Jessy didn't care much about why the students had been staring at her. She promptly returned to the Blue Sea Residence, heading toward her new home—the second villa from the massive estate that looked just like a castle.
I wonder how rich someone has to be to build a literal castle by the sea, she thought, walking straight through her front door.
Once inside, a brilliant smile lit up her face. "Mmmm, this is beautiful. I love it. I was treated like trash by the people I thought were my family, and then they kicked me out. Ha! Now, I don't have to pretend anymore. I can visit auction halls, browse the black markets, and carry out my missions freely."
She put on one of her favorite songs, "Best Days Are Yet to Come," letting the music fill the space as she unpacked and arranged her things. The villa was soon illuminated with warm light. Feeling relaxed, she prepared a batch of pancakes and blended some fresh fruit juice.
All she needed now was a warm bath. After finishing her meal, she took a shower, changed into a flowing nightdress, and stepped out onto the balcony with her flute.
A gentle wind was blowing, its current heading out toward the open sea. As the hem of her gown swayed in the breeze, Jessy raised the flute to her lips. The melody that drifted into the night air was cool, peaceful, and hauntingly beautiful.
Nearby, neighbors paused to listen. It was a song of pure freedom—like the melody of a creature that had spent its entire life in a cage and had finally broken free.
Jessy played without a care in the world. She was happy and at peace, fully aware now that she was completely alone in this world—like a solitary gazelle in a jungle full of predators. Yet, she felt no fear. She was entirely determined to build her own empire.
Finishing the final note, she picked up a glass of red wine from the table beside her. She took a slow sip, letting the liquid warm her throat.
"Cheers to my new life in the Imperial City," she whispered to the open air. "Everything good and positive belongs to me now."
It sounded ambitious, perhaps even a little greedy, but it was the only thing she could wish for. She knew nothing about her mother's background or where she had originally come from. Just yesterday, she had been handed a jade pendant—the only inheritance her mother had left behind. Jessy had a sharp eye for gold, silver, and precious gems; the moment she saw the jade, she knew it was incredibly rare and valuable.
She also knew her mother's death hadn't been natural. Her mother had loved life and had desperately wanted to grow old enough to see her future grandchildren. Now that Jessy could look back at the facts clearly, she suspected foul play. Her mother might have been poisoned. She had been brilliant at business, which was the sole reason the Adams family had risen to glory in City K.
Jessy remembered asking her once, "Mommy, how do you know so much about our business operations?"
"Darling, it's just common sense," her mother had replied with a gentle, shielding lie. "Your mother didn't even go to school and came from humble soil. You will grow up to be just like me."
Thinking about it now, Jessy realized her mother had been hiding a massive secret from both her and the Adams family. It was astonishing that the Adams clan had remained completely ignorant of her mother's true origins.
Not far away...
"Hey, did you hear that?" a neighbor asked, stepping out onto a nearby terrace.
"I think that empty villa has finally been occupied. Whoever bought it must be incredibly wealthy."
"They bought the property right next to the Young Master. I bet it's another prominent heir."
"Mmh. Even though we're considered wealthy, we can't compete with whoever is living in that estate."
"I absolutely love the sound of that flute," another added, sighing softly. "There's so much mystery in it. The player sounds sad yet triumphant. It's like someone who lost all hope, right before a sudden light came to banish their darkness."
"Yoh, big sister, don't get so emotional. Let's go say hi to them tomorrow." They bid each other goodnight and went inside.
Meanwhile, a sleek car drove slowly up the private road leading from the castle. The night was dead silent, save for the enchanting melody of the flute.
Behind the wheel, Edward frowned as the music reached his ears. He hadn't known anyone could play the flute with such flawless perfection. Even world-renowned musicians couldn't breathe that level of raw intensity into a piece. Was this a hidden genius, or simply someone playing for leisure?
Edward parked and walked out onto his own balcony. The biting cold of the night air nipped at his skin, but he didn't move an inch. The melody drifting from the neighboring villa was utterly haunting. It sounded like a bird that had finally found the key to its cage—fearless, lonely, and breathtakingly beautiful.
"Who is she?" he whispered into the wind.
"Brother?" Edmond stepped out behind him, his eyes glued to a tablet screen.
"The villa was sold to an anonymous buyer," Edmond reported, tapping the glass. "The system is protected by a firewall so thick that even our top hackers can't breach it. They're calling the owner 'Unknown'."
Edward's grip tightened on the stone railing. A mysterious neighbor with a soul-stirring melody and a digital firewall capable of blocking the Gray family's assets? The Blue Sea Residence was about to get very interesting.
"I thought that villa was supposed to remain empty indefinitely?" Edward asked, his voice low.
"Yes, brother. It has been vacant since construction ended, and I was actually planning to buy it myself," Edmond replied. "Give me ten minutes, I'll keep digging."
Ten minutes later, Edmond let out a sharp chuckle. "Haha! Brother, the official registry name is literally 'Unknown,' and this person is legally and rightfully the sole owner of the estate."
Edward closed his eyes and leaned back into his outdoor seat. "Let's go. The others are waiting for us at Greenlight Restaurant."
