Ch. 1621..1630

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1621

Do You Know Who Kurt Is

“What?”

Vivian raised her head abruptly in shock.

Of course, there was also a trace of joy hidden deep in her eyes.

Jason turned his head to the side and explained awkwardly, “I-I mean, I can take you home to stay for one night. Just say that my father invited you over. This way, your daddy won't suspect anything.”

Vivian was enraptured internally.

She did not care about the reason, for she just wanted him to bring her home.

After school in the evening, Vivian was prepared to go back with Jason.

When Sam saw it, he advised anxiously, “Ms. Vivian, Mr. Frost said that this person's family is very dangerous. It's risky for you to go to his home impulsively.”

“Sam, I came here to get close to that woman. Now that I finally have the opportunity, I must go. How about this? Give Mr. Frost a call. He will know what to do.”

With that, she waved her hand and left with Jason.

As a matter of fact, her decision to stay the night at the royal residence that day was the right thing to do. It had nothing to do with the timing. After all, Daphne carried all the secrets, so she had to go there sooner or later in order to uncover them.

To her surprise, Jason did not bring her back to the royal residence. Instead, he took her to his own villa.

“Vivian, you will stay here tonight.”

He brought her in and pointed to the villa that seemed desolate.

Vivian was baffled.

Really? This awful place? How am I supposed to get close to that woman like this? Besides, it's not like I really want to stay at his place!

Although she was seething with rage, there was nothing she could do.

Since she had made up an excuse and was brought there by Jason, she could only stay for the night and then report her current situation to Sam.

Sam breathed a sigh of relief when he received her text.

He immediately reported to Karl. Naturally, his tone no longer carried a hint of urgency but rather an extra touch of nonchalance.

Upon receiving his update, Karl did not make any further arrangements, merely instructing Sam to look out for her.

On that night, Jason did not leave and stayed at the villa with Vivian.

After coming out of the bathroom wearing only a bathrobe, Vivian was surprised to see that Jason was still around. In fact, he was playing video games in the living room downstairs.

She was so shocked that she quickly held her bathrobe and stepped back. “P-Prince Jason, you're still here?”

When the prince heard her voice, he looked up and was greeted by a pair of fair, slender legs upstairs.

Raising his gaze further, he caught sight of her slim waistline. He could not believe that the girl who looked unattractive in a school uniform could have such an enticing figure when dressed in a thin bathrobe.

The moment his eyes fell upon her cleavage that the thin cloth failed to cover, Jason gulped so loud that he could hear it himself.

Gulp!

Face flushing with anger and embarrassment, Vivian grabbed her bathrobe tightly and turned around to return to her room.

However, a person appeared out of nowhere, standing in her way.

“You have a pretty nice body.”

The person was decked out in a long black lace dress with her long hair tied in an updo. After checking Vivian out, she crinkled her green eyes in a smile.

Daphne!

Terror-stricken, Vivian took a big step back.

“W-Why are you here?”

“What kind of question is that? This is my son's villa. Why can't I be here?” Daphne asked in return.

All of a sudden, she directed her gaze at her son, who was staring back at her in shock downstairs. “Jason, I think you're right. It might be a good idea to marry Yariel's daughter,” she remarked.

Jason was dumbfounded.

“Mother, w-what are you talking about? Marry who?”

“Her. Remember when you argued with me a few days ago, and I forbid you from associating yourself with this girl? Didn't you question me why you can't marry the daughter of the Jadesons? Now that I think about it, what you said actually made sense,” Daphne casually explained to Jason.

Vivian was utterly petrified.

“What are you talking about? How could I possibly marry him?”

“Why not? Haven't you been pestering my son for the past two days? Now that you have my blessing, shouldn't you be happy?”

Like before, Daphne swept her snake-like gaze across Vivian's body.

Out of nowhere, she tugged off her bathrobe in front of her son.

“Argh!” Vivian shrieked.

“Don't worry, young lady. As long as you become my daughter-in-law, I will not mistreat you. I initially thought you were together with Kaiden. Now that that's not the case, things are easier now,” Daphne replied, leaning over to admire Vivian's flawless skin that she forcefully unveiled.

While she was smiling in delight, Vivian was shaking like a leaf.

Grabbing her bathrobe back from Daphne forcefully, Vivian suppressed her fear and regained her composure to ask, “What are you talking about? Who's Kaiden?”

“It's the young man who came with you that day. Don't you know that he's the sixteenth son of the king of Elysium? His name is Kaiden, a child who should have been executed long ago!”

What?

Vivian was in disbelief.

Kurt is from Elysium, and he's the son of their king! How did this happen?

Unfortunately, she did not have the time to mull over it because a strong fragrance wafted into her nose, and her consciousness soon began to slip away.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1622

A Shocking Experience

Panic washed over Vivian. Her body trembled non-stop as she clutched her bathrobe.

“What… what are you doing? I'm warning you—if you… harm me, my daddy… He will never forgive you!” she warned in a loud voice.

However, Daphne did not take her seriously at all.

“Don't worry. Your daddy will be delighted. Didn't he allow you to study in Regalius Academy so that you could marry into the royal family? You two are a match made in heaven!”

Wearing a smug smile, she grabbed the young woman's wrist.

When she was about to drag her to the bedroom and have her son force himself upon her, someone suddenly barged in from outside.

“What do you think you're doing? Let go of Ms. Vivian!”

The person turned out to be Vivian's bodyguard, Sam, who came in at the most critical juncture.

Under Daphne's grip, Vivian shouted at her bodyguard with utmost desperation, “Sam, save me!”

In an instant, Sam bolted up the stairs.

