46 Epilogue

Ley was hit by a bout of nostalgia as she passed by the halls she grew up seeing. Antique paintings lined the wall however it didn't project any starkness as the sunlight brightened up the space. She was still 18 the last time she walked through it and finally had enough being caged. 7 years already passed and it was the first time she was coming back to her childhood home. She had been dodging her dad's summons left and right especially now with his ridiculous plan to get her married. However, he needed his help right now with a mind-boggling issue with her body. It's also about time to interrogate him about what he was hiding with mom from her.

Soon enough, she reached a doorway where a smiling middle-aged man warmly greeted her with a man, "Lady, welcome home."

"It's nice to see you again, Thomas. Let's catch up later. For now, I've come to talk to my father," Ley replied fondly.

Thomas was a long time follower of her dad and had always indulged her when she was little. He was her babysitter and guard back then and always helped her get away from her antics so she had always been close with him.

"Your father has a guest right now however he had been waiting for a long time and commanded to let you in as soon as you arrived," He nodded and opened the door after knocking.

She let out a sigh and shoved her nervousness to where the sun doesn't shine and calmly entered the room. The huge study didn't change one bit. There was still the abnormally large furniture style that her dad favored. It was a fusion of comfort and indolence so she could never take him seriously whenever he lectured her in the past as she sat in one of the sofas that seemed to swallow her when she was little.

He looked up from his seat the moment she walked in and a piercing stare pinned her into place. She looked into the same pair of eyes that greeted her every time she stared at the mirror however unlike her, it carried a ferocity that was barely hidden. It was what intimidated those who dared gazed at it. It was the authoritative gaze of Lorenzo Cohen, the Beast King.

She wasn't cowed and flashed a cheeky smile instead. She had missed him a lot even though she always tried to avoid his summons to go home.

"I came back, Father," she bowed respectfully and hoped that he wouldn't mention his ridiculous idea right at the start.

"Took you long enough. You have impeccable timing. Meet your fiance," he said the exact opposite to her disappointment.

"This is Leandra Cohen, my daughter," he talked to the guest she hadn't seen yet due to his stature being blocked by the high-backed chair and gestured a hand at her.

Her heart sank at the words and mentally grimaced at the thought of defying him immediately the moment she got back. The man finally stood up and faced her.

Her warm smile became stiff and she suddenly had the urge to turn around and run like hell.

"This is Landon Ferreira. You two should find time to get to know each other," her dad continued without being fazed by her lukewarm reaction. Of all the people, he didn't expect it to be him.

His astonishment mirrored hers but it was gone shortly replaced by a knowing smile coupled with those intense amber eyes that told her loud and clear that he'll chase her without a doubt if she tried to run.

The world must have something against her.

***

In a dark cavern where the only source of light was a flickering light trap in a jar, grunts of pain came out every time the whip lashed across the back of the man in chains.

"Hey, when will you start talking? I wonder if you would miss your arms if I cut them. How about these legs?" The torturer muttered and kicked him when there was no answer.

"Go ahead," the man hoarsely laughed which provoked his torturer to grab a butcher's knife from the rack.

However before he could proceed, a jolly voice unsuitable to the gloomy atmosphere interrupted him, "Hey Rat, you still torturing your previous leader?

"This bastard still isn't talking after he managed to follow me until here. Master would've killed me if he knew about this. Want to give me a hand, Mina?" He wiggled his eyebrows in invitation.

Mina snorted in distaste and asked, "By the way, did you find the kid that Master was looking for?"

"Tsk. Not yet. That kid just disappeared into thin air. We lost her trace but we're still searching for her."

"Good luck then. Don't kill your old boss yet or you might get bored again," she dismissively waved her hand and sauntered off.