Though his eyes remained closed as they drove, Edward's mind refused to let go of the mystery. He needed to know who was living in that villa. He couldn't explain it, but an intense curiosity had taken root.
Perhaps an enemy bought the property to orchestrate an assassination, he reasoned. Or perhaps they know I am a lover of flute music and are using it to lower my guard. If so... they think far too highly of themselves.
A few minutes later, at Greenlight Restaurant...
"Hey! Over here, Edward, Edmond!" a voice called out as the four friends waved them over.
"It's a miracle to see you out tonight, Edward. What changed?" Carl asked with a grin.
"Hey, how is everything? Is this old man still single?" Lee chimed in, laughing.
"Look who's talking," Drake smirked. "The only thing you know how to do is interrogate others about their love lives. What about you?"
"Bros, when have I ever been single?" Lee asked, tossing his hair with a proud look. "I was only two years old when ladies started disrupting my peaceful childhood."
"Are you admitting that your stamina has dropped and your libido is low now?" Carl teased, bursting into laughter.
"Hey, why are you attacking me? Is it my fault that I'm the most handsome and charming guy in this room? Look at those two," Lee pointed dramatically toward the brothers. "Would any lady dare approach such stone-faced humans?"
"Are we actually here to drink, or are we just listening to Lee ramble?" Edmond interrupted dryly.
Edward rolled his eyes at the display and quietly took a seat.
Lee turned to the waitstaff, giving a charming wink. "Beautiful ladies, come closer. Just make sure you aren't wearing any suffocating perfumes. Take a bath, and please, don't be tacky when it comes to seduction."
As the young master of the Ming family, Lee was notorious as the imperial city's legendary playboy.
"It's been a long time since we gathered like this," Carl said, raising his glass. "It feels refreshing. Just like when we were young."
"What's the difference?" Lee scoffed playfully. "Carl, you still barely talk. Drake still likes to drink himself into a stupor and chase one-night stands. George is still a total mama's boy. Edmond is cold and distant, and Edward over there is an absolute block of ice. He just sits there and nods like some great ancient sage or a God of Ice. Completely unapproachable!"
Drake laughed, leaning forward. "Haha! Let me ask you this, since we're all in our thirties except for Edmond. Edward, are you genuinely not attracted to women at all?"
"Yeah, tell us the truth, bro. We'll support you either way," Carl added. "If it's a man, just point him out and we'll bring him to your bed."
Edmond spoke up, a smirk playing on his lips. "You guys are naive. My brother likes women. It's just that ten years ago, he met a girl when he was severely injured. He couldn't see her face, but he's been looking for her ever since."
"Whoa, love at first sight?" Drake asked, intrigued.
"How could it be at first sight if he doesn't even know what she looks like?" Carl pointed out.
The table erupted into laughter.
"Are you all going to sit here and gossip about me while I am right in front of you?" a deep, ice-cold voice sliced through the banter.
Lee immediately cleared his throat. "No, no, of course not. Let's drink, guys!"
"So all this time you've been harboring a secret romance and we had no idea?" George asked, amazed.
"We should definitely help you find this girl," Carl offered.
"Our future sister-in-law might already be taken by someone else by now. That's not fair to our brother," Drake added.
"Well, from what I gather, she was just a little girl back then," Edmond clarified with a serious expression. "Based on the timeline, she should be around nineteen to twenty-one years old now."
Drake and Carl instantly choked on their drinks. "What?!"
Edward didn't deny it. A rare trace of sadness flickered across his handsome features. "Yes. My little girl. Even though I have traced her up to a certain point, she was very young when I heard her voice. I've searched everywhere, but I still can't find her."
She was his ultimate regret. She had been the very first girl to make his heart race, even while he was bleeding out from his injuries. He truly wished he could find his little bride.
"Ah, speaking of tracking people down—Ghost is officially in the Imperial City," Carl noted, changing the subject to business.
"The latest intel from the dark web confirms that Ghost took a flight here," Edmond added, pulling out his phone and sliding it across the table. "But right after landing, they completely vanished from the radar. They did, however, leave a encrypted message on the server."
Drake leaned in, reading the text displayed on Edmond's screen: 'Going to school. Don't disturb unless it's fun.'
"Is Ghost serious?" Drake stared in disbelief. "The most dangerous, lethal entity on the dark web is... taking midterms?"
"Maybe they're the principal," Lee joked, though his playful eyes turned incredibly sharp. "Or maybe 'Ghost' is much younger than any of us ever anticipated."
Edward didn't join in on the laughter. His mind instantly flashed to the eighteen-year-old girl his brother had mentioned earlier—the monster genius, Jessy Williams. Could it be? No. That was too impossible.
"The real question is, which school? And what level?" Edmond pondered aloud.
"Check every flight manifest that landed in the Imperial City this morning," Edward commanded coldly. "Flag anyone who looks even remotely suspicious. That will be our ghost."
"But how will we know if we're looking for a man or a woman?" Lee asked, scratching his head.
"Yeah," Drake agreed. "The hacker handles the alias 'Beauty Queen,' yet everyone assumes Ghost is a man. It's the perfect camouflage."
Author Notes & Shout-outs
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