“How dare you harm Ms. Vivian. You must have a death wish!” He quickly pulled out a dagger and slashed at Daphne's wrist.

Daphne's eyes widened in shock. She actually came over with a bodyguard? Could it be that someone is onto me? And it's her father?

The woman was surprisingly clever. She realized a bigger plot was afoot just from Sam's sudden appearance and his harsh words.

Immediately after she understood the situation, her green eyes gleamed menacingly.

To her, the head of the Jadesons was far more terrifying than Elysium.

Seeing that Sam was nearing her, she quickly put an object on her lips and let out a sharp whistling noise.

Hiss!

Still being seized by her, Vivian suddenly heard another hissing noise that sounded creepy enough to send shivers down her spine.

What's that thing?

She quickly turned her head toward the source of the noise, and Sam did the same.

The sight of the creatures slithering in from outside the villa caused their jaws to drop.

“Snakes! Snakes!” Vivian screamed in fright.

Those were the creatures that Vivian feared the most. As long as it could slither, she would be horrified whenever she saw it.

Sam was taken aback as well.

However, as a bodyguard trained in SteelFort, he regained his composure after a brief moment of panic. He then made the swift decision to rescue Vivian, who was still screaming.

However, when he got to the landing, Daphne stared at him with her green eyes while still clutching Vivian's wrist.

“Are you sure you want to save her?”

Sam did not reply.

“After all these years of servitude and subservience, do you think it's fair? You've been by their side, but have you been rewarded for your efforts? Hmm?”

Daphne was like an enchantress.

The eye contact between her and him lasted for just a second, and Vivian noticed that his gaze had changed.

“Sam! Sam!” she immediately screamed his name uncontrollably.

Unfortunately, her desperate cries fell on deaf ears.

Her bodyguard, who was supposed to rescue her, slowly lowered his dagger after Daphne uttered those words.

“Fair?” Sam asked while staring blankly ahead.

“Yes. Fair.” Daphne nodded bewitchingly. “Think about it. What do you want? Did you get it in the end? Why didn't you get it? Who was it given to?”

Sam said nothing.

Daphne was indeed the former high priest.

Her prowess in hypnosis was probably better than the top psychologists in the world.

However, psychologists used science, while she probably used some wicked items because Vivian quickly smelled the strong fragrance again.

In a state of despair, the young woman watched as the snakes slithered up the stairs to bite Sam to death while she herself was dragged into the bedroom, where she would lose her innocence.

Suddenly, something came flying in from outside the villa.

Crash!

With a shrill sound, a sharp object shattered the glass window in the living room to pieces and flew straight toward Daphne.

The woman's eyes widened in shock. The dire situation did not permit her the leisure to think. When the sharp object was about to stab into her chest, she had no choice but to let go of Vivian to dodge aside.

“Sam! Sam!”

Finally freed from her grasp, Vivian lost her balance and fell to the ground. Raising her head, she called out to her hypnotized bodyguard again.

However, it was futile.

At that moment, there was movement outside the villa again.

Hiss!

It was a whistling sound, louder and sharper than before, resembling the sound of a sword whizzing past the air that broke the silence of the serene night.

To the shock of those inside the villa, the bed of venomous snakes retreated down the stairs like the tide.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1623

He Arrived

While Vivian gaped in shock, Daphne's face became as pale as a sheet of paper.

Who on earth was that? How could they know about the Elysium snake whistle? It's supposed to be a secret technique amongst the high priests!

Daphne quickly placed two fingers in her mouth as she intended to summon the snakes back here.

At that moment, the piercing whistle that echoed in the air faded into silence. Amidst the horde of snakes, a tall young man emerged with a torch in his hand.

Immediately, Daphne felt a sense of total despair. I can't believe Kaiden himself has arrived at the scene.

“W-What are you doing? I'm warning you; snakes are regarded as Elysium's ancient ancestors. If you burn them, you'll never be able to reincarnate from the afterlife!” she shrieked at him like a banshee.

Even so, the young man did not even bat an eyelid. He merely tossed the fiery torch into the swarming horde of snakes before drawing a bow from behind his back.

Though the black bow looked nothing out of the ordinary, the nocked arrow caught everyone's attention.

The bright red color of the arrow made it appear as if it had been soaked in blood.

Utterly shell-shocked, Vivian could only watch on with her jaw hanging open.

“Ancestors? You must be joking! You guys sentenced me to death when I was ten years old. Right now, the man standing in front of you is Kurt from SteelFort. I have already reincarnated from my past life.” Without warning, Kurt drew back the string of his bow.

Promptly, a look of unadulterated fear painted Daphne's face. In haste, she whirled around and tried to run for her life.

Alas, she was one step too late.

Whoosh!

Kurt's blood arrow shot through the air, leaving behind a mesmerizing red arc before burying itself in Daphne's chest.

“Argh!” Daphne's pained scream echoed across the entire villa. It was so loud that everyone in the villa could hear her wailing in agony.

Vivian felt as if her entire mind had gone blank. Her legs gave way as she collapsed to the floor. In a daze, Vivian watched as Daphne crumpled to the ground with the arrow still pierced into her chest.

When Kurt saw this, a haze of murderous rage filled his eyes. Slowly, he retrieved a second arrow from his quiver.

Today, I'm going to destroy this evil hag until there's nothing left of her but bones and ashes.

However, just as he drew his bow taut, a figure darted forward to block his path.

“Don't kill my mom!”

Jason had woken up right before Kurt could release his arrow.

Kurt narrowed his eyes sharply. When he recalled the photographs he saw earlier, an ominous aura of bloodlust seemed to surge from his body. Not only did he not lower his bow, Kurt merely drew the string back even further.

