The absurd theory spread with astonishing speed. Never mind the complete lack of evidence.
The hashtags #WeddingNoMore and #JusticePrevails quickly began trending online, with countless netizens convinced that the two incidents were somehow connected.
However, Shin's legal team had already been working around the clock long before he left for the Arctic.
The moment the latest news broke, an official statement was immediately released.
It categorically clarified that Ellis Keir and Klaus Zhi had absolutely nothing to do with the death of Shin's mother, and that the real culprit had already been apprehended.
The statement successfully calmed a large portion of the public.
Still, many remained unconvinced.
Others simply didn't care about the truth and were only there for the drama.
---
Meanwhile, at the police hospital, inside a heavily guarded ward, the very culprit named in the statement slowly opened his eyes.
Bryce Gate stared blankly at the ceiling.
Bit by bit, the horrifying reality of how he had ended up there came rushing back.
He remembered suddenly losing control of his own body. Again and again, he had slammed his own head against the concrete floor until he collapsed into a pool of his own blood.
It was something he would never have done under normal circumstances unless he had completely lost his mind.
Bryce had committed countless crimes. He had tortured others, survived retaliation, and made enemies everywhere. Yet never, not once, had he experienced the terrifying sensation of losing control of his own body.
It had felt as though someone else had taken possession of him.
Who could possibly do such a thing? And how?
Suddenly, one person came to mind.
The last person who had visited him in prison before the incident was Shin Keir. Naturally, Shin also had more reason than anyone to hate him.
Even so, Bryce quickly dismissed the thought as ridiculous.
Someone like Shin Keir being involved in cults, curses, or other unscientific nonsense?
It was impossible.
Just then, a doctor making his routine rounds noticed that he was awake.
The doctor turned, intending to inform the police officers guarding the ward outside.
"Doctor," Bryce called out. "Did my family come to visit?"
The doctor frowned before asking calmly, "How are you feeling?"
Bryce wasn't actually asking about his family. Since he had been transferred to the hospital, it meant he was no longer inside the prison itself.
His strange experience was quickly pushed aside as his calculating mind immediately began working again.
---
Thanks to the hospital's highly capable medical team, Elder Madam Keir's condition was eventually stabilised.
Before leaving, the doctors sternly warned the family not to agitate the patient again, avoid emotional stress, otherwise, anything that causes another shock could trigger another heart attack.
Before leaving the hospital, Allister arranged for several bodyguards to remain outside his mother's VIP ward, warning Ellis that he'd be the first person held responsible if anything happened to their mother.
Afterward, he called his son.
On the other end of the line, Shin couldn't care less whether the old relic lived or died.
If anything, he found the latter outcome far more preferable. Unfortunately, the old matriarch still stubbornly clung to life.
"Not bad," Shin commented casually. "You looked great in the photos."
Allister frowned in confusion.
Only after a brief pause did he realise Shin was referring to the photographs of his fight with Ellis that had already spread across the internet.
"Take care of this for me," Allister said before adding, "and could you head back to the villa tonight?"
"Already handled it," Shin replied before giving a short 'Hmm.'
---
That evening, Zahn slowly pulled the car into the villa's driveway.
Before stepping out, he glanced at his reflection in the rear-view mirror.
Unsatisfied, he adjusted his tie once more before running a hand through his hair, smoothing a few stray strands into place.
Only then did he step out of the car.
As he approached the entrance, one of the bodyguards hurriedly stepped in front of him.
"Young Master Neri..." the guard said nervously. "I'm sorry, but Miss has ordered that you're not allowed inside."
Zahn's expression remained cold and unreadable.
"Move."
The bodyguard swallowed hard but stood his ground.
"I'm sorry, Young Master Neri, but those were her direct instructions."
Without another word, Zahn walked forward as though the man didn't exist.
The bodyguard instinctively stepped aside, not daring to physically stop him.
After all, everyone working at the villa knew about the complicated history between Zahn and Lianna.
Divorced or not, it didn't change the fact that Zahn Neri remained someone very few people had the courage to offend.
-
Inside the villa, Lianna and Sean had just finished dinner and were chatting about Sean's day at school.
The moment Sean saw Zahn, he looked surprised, wondering if his father was supposed to be visiting again that day.
Lianna immediately felt her temper flare, but she kept it hidden.
"Am I late? There was a lot of work at the hospital." Zahn smiled as he held out a huge bouquet of flowers.
Sean looked back and forth between his parents, unsure how to react.
"Thank you," Lianna muttered before casually placing the bouquet on the table.
"I... I'm sleepy. Goodnight, Mom. Night, Dad," Sean said awkwardly.
Before Lianna could respond, he hurried upstairs to his room.
