leah knew he was angry.

"Grandma Shaw was sick, so I came over to check on her." Leah mumbled weakly, eyes closed, snuggling further into her blanket, "It’s so early, don’t you need sleep?"

"Sleep, sleep, sleep. Are you a pig? All you know is sleep," Griffith retorted sarcastically, having already completed his morning training routine despite it being winter, "I’m telling you, Richard Shaw is just an old man, not as handsome as me, crippled and expressionless, yet you still have your eyes on him? Come to Brocade City; I’ll take you for an eye check."

Being criticized by him so early, Leah rolled her eyes lazily, thinking he just wanted to hide from her the fact that she used to be Richard Shaw’s ex-wife, guarding it like a thief, "I’m just dating; if he dares bully me, I’ll shoot him. Besides, don’t you have cannons? Are you scared of him?"

Griffith was instantly incensed, thinking, would he fear Richard Shaw? Damn it, it was exhausting. He felt like his little cabbage was being uprooted by a pig, and the pig was even an enemy.

Seeing him at a loss for words, Leah smiled and said, "I think you’re hitting menopause; perhaps you should see a doctor. Or you could find me a sister-in-law. I’ll keep sleeping, and you work hard to find me a sister-in-law, okay?"

After saying that, Leah quickly hung up the phone, turned it off, and patted her chest with a sigh of relief. So close. Griffith was becoming increasingly authoritarian, managing every little thing.

The Warlord’s leader, after being hung up on, was speechless and felt his wickedly handsome face grow stormy enough to drip water. This ungrateful girl hadn’t learned her lesson the first time and was falling for it again. How could that kid from the Howard Family not know how to court a woman, yet let Richard Shaw make a move?

With a grim face, Griffith spat curses from the Shaw family to the Howard family. His aides, seeing this, shrank their heads and stood outside like ice statues in the early morning.

Cornelius Turner also arrived in Brocade City recently, partly to report on the reorganization and partly to check the city’s safety metrics. As soon as he poked his head in, Griffith caught him, "Cornelius, what are you sneakily doing so early?"

Cornelius handed over the invitation he held, saying, "An invitation from the Seymour family for Mr. Seymour’s 80th birthday, inviting Miss Aurora Coldwell."

Seeing Griffith waiting with his peach blossom eyes unblinking for the follow-up, Cornelius’ heart skipped a beat as he quickly added, "No invitation for you. Boss, I just remembered I need to check on the soldiers’ training."

And with that, Cornelius fled swiftly.

Griffith picked up the invitation, crumpled it without even looking, and sneered. Did they think he was dead? Before he could throw away the paper ball, Aurora descended from upstairs, handing her phone to him and saying, "The Seymour family sent an invite for Mr. Seymour’s 80th birthday, inviting many prestigious families from Brocade City, including me."

Griffith: "..."

The wickedly handsome man, having just finished his early training, wore only a vest and cotton trousers. His strong, sexy physique was well-defined, with beads of sweat remaining from exercise, exuding a mature and lethal masculinity.

Aurora, after a glance, felt her cheeks heat up. This man was like a dangerous poppy, wickedly intense. No wonder Brooke Coldwell tried so hard to seduce Griffith.

Having spent so much time with him, Aurora knew many of his dealings were borderline and very risky. She wanted to persuade him to stop, especially since she held many shares that could ensure him a comfortable life. Yet, she felt this man was born for such a noteworthy life.

Perhaps this was what made Griffith uniquely irresistible.

"Do you want to go?" Griffith’s words of refusal spun on his tongue before he swallowed them, casting a glance at her pale face, hidden from sunlight for so long, sparking a twinge of pity. Since returning to Brocade City, she confined herself to the Coldwell home, not meeting anyone. Over time, it would lead to depression. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

The man couldn’t help but change his mind, speaking in a deep, seductive voice, "If you want to go, I’ll accompany you."

Aurora hesitated. Mr. Seymour had always been a kind old man to her, treating her well during her visits to the Seymour family. Even when she was sent to Florence, he had sent gifts while ill.

Mr. Seymour was not in good health, often bedridden. Now in his advanced age, every meeting could be the last.

"Would it be too much trouble to go?" Aurora asked hesitantly. Even though she was staying in the Coldwell home, she knew the outside situation wasn’t great. Griffith had angered the masses, and her stepmother, the Kingston Family, along with the Seymour Family, weren’t fond of him.

"Then we’ll go, no trouble at all." Griffith’s fingers ran through her dark hair, a doting smile on his lips. "The Seymour family seems to be setting a trap; it’s time to make them kneel and call me ’Daddy.’"

Aurora was dazzled by his devilishly handsome smile, eyes lowering bashfully as her heart raced.

The invitation from the Seymour family had arrived the day before, evidently intending to catch them off guard. Griffith, busy with the banquet preparations, had no time to call Leah. Instead, he messaged her to return to Delphine’s place, threatening to come to the Imperial City to break Richard Shaw’s leg if she didn’t.

Despite contemplating, Griffith couldn’t quell his inner fury, resolving to deal with the Seymour family before dragging Leah back for a lesson, not trusting the men outside.

By the following afternoon, Cornelius arrived to report that everything for the Seymour banquet was set, and Griffith lazily rose, donning a finely tailored long coat so handsome it elicited screams, taking Aurora to attend the event.