“Then the both of you can perish together,” he said in a low voice.

Out of the blue, Daphne screamed, “Kaiden, stop this instance! I-If you kill my son, don't even think of reuniting with your mom and sister ever again!”

This shocking news came out of nowhere, hitting Kurt like a truck.

Immediately, Kurt's eyes widened when he heard Daphne reveal such a secret.

Gradually, he lowered his bow. My mom and sister are still alive?

The more Kurt thought about this, the more agitated he became. Even his breathing had taken on a more erratic rhythm. Upon hearing this sudden news, Kurt felt his icy mask of nonchalance crackle open, revealing his vulnerable emotions.

Yet, his dark eyes were filled with turmoil.

As Kurt glared at Daphne, she found herself trembling in fear.

It had been a long time since Kurt last thought about his family.

“That's right, Prince Kurt. Your mom and sister are still alive. When you were sentenced to death, the King spared their lives. But because of you, they were imprisoned in the River of Styx. As long as you spare us both, I will free your family. Aside from the high priests, no one else can enter the River of Styx.”

Finally, Daphne managed to calm Kurt down.

Ignoring the stinging pain of her wound, Daphne kneeled before Kurt and implored him to be merciful. Her groveling was a stark contrast to her arrogant demeanor just moments earlier.

Earlier, she had addressed Kurt by his rightful title.

Kurt's title as a prince was bestowed on him because of his position as the son of Elysium's leader. Aside from him, no ordinary citizen could claim such a grand title as their own.

Although Elysium was often criticized for its old-fashioned system, its citizens still insisted on obeying its strict hierarchy.

Despite living in the twenty-first century, they still operated in a feudal system. Elysium's tribe leader was crowned as their King, who had a harem of women in his palace. Hence, the King's many children were given the titles of princes or princesses.

Hence, Kurt's status as a prince would have been revered amongst the Elysium tribe.

However, unlike Daphne, Kurt could not care less about his title. In his eyes, it was nothing more but a pathetic joke.

Daphne continued to kneel respectfully at Kurt's feet as she waited for his reply.

All around them, silence blanketed the villa.

The atmosphere was quiet save for the soft crackle of the fire and the sharp hisses of the poisonous snakes being burnt alive.

Even the air had become eerily still.

As time continued to pass by, Kurt remained entirely motionless. His entire body had become so stiff that one might have confused him for a marble statue.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1624

Tight Embrace

On the other side, their conversation riveted Vivian to her spot.

The fogginess in her mind had begun to fade away. But when she heard Daphne's words, it felt as though her entire brain turned blank once again.

Prince Kurt? What does that mean? Why did that woman call him a prince?

Vivian became even more confused when she saw how Daphne was kneeling respectfully in front of Kurt.

Didn't Great-grandpa rescue Kurt from poverty? How did he suddenly become a prince? Also, what sort of place is Elysium?

In the span of a few seconds, Vivian's mind was thrust back into a state of chaos.

After around five minutes, Daphne's words seemed to have swayed Kurt. Slowly, he lowered his bow.

The corners of Daphne's mouth upturned into a smile.

“You'd better not be lying,” Kurt warned her.

“I will not back out on my promise. I solemnly swear that if I don't rescue Mrs. Calyette and your sister, I will pay for the price with my own eyesight. Furthermore, breaking my vow means I will be cursed to remain in the afterlife for eternity. I will not be able to reincarnate,” Daphne declared as she raised her right hand.

This vow was considered the highest form of binding that one could place on themselves.

After all, having good eyesight was one of the high priest's most important assets.

Without her eyesight, Daphne would be as good as dead.

Even so, Kurt continued to look at her with disdain. Clearly, he still did not completely trust Daphne.

If she ever goes back on her word, I will banish her from the cycle of reincarnation and make her regret that she was ever born!

In the end, Kurt decided to spare the mother and son duo.

When he lifted his head to glance at Vivian, he instantly noticed the look of shock scrawled all over her face.

Somehow, the sight of her surprise felt as if a knife shad stabbed through his heart.

In haste, Kurt scrambled toward her.

With a trembling voice, he asked Vivian, “A-Are you all right? Were you hurt?”

Despite his concern, Vivian showed no sign of response. Instead, she stared at him blankly. The empty look on her delicate features shattered Kurt's heart into tiny pieces.

Kurt clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles became bone white.

Quickly, he scanned her body to see if she had suffered any injuries. Throughout the entire ordeal, Vivian's bathrobe had fallen loose. Immediately, Kurt found his gaze drawn to her exposed skin. When realization dawned upon him, he quickly averted his eyes and shrugged off his hoodie. “Here, wear this.”

There was an indescribable feeling that lurked in his heart when he saw Vivian in this state.

It made him want to kill himself.

I wish I hadn't gotten so worked up over the pictures that they anonymously sent to me. I shouldn't have cared about the call to Mr. Hayes, too. This way, Vivian wouldn't have suffered such shock and mistreatment.

Throughout her life, everyone treated her like a precious princess. As a result, Vivian developed a pure and innocent demeanor.

Kurt pulled his hoodie over Vivian's head before giving her an apologetic look. “I'm sorry… I was too late.”

After what seemed like forever, Vivian finally broke free from her daze.

As her bright, beautiful eyes regained their original shine, Vivian stared at him and questioned, “T-Tell me, what is your relationship with them?”

“What?”

“Why did they talk about your mom and sister? Who on earth were they? Kurt, have they kidnapped your family? Why didn't you ever tell me about it? You shouldn't have let them escape. If you told Daddy about it, he could have helped you rescue your mom and sister!” Amidst her rambling, Vivian finally burst into tears.

