I’m Someone Else

Chapter 397

“It’s nothing!” While saying this, Thomas shook his head dejectedly and trudged back to his bedroom. With a heavy heart, he listlessly let go of the stuff in his hand onto the floor, reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, and swiftly emptied its contents in one desperate gulp.

Aligned with his discerning nature and keen sense of priority, he settled comfortably on the bed, crossed his legs, and began to cultivate. The significance of enhancing his strength to protect those he cherished resonated deeply within him. Hence, the weight of this responsibility fueled his focus and intensified his commitment.

Meanwhile, Chloe stood in the hallway on the first floor, her mind reeling with disbelief. Her eyebrows slightly furrowed, prompting her to mutter softly, “How can it possibly be nothing?”

Even though she hadn’t been in a relationship before, she could tell that Thomas and Olivia had engaged in an argument. Since Olivia was her love rival, she should have felt a surge of satisfaction or triumph. Contrary to her expectations, a disquieting lack of happiness overcame her, and instead, a deep concern engulfed her thoughts, casting a cloud of anxiety over her mind. “Ugh! I should check on Olivia.”

On the other hand, after greeting Olivia and knocking on the door, Ophelie entered her sister’s room. As she walked in, her attention was drawn to Olivia lying face down on the bed with her head covered by the blanket and sobbing uncontrollably. “What happened, Olivia? Say something! Did you quarrel with Thomas?”

Despite her sister’s persistent probing, Olivia remained silent and continued to cry and lament her situation.

Meanwhile, at precisely midnight, four uninvited guests arrived at Villa No. 66 of Northpine Villa. They were the Four Ghost-Faced Demigods of War hired by Abel at a substantial price.

During their flight to Irieson, the four meticulously scrutinized Thomas’ profile. No matter how they looked at it, Thomas appeared to be an unremarkable young man. Despite acknowledging his modest abilities, they found no reason to fear him. After all, when the four men combined their powers, they were confident in their ability to overpower and eliminate Thomas!

In their minds, Thomas was a defenseless fish on a cutting board, seemingly awaiting their ruthless slaughter. However, a perplexing thought nagged at them. Why don’t the Flynns deal with Thomas personally if he is as ordinary as he appears? Why did they have to go to all the trouble and expense of hiring us to kill Thomas? Could the Flynns be aware of our recent financial struggles, which prompted them to engage in this peculiar act of apparent charity?

Since the Flynns had provided the Four Ghost-Faced Demigods of War with Thomas’ address, they arrived at Northpine Villa. Confidently, they burst through the door without hesitation, expecting to confront their target head-on, but their arrogance was replaced by astonishment. They saw the villa’s furniture was meticulously wrapped in plastic to prevent dust accumulation. Hence, the four men stood dumbfounded, realizing their target was absent, and showed no intention of returning anytime soon!

Soon after, the four men reluctantly searched the villa again but couldn’t find a single soul, not even a ghostly figure!

“Boss, there’s no one here! What’s going on? Do you think that brat knew about our whereabouts in advance?”

When the group leader heard this, he entered a state of deep contemplation. We’d never disclose our location; if there is a leak, it’s only because the Flynns leaked it first. Also, their intel could be wrong, or this might not even be Thomas’ current residence! Regardless of the likelihood, this is the Flynns’ problem!

“Call the Flynns and convey to them that if it is indeed their fault that we were unable to eliminate the target, we cannot be held accountable! Also, let them know that the deposit will not be refunded!”

In the meantime, Abel was equally astounded upon receiving the news. Two days ago, my men witnessed Thomas leaving Northpine Villa. So, how did he manage to vacate the villa before the Four Ghost-Faced War Demigods arrived?

He then ordered his men to look into Thomas’ whereabouts, but after an exhaustive search, their efforts proved fruitless. With no other viable options, Abel reluctantly disclosed the address of Keyshire Property to the four men and instructed them to wait for Thomas there. He was resolute in his decision, unwilling to let his money go to waste.

Such was the peculiar dynamic with the Flynns. If it were any other employer, the Four Ghost-Faced Demigods of War would have abandoned the mission long ago. However, given the Flynns’ considerable power and influence, they were compelled to tread cautiously and avoid provoking them. Reluctantly, the four men positioned themselves near Keyshire Property, meticulously planning their next move. Their strategy was clear— they would barge in and take his life upon Thomas’ arrival in the morning!

“Hah! Hah!”

At 5.00AM, Thomas was already practicing military boxing in the manor. The intense encounter with the Twin Demons had placed tremendous strain on him, highlighting the inadequacy of his close combat skills compared to his opponent. Despite the old man imparting numerous martial arts techniques, mastering them within a limited timeframe proved challenging. At least until he obtained the Essence Fruit, he found himself devoid of the time to thoroughly study and refine those techniques. Dedicated to his practice, he persisted with his boxing practice until 7.00AM before finally making his way back to the villa.

In the meantime, Chloe had diligently prepared breakfast, and Adam, Olivia, and Ophelie had taken their places at the dining table, eagerly awaiting Thomas’ return.

“Thomas, come and have breakfast.” Chloe hurriedly greeted the man as he walked in.

After hearing this, he shook his head and declined, saying, “You guys go ahead and have breakfast. Don’t wait for me.” With that, he proceeded upstairs, determined to take a refreshing shower to cleanse himself from the sweat accumulated during his intense training.

Of course, it wasn’t that he wasn’t hungry. In fact, his stomach had been audibly rumbling for some time now, craving sustenance after his exertions. However, the prospect of sharing breakfast with Olivia made him uneasy, prompting him to decide that avoiding her for the time being was the better course of action.

On the other hand, as Olivia watched Thomas’ figure leave her sight, a pang of profound sadness and disappointment washed over her, causing her to bow her head in contemplation.

In the meantime, Adam’s gaze shifted from her to the direction Thomas had left, sensing a palpable shift in the atmosphere. With his seasoned experience, he could tell something was amiss when he noticed her reddened eyes earlier that morning. However, considering that no one had broached the subject, he felt it was not his place to inquire further. Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Never mind. Let’s eat,” Chloe declared, and with her words, everyone eagerly began digging in.

Deprived of a restful night’s sleep, she was informed of the unfolding events due to Ophelie’s relentless questioning of Olivia. The moment the mischievous girl unraveled the truth, she swiftly sought out Chloe to resolve the conflict between her sister and Thomas. In Ophelie’s mind, Chloe had known him the longest, so she must have possessed the most profound understanding of his nature.

After discovering this, Chloe was torn inside. On the one hand, she couldn’t help but feel reluctant about Olivia and him getting together, but on the other hand, she genuinely liked Olivia due to her beauty and kind-hearted nature. Despite this, she felt profound empathy and sincerely desired to spare Olivia any distress.

“Miss Pearson, I’m not trying to criticize you, but you’re being too impatient.” She pondered for a moment and finally spoke up. “Thomas is not like other men. If you want to win his heart, you must take it slowly. The more you push him, the less likely he will meet your expectations.”

When Adam heard this, he finally understood what had happened. After all the commotion, it turns out that Thomas has rejected Olivia. Then, he also chimed in, saying, “She’s right. You’re a beauty. As long as you have some patience, Thomas won’t be able to escape from the palm of your hand.”

“Really?” Olivia raised her head and looked at the father-daughter duo before her. The genuine encouragement in their words reignited the flame of hope in her heart.

“Of course, Olivia. I can tell that myself, so why can’t you?”