Arthur hadn’t married Ashley yet. He hadn’t achieved the future he dreamed of. There was still so much in life waiting for him. The world was vast, and there were countless places he had never seen. He couldn’t die here. But Solivair, hearing Arthur’s words, suddenly fell into deep thought. Why do people live? From the moment he was born, his fate had been sealed. There was never going to be an easy, peaceful life for him. Caution, calculation, and constant vigilance—that was all he had ever known. Since childhood, he had never laughed sincerely. Even now, standing at the pinnacle of power, surrounded by immeasurable wealth, he had never truly been happy. The only woman he had ever loved had died in a tangled web of conspiracies. And their daughter… To this day, she remained missing, her fate unknown. No. He wasn’t allowed to die yet. He still had to find Lynn. His Lynn—so pure, so innocent. He could not allow her to suffer. Solivair’s gaze sharpened. Without hesitation, he pulled out a gun and pressed the cold barrel against Arthur’s forehead. His expression darkened."Arthur, don’t think for a second that you can manipulate me with a few clever words." His voice was low and dangerous. "Tell me where Lynn is. Now. Or you, your precious fiancée, the Gibson family, and Taylor’s family—all of you can go straight to hell." Arthur’s heart clenched. He forced himself to remain still, to control the panic that threatened to take hold. Ashley, the Gibson family, Taylor—Solivair had just laid out all of his weaknesses, one by one. And then there was the gun, pressed so firmly against his temple that he could feel the icy steel against his skin. Solivair was completely unpredictable. He could switch between civilized and monstrous in an instant. And now, Arthur was staring directly into the face of a killer. A single misstep, one wrong word— And it would all be over. Arthur knew that at this range, if the gun went off, there would be no surviving it. For the first time, his body reacted before his mind—his limbs tensed, his breath grew shallow, and a primal fear curled in his gut. Death had never felt so close. No. He couldn’t let himself be controlled by fear. If he showed even the slightest hesitation, Solivair would know. And if Solivair knew— Then Arthur would lose everything. Forcing his body to relax, Arthur let out a quiet chuckle. He smiled—light, easygoing, as if the cold steel against his skin didn’t bother him at all. "I can die if you want. But if I do, I guess I’ll just take everything I know about Lynn to the grave with me."His voice was steady, his eyes unwavering. Solivair said nothing. Arthur continued. "Mr. Solivair, all I want is to make sure that I, and the people I care about, get to walk away from this. If you can promise me that, then I’ll gladly help you find the person you’re looking for." His gaze was open, transparent. There was no trace of deceit, no hesitation. It was a simple offer. A trade. Solivair’s grip on the gun didn’t loosen. His lips pressed into a thin line as he studied Arthur, weighing his words. For the first time, an unsettling realization crept into Solivair’s mind. Arthur… Wasn’t as easy to control as he had expected. After that night in the warehouse, Solivair had kept constant surveillance on him. Hugo had tightened security around the university, making it difficult to make a move. But watching Arthur? That was easy. Solivair had learned everything. Arthur had a fiancée in Skyward Academy. And in the past few weeks, Solivair had quietly stirred up conflict around her. A few whispers here, a few nudges there— And the jealous, pretty girls at Skyward Academy had done the rest. He hadn’t needed to do much. He had only wanted to test Arthur. See how long it would take before he cracked.And sure enough— Within a single day, Arthur had walked straight out of campus, right into his reach. But there was something he hadn’t expected. Arthur had been prepared. That relaxed confidence, the way he had walked in here like he was the one in control— Solivair hadn’t anticipated that. Even now, with a gun to his head, Arthur didn’t flinch. It was almost inhuman. Solivair watched him closely. Arthur was young. Only eighteen. But even when faced with death, he was calm. Solivair himself, at that age, hadn’t been this composed. For several long moments, they remained locked in a silent battle. One exuding absolute authority, the other radiating unsettling ease. Neither backing down. Then— A shift. Solivair’s expression changed, ever so slightly. And his grip on the gun… Loosened. The tension in the room didn’t disappear, but it shifted. Solivair wasn’t the type to be easily impressed. He had clawed his way to the top of the Tremo family. He had built his empire through blood and strategy, overcoming every obstacle.It was that ruthlessness, that relentless willpower, that had solidified his place in this world. Very few people had ever been able to meet his gaze without flinching. And even fewer had ever dared to remain composed with a gun pointed at their head. In all of Lioran, Arthur might be the only one.