As tears began to roll down her cheeks, Kurt realized she was in a daze earlier not because of fear, but because of her genuine concern toward him and his family.

Every question that slipped past her lips displayed her selfless care toward him.

Not expecting such a response, Kurt was stunned.

He stared at Vivian in shock and surprise. It felt as if something in his chest had cracked open when he heard Vivian's heartfelt concern. All of the emotions that he tried so hard to suppress had begun to resurface.

Overwhelmed by emotions, Kurt felt his hands tremble uncontrollably.

How could she be so foolish? Isn't she going to blame me for what had happened? She suffered such humiliation all because I was too narrow-minded. Isn't she even the slightest bit angry at me? This entire incident transpired because I had arrived too late to rescue her.

Immediately, Kurt's eyes reddened when he thought about the selfish behavior he had exhibited.

He hung his head low to avoid meeting Vivian's bright gaze. Although Kurt still maintained his icy demeanor, tears welled up in his eyes.

“Kurt?” Vivian called out as she brushed her tears away.

Much to her surprise, the young man kneeling in front of her suddenly opened his arms and yanked her into a tight embrace.

H-Huh? What's the matter with him?

The unexpected hug caused Vivian to cease her sobs. She could feel Kurt's trembling body pressed against hers when he hugged her.

When the sound of footsteps echoed in the distance, Kurt finally regained his senses. Then, realization dawned upon him, and he jerked backward as if he had been electrocuted, shoving Vivian away from him.

“Kurt, you—”

“Let's head back. I'll explain everything to you once we reach home. Since such a huge incident had happened, we should inform your dad about it first.” Kurt dared not to even look at Vivian as he spoke.

Without another word, he reached out and scooped her into his arms. Together, they left the villa.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1625

Explosive Anger

That night, Kurt brought Vivian safely back to the villa.

At the same time, Karl had also shown up. Karl had managed to rescue Sam from his hypnosis and brought the latter back. Once they reached the villa, they quickly notified Sebastion of the incident.

“Where is she?”

When Sebastian heard how Daphne almost killed his daughter, a murderous look flitted across his gaze.

“Kurt let her go unscathed… S-She brought up his family and used it to bargain for her life,” Karl explained hastily.

Before Sebastian could respond, the door to the room flung open as a young man walked in.

“Mr. Hayes, I'm so sorry.” Kurt made his way in front of the computer and fell to his knees. “It was due to my selfishness that I let her escape. This matter is wholly unrelated to Mr. Frost. Please punish me instead of him!”

When Sebastian saw the scene, he was so livid that the veins across his forehead bulged out.

Truthfully, he would never spare anyone who harmed Vivian. I've loved her ever since she was an infant. I can't believe that old hag dared to touch my precious daughter.

As Sebastian thought of this, a dark expression loomed across his face.

However, he tried to regain his composure by taking a deep breath. Looking at Kurt, he asked, “You knew about her identity way before this incident occurred?”

“Yes…”

“When did you find out?” Even through the screen, Kurt could feel the weight of Sebastian's words. The latter's icy tone seemed to exert an invisible pressure on his shoulders.

Kurt ducked his head and replied shakily, “Just before I left the Royal Academy in my second year.” He had gone so pale that even his lips lost all color.

“What? In your second year?” Sebastian exploded in a fit of fury.

This brat knew about it so early on? Why didn't he tell me about it? Does he know that a disaster almost happened?

Sebastian's ferocious scowl deepened even further. “Kurt, do you understand the consequences of your actions? I was the one who adopted you. All these years, I have raised you to become the man you are today. Is SteelFort nothing but a pawn that you can use as you please?” he asked in an icy tone.

“No!” Kurt's head shot up in panic.

That's not true at all!

When they met gazes through the screen, Sebastian noticed that Kurt had become teary-eyed.

“Mr. Hayes, I have never thought of SteelFort in that manner. I-I chose not to inform you about it because I was afraid of causing you more trouble. Besides, I never want to contact them again.”

“Did you know that things could have been disastrous all because you withheld this information from me? I can't believe you didn't tell me that Daphne is a high priest from Elysium. Did you know why I allowed Vivian to get close to her?” Sebastian snapped.

Sebastian's question was only met with silence from Kurt's end.

“I wanted to investigate the reason behind your brother's death. If you had told me about Daphne's identity earlier, I would have kept Vivian out of her clutches. Also, I would even go as far as to offer you the same protection against Daphne! Do you understand how badly you've messed up?” Sebastian roared.

This was the first time anyone saw Sebastian lose his cool.

Ever since the great war ended, Sebastian always kept his emotions in check. Although he would get angry, he never failed to maintain his composure at all times.

It was not until today that Kurt finally witnessed Sebastian losing his temper.

Faced with Sebastian's explosive fury, Kurt was so scared that his entire body froze up.

Though Kurt was someone unafraid of anything, his bottom lip trembled when Sebastian yelled at him. All of the blood had drained from his cheeks, making his skin appear almost gray in color.

“I'm sorry,” he whispered.

All of a sudden, Kurt broke down in tears.

Tears streamed down his cheeks as Kurt stared fearfully at Sebastian. For the first time in his life, he was so terrified that he ended up bawling like a newborn baby.

Despite his maturity, Kurt was still a child. “Mr. Hayes, I'm sorry…”

Repeatedly, he apologized to a stone-faced Sebastian.

Fortunately, Karl was also present. “Mr. Hayes, why don't you calm down? I believe Kurt didn't do it on purpose. If he knew the gravity of the situation, there is no doubt that he would have told you about it right away. We are both aware of his true nature.”

