Arthur smiled warmly at his aunt, who was visibly emotional. “Aunt, just use this amount to complete the current land project, okay?”

“Yes,” Emily replied, taking a deep breath and nodding her head.

“Oh! By the way, I forgot to ask, how is the land project coming along? How far along are you?” Arthur suddenly inquired.

“It’s about fifty to sixty percent complete,” Emily explained with a smile. “We had to pause due to financial struggles, but now we can finish it in about one to two months.”

Arthur nodded thoughtfully. “You need to wrap that up as soon as possible so we can move on to something else.”

“Understood,” Emily said with a serious expression.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur addressed both Emily and Ashley. “You both need to prepare for the upcoming family meeting; it’s approaching fast.”

“Yes,” they both responded with solemn faces.

“Good. If there’s nothing else here for me, I’m off, I’m starving!” Arthur stood up from his chair and announced.

“Didn’t you eat before you came here?” Emily asked curiously.

“Nope! I was in such a hurry to get this money to you that I skipped breakfast,” Arthur admitted with a shake of his head.

“Alright then, hurry and grab something to eat!” Emily urged him with a smile.

“Okay, I’ll see you later!” Arthur waved goodbye as he walked out of the office, leaving Emily and Ashley behind.

“Aunt, this time my brother really saved us,” Ashley said as she turned toward Emily.

“Yeah! He truly did come through for us this time,” Emily replied, her eyes glistening with emotion.

“Now go do your job; we have plenty of work ahead now that we have this funding,” Emily encouraged Ashley firmly.

“Yes, Aunt!” Ashley giggled softly while squinting her eyes playfully.

—————————-

Outside the office building, Arthur’s car sped down the road like a silver bullet among other vehicles. “Where should I go eat?” he pondered aloud while lazily scanning the horizon.

One hand on the wheel and the other rubbing his chin, he reclined comfortably in his seat as the wind tousled his hair, a picture of relaxation and freedom.

“Alright! Let’s try this place,” he finally decided after sifting through memories of previous dining experiences.

With a sharp turn of the steering wheel, his Aether GT veered onto another road and raced off into a blur of motion.

About ten minutes later, he pulled up smoothly in front of an elegant restaurant adorned with luxury cars parked outside, clearly a hotspot among the rich crowd.

Stepping out of his car and into the restaurant’s inviting ambiance felt like entering another world; it was tastefully decorated with an atmosphere that promised tranquility, a perfect setting for dining.

“Welcome to Eastwood Restaurant, Sir!” greeted a waitress clad in formal attire as she approached him with a warm smile.

Arthur glanced at the waitress and returned her smile, feeling a sense of warmth in the bustling restaurant.

“Sir, do you have a reservation?” she asked, maintaining her polite demeanor.

“No, I don’t have a reservation; I’m just here to eat,” Arthur replied with a slight shake of his head.

“Alright then, please follow me,” she said cheerfully as she guided him to an empty table on the first floor.

It was positioned beside a window that offered a lovely view of the streets below.

“Thank you,” Arthur said gratefully as he settled into his seat.

He picked up the menu and began to peruse it, eager to order some delicious dishes along with a bottle of wine.

“This is what I’ll take,” he informed the waitress after making his selections.

“Okay, sir! Please wait just a moment; your order will be ready soon,” she responded before swiftly departing to fulfill his request.

As Arthur sat alone at the table, he took in his surroundings.

The floor was relatively quiet; most tables were occupied except for his. He felt like an island amidst the sea of diners.

Before long, steaming plates filled with mouthwatering aromas arrived at his table, each dish more enticing than the last. His eyes sparkled with satisfaction as he surveyed the feast before him.

“Sir, please enjoy your meal!” The waitress smiled warmly at him before moving on to assist other guests.

Arthur nodded appreciatively and began to savor each bite of food while sipping on his rich red wine.

It was truly one of the best dining experiences he’d ever had!

About thirty minutes later, feeling content and full, he finished his meal and settled the bill before leaving the restaurant with a satisfied grin plastered across his face.

Standing outside by the entrance, Arthur let out a deep sigh.

“Now where do I go?” he muttered softly to himself as memories flickered through his mind like old photographs.

Suddenly, he felt a gentle tug on his jeans and looked down to see an adorable little girl around four or five years old staring up at him.

What caught Arthur’s eye was her striking white hair that resembled freshly fallen snow, her eyebrows matched perfectly, and her skin was equally pale.

She was undeniably unique and took him aback for a moment.

Her calm gaze seemed to pierce right through him as if reading all of his secrets laid bare before her, a sensation that made him feel vulnerable for an instant.

Taking a deep breath, Arthur smiled down at her and bent slightly to engage with this enchanting child when….

BANG!

Suddenly, a deafening noise erupted, like a gunshot piercing the air.

Arthur, who had been crouched low, felt his heart race as he froze in shock.

His eyes widened in horror, and an icy chill washed over him as pain shot through his body.

He glanced down at his left shoulder, where blood was streaming out like a crimson waterfall.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Arthur scooped up the little girl beside him and rolled behind a nearby car for cover.

BANG!

Just as they settled in, another gunshot rang out, this time it struck the very vehicle shielding them.

Heart pounding, Arthur pressed himself against the cold metal, clutching the frightened child tightly in his arms.

Sweat dripped from his forehead as he gritted his teeth against the searing pain; blood continued to seep from his wounded shoulder.

“Are you okay?” he whispered urgently to the little girl nestled against him.

She looked up at him with wide eyes filled with fear and nodded her tiny head.

But then her gaze fell on Arthur’s bleeding shoulder, tears spilling down her cheeks, a clear sign of her terror.

The street around them was chaos; screams echoed everywhere as people ran for their lives.

Diners poured out of nearby restaurants, panic-stricken and desperate to escape the unfolding nightmare.

After what felt like an eternity of silence punctuated by distant cries, Arthur noticed that the gunfire had ceased.

Yet his world began to spin; he could feel himself growing weaker by the second. His face drained of color as dizziness enveloped him.

Just before darkness closed in around him, he thought he heard faint sirens wailing in the distance, the police and ambulance finally arriving on scene.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep