For the past week or so, the biggest news in Aethelburg had been the attack on Mr.
Ashworth.
No one knew his current condition, as the Ashworth Family had imposed a complete information blackout.
The atmosphere throughout Aethelburg was somewhat oppressive, like the calm before a storm.
“Dad, the rumors outside are running rampant.
Third Brother has already locked down all information.
What should we do next?” Chester Ashworth asked, leaning back on the sofa as he looked at Mr.
Ashworth.
“Seraphina, what do you think?” Mr.
Ashworth sat beside Seraphina Ashworth, his sharp, dark eyes fixed on his granddaughter as he slowly stroked his beard with one hand.
“Hmm…” Seraphina Ashworth pursed her red lips.
Her gaze swept over the members of the Ashworth Family watching her.
Tapping her fingers on the arm of the sofa, she said, “The time is about right.
The Winters Family and the Montague Family won’t make any rash moves for now.
I plan to set a trap.
We’ll release news that I’ve been ambushed, gravely injured, and need to go abroad for treatment.”
Hearing this, Sylvia Blaine furrowed her elegant brows.
She looked up at her daughter and asked, “Seraphina, why would you do that?”
“The Ashworth Family is a tall tree that catches the wind.
Our hidden enemies are all waiting for the right moment to strike.
I plan to operate from behind the scenes, and I might be leaving for a while.” Seraphina Ashworth’s gaze fell to the coffee table.
Her quiet words stunned everyone in the Ashworth Family.
Paul Ashworth was the first to react.
He quickly asked, “Seraphina, you just got back!
Why are you leaving again so soon?”
“It’s nothing.
My master wants to take me out for some training,” Seraphina Ashworth said lightly, a brow raised as she glanced back at Paul Ashworth.
“Then, Seraphina, when will you be back?” Cecilia Ashworth asked, running over to grab Seraphina Ashworth’s sleeve with a forlorn expression.
Cecilia Ashworth’s question voiced what everyone in the Ashworth Family was thinking.
They knew Seraphina Ashworth was precocious and not like other children, but they were still worried and couldn’t bear to see her go.
She was the youngest in the Ashworth Family, at an age when she should have been willful, yet her maturity was heartbreaking.
“Heh.” Seraphina Ashworth reached out and poked Cecilia Ashworth’s dimple, smiling faintly.
“That’s hard to say.
Don’t look so sad.
I’ll come back often, and I’ll even bring you presents.
Come on, give me a smile.”
Seeing the heavy expressions on her family’s faces, Seraphina Ashworth raised a brow and said in a relaxed tone, “Don’t worry, everyone.
I’ll come back safe and sound.”
“You have to be careful, and come back as soon as you can…” The Ashworth Family members all chimed in with their concerns.
Seraphina Ashworth listened attentively, nodding with a faint smile in response.
“Sir, there are three people outside looking for the Fifth Miss,” Alfred said as he walked in from outside.
“They say their names are Hayden, Abigail, and Lily.”
As soon as Seraphina Ashworth heard this, she immediately realized it must be her other three protectors.
“Alfred, bring them in quickly.”
“Yes, miss.”
“Seraphina, who are they?” The Ashworth Family grew curious, noticing Seraphina Ashworth’s rare display of emotion.
“People sent by my master.
They’re also good companions of mine,” Seraphina Ashworth said, quickly coming up with an excuse.
“Oh, I see.”
When Alfred led the three inside, Seraphina Ashworth recognized them instantly.
There was no doubt—their faces were exactly the same.
These were her other three protectors, her closest companions.
When the three walked in and saw Seraphina Ashworth, their eyes welled up with tears.
With a THUD, they half-knelt on the ground, their voices trembling with emotion.
“We are late.”
Seraphina Ashworth stood up and walked over to them.
A gentle smile touched her lips as she said softly, “Get up.
I’ve told you before, there’s no need for this in front of me.”