Ever since Karl took Kurt under his wing, he had never seen the young boy shed a tear. Upon seeing how Kurt openly cried his eyes out, Karl could not help but intervene out of pity.

Deep down, Sebastian was still fuming in anger.

However, he knew he should not direct all the blame onto Kurt's shoulders.

Most of it is my fault too. I was the one who came up with this master plan and unintentionally placed Vivian in grave danger because I overlooked Daphne's identity. I can never forgive that old hag!

In the end, Sebastian switched off his computer and holed himself in his room.

Outside the room, Sasha felt worried as she overheard the yells.

“Sebastian, what's the matter? Please open the door. I want to talk to you.” She spent several moments knocking on the door.

Fortunately, Sebastian's mood had taken a turn for the better. When he finally regained his composure, he quickly strode to the door and opened it to let Sasha in.

Upon seeing that Sebastian had calmed down, Sasha heaved out a heavy sigh of relief.

Yet, she quickly noticed the heavy stench of cigarettes in the air. When Sasha scanned the room, her gaze fell upon a small table by the window with an ashtray on it.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1626

Mistake

There were several cigarette butts in the ashtray.

Spotting that, Sasha pinched her brows together. When did he start smoking again? Didn't he quit for the sake of his health a long time ago?

Sasha felt her skin prickle uneasily.

“Sebastian, are you still angry about the incident involving Vivian? Don't overthink it, all right? After all, Vivian is safe and sound,” Sasha said in an attempt to comfort him.

Just as she spoke, Sebastian clenched his jaw. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he spat, “It was mere luck that kept Vivian out of harm's way.”

“Luck?” Sasha echoed in disbelief. “Even if Kurt hadn't arrived, Karl could have been there to save her. Sebastian, stop trying to shoulder everything alone. It would have been impossible for anyone to have perfect control over the situation.”

Although Sasha initially planned to comfort Sebastian, her words had the opposite effect on him.

“I could have done it in the past,” Sebastian retorted heatedly.

His curt reply stunned Sasha into complete silence.

“Have you forgotten about the past? I was the one who had planned every step of our journey. From the Jadesons up until Eddie, not once did my plans go awry,” Sebastian uttered.

For a few minutes, Sasha could only stand there in silence. Although she opened her mouth to say something, nothing came out.

She felt an icy chill skate down her spine. What is he trying to imply?

The room became so quiet that one could hear a pin drop. Sasha felt her heart leap to her throat.

“Are you hiding something from me?” Sebastian queried.

“W-What?”

“Was my brain damaged?” he continued, making sure to put a clear emphasis on every syllable.

Even so, Sasha kept her lips sealed.

On the second day, Vivian finally woke up.

Since she had experienced a severe shock to her nerves, Karl called over a doctor, who gave Vivian a mild sedative to calm her down.

As a result of the drug's effects, Vivian fell into a peaceful slumber.

After resting on her bed for a few more moments, she finally freshened up and changed into a fresh set of clothes.

When Vivian emerged from her room, she immediately sensed that something was amiss.

Quickly, she checked the room opposite hers. Much to her surprise, it was vacant.

“Julia, where is Kurt?” she asked.

However, Julia did not offer her a reply.

Instead, their conversation was interrupted by Karl, who strolled into the living room.

“Good morning, Vivi,” he greeted.

“Mr. Frost!” Vivian lit up and rushed downstairs. “You're here too. Do you know where Kurt is? I can't find him anywhere.”

It was not until Vivian was in front of him that Karl sighed heavily. “He went back.”

“Huh? Where did he go? Did he return to Atlantius?” she questioned, assuming Kurt had returned to school, but Karl shook his head.

“No, he has returned to the country. Kurt will probably not show up for the time being. Vivi, is it all right if I assign a new guard to you?”

The news of Kurt's return was like a bolt out of the blue.

Vivian, who had received this shocking news so early in the morning, felt as if her brain had short-circuited. Why is Kurt not going to show up? What does that even mean? Where did he go?

Vivian suddenly recalled an incident that had happened when she was twelve. Similarly, Kurt had vanished for three years. His disappearance had caused her to worry endlessly.

Vivian yelled at the top of her lungs, “No! I don't want a new guard! I only want Kurt! Where is he? Tell me where he is right now!”

“Vivi—”

“You aren't going to tell me? In that case, I'll go and look for him myself! Even if he has returned to Elysium, I will find him and bring him back.” Vivian spun on her heel and prepared to race back to her room.

She was already planning to book a plane ticket back to the country.

Upon seeing this, Karl stepped forward and caught her arm before she could bolt.

“Vivian, please hear me out. The incident involving you and Kurt has made your dad furious. There's a chance that he might be kicked out of SteelFort. Hence, Kurt decided to head there and receive the punishment for his mistakes,” Karl explained carefully.

Finally, Karl revealed the entire truth to Vivian. Kurt had not vanished. Instead, he had returned to SteelFort.

After Sebastian hung up the call yesterday, Kurt spent the entire night kneeling in the study. Although he had waited for the whole night, Sebastian did not call a second time.

There were no further instructions from Sebastian as well.

As Karl watched Kurt kneel on the floor, he wondered how the young boy felt.

Although Karl could not place a finger on Kurt's emotions, the latter's pale face told him all he needed to know. Kurt's eyes had lost all of their usual shine; he looked like a hollow and lifeless puppet now. Karl could tell that this incident had affected Kurt greatly.

Hence, when Kurt informed Karl that he would be returning to SteelFort, the latter did not object to his plans.