Annoyed, Lianna stood up and was about to head to her room when Zahn caught her wrist.
"Let's talk."
"Didn't you say talking didn't work?" Lianna yanked her hand free. "Well, it seems having security doesn't work either. Must be nice using your status to throw your weight around."
"You know Sean isn't clueless about us."
"And is that my fault?" Lianna glared at him. "You're the one breaking the court agreement and going back on your word."
Zahn blinked, thought for a moment, then said, "You know, I looked into that classmate of yours, and he's no good at all. He likes targeting outstanding students. I think he gets a thrill from distracting smart women from their studies. Once he succeeds, he dumps them and moves on to the next."
"And so?" Lianna replied impatiently. It wasn't as though she was interested in the guy, so she couldn't care less what he was up to.
Unfortunately, Zahn completely misunderstood her reaction and assumed she didn't believe him.
"What do you mean, 'and so'? Don't tell me you're actually considering someone like him." He grabbed her by the shoulders.
Thinking he was about to force another kiss on her, Lianna immediately stiffened.
"Are you sick?" she snapped. "Thanks to you, I'm no longer that gullible. I don't just consider anyone who gives me flowers."
For a brief moment, guilt flickered across Zahn's face. Then his eyes suddenly brightened.
"So... you don't like him?"
Lianna managed to break free and, out of nowhere, pulled out a can of pepper spray.
"Stick to the agreed visitation schedule and go crazy somewhere else."
Zahn stared at the pepper spray, wondering if she had been carrying it around the house the whole time.
Then, to her disbelief, he smiled.
"You were expecting me."
All the blood rushed to Lianna's face. Without another word, she flipped open the safety cap and pointed the pepper spray straight at him.
--
Saeki was carefully picking out a dress for his dog, Lulu, when the butler informed him that he had a visitor.
"Can I stay here tonight?" Zahn asked, looking exhausted.
"Sure." Saeki shrugged, though he looked puzzled.
He quickly noticed Zahn was impeccably dressed in a dark blue suit instead of his usual black or white suit beneath his doctor's coat.
"Were you forced to attend some gathering?"
Zahn "..."
At least Saeki noticed. Lianna hadn't even said a word about it. If he hadn't reacted quickly enough, he would've been sprayed in the face.
Too embarrassed to admit he'd been kicked out by his ex-wife with pepper spray, he simply nodded.
"It's late, and I don't want to upset Lianna by insisting on staying there."
Saeki's IQ worked exceptionally well whenever gossip was involved.
There were only four villas on the estate, so if Zahn had really attended a gathering, it could only have been at Tristan's or Shin's. But if that were true, why hadn't Saeki been invited? Or had it been somewhere near the estate?
"Did you have a drink?" Saeki grinned. "Suddenly missed your ex, went to see her, and got turned away?"
Zahn considered it for a second and decided not to argue. It sounded much better than admitting he'd been chased away with pepper spray.
Clicking his tongue sympathetically, Saeki patted him on the shoulder. "Stone Face, I'm sorry for you. You've had it rough. Alright, how about we grab a drink with Tristan?"
Zahn immediately agreed. He figured Tristan had probably dealt with every kind of woman and every imaginable relationship problem, so perhaps he could ask him for some advice.
However, when they arrived at Tristan's villa, the butler informed them that he'd gone over to Shin's.
"Oh, big bro's back too? Lately he's been staying at the penthouse with sis-in-law." Saeki perked up excitedly as he turned the car around. "It's been a long time since the four of us hung out together."
After parking at the entrance of Shin's villa, the two paused.
Boxes from toy stores and various other shops were stacked neatly outside the front door.
"They must be restocking the pantry," Saeki muttered.
Zahn ???
He glanced at the mountain of boxes but said nothing.
Restocking with toys?
Saeki was so used to dropping by unannounced that, upon finding the front door locked, he casually headed for the back garden instead of ringing the doorbell.
"You know nothing's going to change even if you do this. He'll still come if he wants to."
The two men heard Tristan's voice coming from a dimly lit corner of the garden beneath several towering trees.
"Not enough. Pass me the other rope," Shin said calmly.
"Yo! What are you two doing without telling us? Let us in on the fun-" Saeki's wide grin instantly froze.
Even Zahn, standing behind him, was stunned.
Tristan turned around, smiled, and said nonchalantly, "You two? Together? I must be seeing things."
Given Zahn's personality, someone like Saeki was practically a walking plague he would normally avoid at all costs.
Saeki pointed at the child hanging upside down from a tree, suspended by ropes.
"Big bro!" Saeki shouted in horror. "Whatever his parents did to make you angry, he's still just a child!"