“Yes, Mr.” The three stood up, their faces beaming with joy as they looked at Seraphina Ashworth.
“This is Hayden Ashworth, Abigail Ashworth, and Lily Ashworth.” Seraphina Ashworth turned to introduce them to her family.
“I have some things to discuss with them, so I’ll head back to my building first.”
“Alright,” Mr.
Ashworth said with a nod.
Seraphina Ashworth’s cool voice drifted over.
“Nina, look who’s here.”
“Abigail, Hayden, Lily, you’re—” Nina Ashworth came out of the kitchen.
When she saw the three of them, she froze.
She blinked her wide eyes, seemingly in disbelief, looking comically stunned.
“Nina, why are you just staring blankly at me?” Abigail Ashworth walked over to Nina Ashworth, gently pinching her cheek, his eyes full of mirth and longing.
“That’s right, Nina.
You saw us, but you called out to your sweetheart first before calling us.
You’ve really broken our hearts,” Lily Ashworth teased with a smile, looking at her sister’s dazed and adorable expression.
‘It’s so good,’ she thought.
‘The four of us are finally reunited, and we’ve seen Mr.
again.’
Instantly, the still-dazed Nina Ashworth snapped back to reality, her face flushing red in an instant.
“Miss, Lily is teasing me again.”
“Is that so?
I think Lily has a point,” Seraphina Ashworth said with great interest, a delicate eyebrow raised.
“Lily, aren’t you and Hayden just as inseparable?” Abigail Ashworth couldn’t bear to see his little woman looking so down.
He ruffled Nina Ashworth’s hair, pulled her down to sit on the sofa, and looked up at Lily and Hayden Ashworth to deliver his calm counterattack.
Choked up by Abigail Ashworth’s retort, Lily Ashworth stopped teasing Nina Ashworth.
She knew that Abigail Ashworth was a classic Smiling Tiger; you never knew when he’d get you, and you wouldn’t even see it coming.
Seraphina Ashworth sat on the sofa, watching the four of them bicker.
‘This familiar feeling… it’s been a long time.’ In their last life, Nina Ashworth and Abigail Ashworth were a couple, as were Lily Ashworth and Hayden Ashworth.
If it hadn’t been for that final, mutual destruction at the cliff’s edge, they would have already been married.
“By the way, Lily, how did you all end up together?”
“Well, it’s a long story.
Abigail and I were reborn into the bodies of children who had died in an orphanage.
I’m 13 now, Abigail is 15, and Hayden is 16.
Hayden was injured while escaping from an assassin organization when we found him.
After that, we all stayed at the orphanage together.
A few days ago, we saw the missing person ad in the newspaper with our old names and the unique code for the Valley of Shades, so we came looking.” During her explanation, Lily Ashworth glossed over many details, only hitting the main points.
Seraphina Ashworth’s expression darkened.
She looked at Hayden Ashworth.
“An assassin organization?”
“Yes.
When I was reborn, I was already on that island.
It’s called the Nameless Isle.
Its location is extremely secret.
I only had the chance to escape because I was sent out on a mission with some others from the island,” Hayden Ashworth said this nonchalantly, his face expressionless.
Seraphina Ashworth lowered her eyelids, hiding her thoughts.
Hayden Ashworth and the other three didn’t say much, simply watching her.
After a long moment, Seraphina Ashworth looked up and said, “It’s time for us to start building our power base.
We leave tomorrow.
First, we’ll go to the Amazon Rainforest for some training to get our old skills back.
Then, we’ll take on the Nameless Isle and turn it into our headquarters.” ‘I was just looking for a good, secret place to set up a headquarters,’ she thought.
‘Since the Nameless Isle touched one of my people, they’ll have to pay with the entire island.’ A bloodthirsty glint flashed in Seraphina Ashworth’s eyes.
“Yes, Mr.!” The four of them felt their blood boil with excitement.
It was as if they had returned to the days of building their power with their Mr.
This was their Mr., their one and only faith.