Four years ago, he had also experienced a similar self-punishment back in SteelFort to regain Sebastian's forgiveness. Thus, he had no opinion of his own.

“How is that possible? Daddy would never kick him out!” Vivian exclaimed in disbelief as she refused to believe Karl's words.

Karl let out a sigh. “Vivian, there is no denying that Kurt has committed a grave mistake. I'm sure you knew that Mr. Hayes allowed you to get close with Daphne because he wanted to avenge Brother Cal. But since Mr. Hayes regained consciousness only recently, he remained unaware of Daphne's identity as an Elysium high priest. On the other hand, Kurt knew about this beforehand. Do you have any idea how dangerous the high priest's tribe is?”

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1627

Nobody Realized How Kind She Was

“I-I…”

Colors drained from Vivian's face as she recalled the poisonous snakes that the woman summoned last night.

In that instant, a shiver ran down her spine.

“You can say that you and Sam wouldn't have made it back last night if it wasn't for Kurt. Moreover, Sam is already one of the best fighters in SteelFort, but his performance last night was lacking. That's why Mr. Hayes got so angry,” Karl explained to Vivian.

However, he never told her that Kurt's dishonesty was what foiled Sebastian's plan.

The reason why he did that was that he suspected Daphne to be related to Calvin's death.

But now, it looked like Karl had something more to worry about after finding out that Daphne was, in fact, Elysium's high priest. She might very well be the mastermind behind all this. But what Vivian did yesterday had set them on high alert.

Karl felt really frustrated as well.

“No. No way. I don't believe that Daddy will kick him out like that. Kurt didn't do it on purpose. He already told me that Daphne was the high priest last night. It was my fault. I didn't tell Daddy about it.”

“What?”

“I mean, if he's at fault, then I am too. Mr. Frost, I beg you, please tell me which flight he'll be on. I need to find him. I'll take him to meet my father. I'll beg for mercy, please?”

Vivian burst into tears as she held on to Karl's hand and begged.

Kurt was nothing more than one of the many bodyguards that protected her.

However, Vivian felt so sad that she couldn't stop the tears from running down her face. She squeezed Karl's hand so hard that her knuckles turned white.

Does she really care so much about a mere bodyguard?

After all, there are so many choices in SteelFort for her to choose from.

In the end, Karl relented and gave her Kurt's flight number.

Vivian immediately rushed to the airport without even changing out of her sandals.

Kurt was at the airport at the moment.

However, he couldn't think straight anymore. He made his way to the airport during the wee hours mechanically and spaced out in the empty airport lounge.

He was at a loss of what to do next.

I should probably return to SteelFort. This might be my last chance.

It was just like how Sebastian told him he wasn't a good fit for SteelFort four years ago. However, Kurt managed to convince him otherwise through a cruel training process that lasted for a year.

Will he forgive me if I do so?

A plan formed in his mind.

He had even forgotten about his mother and sister waiting for him back home. The only thing on his mind at the moment was to stay.

His fingers gradually curled into a fist.

After about ten minutes, his flight started to board.

“We're finally boarding. I can finally go home.”

“Yeah. You've been studying abroad for so long now. Are you happy that you are finally able to return home?”

A young couple stood in front of him as he stood up. They were dressed in down jackets and wrapped in thick scarves. They look like international students from the bags they're carrying.

“Of course I'm happy. I get to return with you.”

The girl beamed brightly at the boy, and he returned the smile.

Kurt moved his gaze away and boarded the plane with a blank face. He then sat down on his designated seat and stared blankly out the window.

Coincidentally, the young couple was sitting right in front of him.

“How are you planning to tell my dad about us? Also, what gift did you prepare?”

“Well… I'm still studying so I don't have much money to buy gifts. But, I have an offer letter from a multinational company to present to him. Do you think he'll like it?”

The boy rummaged through his bag and fished out a document.

The girl screamed in delight when she saw the offer letter.

Almost everyone on board heard her screaming, including Kurt.

This must be what true happiness sounds like, studying abroad and meeting someone right. The boyfriend even prepared a precious gift for his future father-in-law to assure him of a bright future ahead.

Kurt's eyes dimmed as he squeezed the buckle in his hand.

The flight attendant announced through the speakers just as he was waiting for the flight to take off.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please be informed that there will be a few minutes delay due to a technical issue. Thank you for your kind understanding.”

The passengers onboard gave no response since it was only for a few minutes.

Kurt took out a pair of earbuds from his canvas bag, effectively blocking out the young couple's conversation.

The next time he opened his eyes again was due to a commotion. After all, he had very sharp senses as a top assassin.

“Kurt, I finally found you.”

A familiar voice rang out from out of the blue.

A young girl with messy bed hair dressed in pajamas suddenly appeared in front of him. Kurt fell into a daze as he stared at her bright smile.

Am I dreaming?

I must be hallucinating right now.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1628

Dragged Home

“What happened, Kurt? Are you not happy to see me?”

Vivian was staring at him in delight, for she had spent a lot of effort to catch up to him.

The aircraft doors had closed by the time she arrived at the airport. Luckily for her, she recalled that the airline company might belong to the Hayeses. Hence, she called Solomon for help.

That was why the plane was delayed for a few minutes.

What is the meaning of this? I spent so much effort trying to locate him, but he didn't even react. Is he so reluctant to see me?

Vivian bit her lip as her eyes started to cloud with tears.

Kurt was at a loss for words.

After a while, he finally came back to his senses.

Something inside him snapped as he felt a sudden rush of blood to his head. His hands shook as he stared at the girl in front of him.

“T-That's not it. Why are you here?”

“You're asking me why I'm here? Why didn't you tell me about this? Are you going to run away again like last time? Man up, Kurt. You can't keep doing this, okay?”

Vivian finally burst into tears as her walls came crumbling down.

Kurt was utterly stunned.

It felt as if someone had punched him in the gut as he stared at the tears flowing down her face. At that moment, his mind went blank.

They had attracted the attention of his fellow passengers on board.

The passengers felt angry to see a girl board the plane, causing the flight to delay instead of some technical problems.

However, they couldn't help but start to care when they saw Vivian bawling her eyes out.

“What happened? Why is she crying?”

“Yeah. It breaks my heart to see those tears. Is that boy bullying her?”

“This is absurd. How could he bully such a cute little girl?”

The passengers on board started to side with Vivian.

After all, Vivian was a true beauty with her big, bright, beautiful eyes, delicate facial features, and porcelain skin, making her look like a porcelain doll on display. Her beauty was so captivating that it attracted a lot of attention.

Hence, it was almost impossible not to like her.

The young couple sitting in front of Kurt had also noticed the commotion. They turned around and stared at Vivian as she bawled her eyes out.

“Um… Is she here for this guy?”

“I think so.”

The guy was also staring intently at Vivian.

Kurt was already back to his senses at the moment. He was at a loss as he watched Vivian cry her heart out.

“D-Don't cry. I'm not running away.”

“T-Then… why are you going away?”

“I…”

Kurt had wanted to tell her that he boarded the plane because he couldn't come up with a better plan to beg for her father's forgiveness.

In the end, he flushed and kept quiet under the angry stares of the crowd.

Vivian was stunned as he pulled her onto his lap.

A tear rolled down her cheeks as she stared at him blankly.

Kurt's heart went out to her when he saw those tears.

He quickly wrapped her up in his coat when he realized that Vivian was only dressed in pajamas.

He then took out some tissues to wipe those tears away.

“I'm not leaving. I just wanted… your father to forgive me.”

“But you didn't do it on purpose. If you're at fault, then I am too. I didn't tell my dad about that old hag. He should punish me too if he wants to punish you!”

Vivian sobbed as she articulated her thoughts with a firm and confident look.

Kurt paused.

How dumb does she have to be to even say that?

And what did I ever do to deserve her? What did I do to deserve such treatment? Does she not blame me for everything that has happened? After all, I almost caused her a tragedy last night.

Kurt lowered his eye lids.

“Kurt, please, say something. Do you want to come with me to meet Daddy?”

“What?” He lifted his head abruptly.

“Meet your father?”

“Yeah. Let's meet my dad together, shall we? We'll explain everything to him. I'm sure he won't put all the blame on you since he's such an understanding person. I believe he won't make you leave SteelFort as well. Kurt, let's go?”

Vivian had always been protected and was always under the direction of others. It was the first time she articulated her thoughts so clearly in front of another being.

There wasn't a single doubt on her tear-stricken face as she spoke of her father.

Kurt heard himself agreeing to her proposal when he saw the determined look in her eyes.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1629

Presents

She's right. How could the Uncle Sebastian I've always looked up to not forgive me because of this?

He's angry.

But surely he will listen to reason.

Shouldn't I admit my mistakes and listen to his lectures even if he doesn't forgive me in the end?

I should man up and face the music.

Kurt slowly unclenched his fists.

After about ten minutes, Vivian finally persuaded him to meet Sebastian and returned to being her cheerful self.

“Kurt, are you hungry?”

“You haven't had breakfast yet?”

“No. I didn't have enough time as I was chasing after you. I'm so hungry.”

Vivian's stomach grumbled after settling the ordeal. Her petite body was wrapped up in Kurt's trench coat as she remained in her seat.

Vivian stared at Kurt pitifully, rendering him speechless. She looks like a hungry little pup.

My gosh!

He rummaged through his canvas bag and finally came up with two pieces of chocolate.

“Have these first. I'll get the air stewardess to bring you something to eat later.”

“Okay. Peel the wrapper for me.”

Vivian instructed without missing a beat as she was so used to being pampered. She then picked up Kurt's smartphone and played with it.

Kurt peeled the candy wrapper off without a word.

The young couple seated in front of them had been watching throughout. The girl felt dissatisfied when she saw how Kurt was treating Vivian after she calmed down. They look so sweet.

“I'm hungry too. I want something to eat.”

“There's plenty of food in front of you.”

The boy pointed at the tray table piled up with snacks in front of her.

However, the girl refused to listen. She wanted her boyfriend to peel the wrappers off for her.

In the end, her boyfriend relented.

However, he gave half of it to Vivian, who was sitting behind.

“Little girl, are you hungry? I have some biscuits. Do you want some?” He passed the biscuits over and stared at Vivian's face.

She looks so beautiful, innocent, and bashful.

Vivian was busy playing games on the phone at the moment. She looked up when she heard someone calling her.

“Okay…”

“No need. I've already ordered food for her.”

A cold voice rang out from beside her. Kurt fed her another piece of candy he found after unwrapping the candy.

There was no room for discussion in his tone.

Hence, Vivian apologized to the boy with the candy in her mouth. “Sorry. I don't want it. I'll be having my meal in a while.”

She then proceeded to play games with Kurt once again.

“Kurt! Kurt! Ah! Oh no! You died again! My gosh, will your ranking drop after this? Your character has died so many times now.”

“It's fine,” Kurt replied in an indifferent tone.

It's just a game.

On the other hand, the boy withdrew his hand awkwardly while his girlfriend went green with envy.

After two hours, the plane finally landed. The both of them then booked another trip to Miralaea at the airport.

“Kurt, Kurt, wait for me here. I'm going to buy some things.”

Something suddenly occurred to Vivian when she caught sight of a shop while waiting for their flight at the airport lounge. She stood up and quickly made her way there.

Of course, Kurt would never let her go alone.

He got up and followed her over.

Vivian went into the shop and quickly took in her surroundings. In the end, her gaze landed on a tennis racket.

“Hello there, how much is this?”

“Around twenty thousand. This is the latest model and comes with a sports outfit and a cap.”

The salesperson immediately brought the tennis racquet over.

Most of the shops in the airport sold luxury goods because passengers might want to buy gifts for their loved ones before they leave.

But why does she need a tennis racquet?

Kurt was puzzled.

In the end, Vivian bought the tennis racquet and two sets of sports outfits.

“See? These are presents for my parents.” Vivian turned to him in delight.

“Presents?”

Kurt was stunned.

Vivian nodded and explained, “Yeah. My parents will be happy after seeing these presents. But I shouldn't get something too expensive since they already have expensive stuff. My mom told me my dad recently started to play tennis, so I bought him this.”

Kurt was at a loss for words.

“Oh right. It shouldn't be us, but you.”

Vivian quickly corrected herself.

For a brief moment, Kurt was at a loss for words.

His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1630

Finally Home

He had never bought them presents before.

Even though he respected them and was willing to lay down his life for them, it had never occurred to him to buy them presents.

Since they were already filthy rich, he was worried that they might not like his presents.

Besides that, he had no good reason to do so.

Kurt felt a little embarrassed when Vivian insisted on buying gifts for her parents in his name.

In the end, Kurt relented after Vivian paid for the gifts. He couldn't bring himself to reject her when she was thoughtful enough to pick an inexpensive gift.

The both of them boarded the plane soon after.

It was already late when they arrived at Miralaea since it was a layover flight. Vivian was about to call Sebastian to send a car to pick them up when panic flashed across Kurt's face.

Vivian was a sharp one. She immediately put her phone back, walked outside, and hailed a cab.

“Let's go and give Daddy a surprise. Who knows, we might even reach before dinnertime.” She pulled open the car door and tried to lighten the mood.

Kurt pursed his lips.

He felt ashamed as Vivian had been taking care of his feelings ever since she arrived.

This is absurd! As a guy, how could I let her carry all that emotional baggage?

Kurt entered the car without hesitation.

After forty minutes, both of them finally saw the Seaside Villa. Kurt couldn't help but curl his fingers up as he stared at the lights flickering in the gentle sea breeze.

Will Uncle Sebastian be even angrier when he sees me?

However, this time around, he didn't run away. Instead, he carried the gifts Vivian bought and followed her into the villa.

“Daddy! Mommy!”

Her feminine voice rang out in the hallway as she could barely contain her excitement. Sasha and Sebastian turned to face the entrance when they heard her.

“Vivi? Why are you here? My gosh, you should have told us you were coming. Why did you come back so suddenly?”

Sasha spoke as she made her way toward Vivian.

She was looking for some wine glasses in the wine cabinet when she caught sight of Vivian, someone she had never expected to see at this hour. She was so pleasantly surprised that she immediately put the wine glass down and sprinted toward her daughter.

Vivian smiled in delight as she stared at her mother.

“Yeah. I wanted to give you a surprise. Mommy, did you miss me?”

“Of course!”

Sasha opened her arms and pulled Vivian into a tight hug.

Right then, Sebastian walked over.

However, he couldn't allow himself to be as emotional as Sasha since he was a man. Hence, after a brief delight, his gaze landed on Kurt, who stood behind Vivian.

“Why are you suddenly here?”

“Uncle Sebastian, I…”

“Daddy, we haven't had our dinner yet. Have you eaten? I'm so hungry.”

Vivian cut Kurt off just as he was about to speak.

Vivian let go of Sasha, rubbed her stomach, and declared she wanted dinner. Sebastian and Kurt had no chance to speak to one another at all.

Sasha knew something was up. Else her daughter wouldn't show up with Kurt at this hour. Moreover, it seemed as if Vivian wasn't planning on letting Sebastian and Kurt speak to one another on purpose.

Ah, I get it.

“Okay, let's have dinner then. We can talk later after dinner.”

She then waltzed into the kitchen and brought out the dishes.

After about an hour, Sebastian finally had his fill. Sasha pulled Vivian, who was taking her own sweet time at the dinner table, up upon seeing that.

“Come on, Vivi, let's go for a walk. I ate too much.”

“But…”

Vivian wasn't willing to leave just yet.

She was worried about how her father would treat Kurt after she left.

In the end, however, Sasha managed to drag her away.

The air became thick with tension after Sasha and Vivian left. It felt as if there was a sudden drop in temperature during summer.

Kurt didn't dare look Sebastian in the eye.

He put his fork down and slowly rose from the chair.

“Uncle Sebastian, I…”

“I only have one question for you. Why did you hide Daphne's real identity from me?”

Sebastian finally spoke up in a casual tone.

He had calmed down after contemplating the issue for the entire day.

“I didn't want people from Elysium to know that I'm still alive. Daphne is Elysium's former high priest. That man ruptured her tendons and threw her into the River of Styx because she tried to help Sinai become king,” Kurt answered honestly without missing a beat.

“Sinai? Your half-brother?”

“Yes. Cynthia is his mother. She committed treason under the bewitchment of Daphne when I was fifteen. In the end, she lost the battle and received the death penalty. I never thought she would walk out of this alive.”

Kurt lowered his head and confessed all of his deepest darkest secrets.