Chapter 1507: Chapter 1507

Lucia had been utterly serious when she said she wanted to court Zhao Li Xin with everything she had.Unfortunately, fate played a cruel jokes on her.

Zhao Li Xin had always been a reclusive man. He rarely left Cestine Palace unless it was absolutely necessary or at Lory’s request, and whenever they did step outside, their whereabouts were tightly guarded by Noxcra agents.

Lory, on the other hand, was a highly skilled woman. Having spent her life moving in disguise, she was adept at concealing her identity and blending seamlessly into any crowd. Even if they happened to leave a trace, Fredhardt and the others would swiftly erase it without a hint remaining.

Because of that, every trail Lucia tried to follow ended in a dead end. She couldn’t find out where he’s living, his personal number, or even a place he used to visit. Also, Zhao Li Xin had no public presence except for one sterile social media account that was run by his assistant to promote his work, which he himself never bothered to check.

Refusing to admit defeat, Lucia still tried.

She went to his gallery several times, pretending to browse, hoping he might appear. He never did, though. Each visit chipped away at her patience, and after three days of waiting in vain, the poised and glamorous Lucia Viora finally snapped.

Her suite at the Bellevue Hotel once again became the recipient of her pent-up frustration. The room that had been elegant and pristine just hours ago now bore the brunt of her fury.

A vase shattered against the wall, scattering glass and flowers across the marble floor. The heavy curtains swayed from the force of her movements, and the echo of her scream ricocheted off the high ceiling, "WHHYY!"

By the time the storm passed, the room looked like the aftermath of a riot. And the hotel management was not amused, their exquisite room being torn apart...again. So, the next day, Lucia received a formal reprimand and a damage bill that stung both her pride and her wallet.

For the first time, Lucia finally tasted what it feel to be defeated. Read full story at 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡~𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢~𝙣𝙚𝙩

Today was no different. Another time wasted. Another disappointment. She didn’t even see a glimpse of Zhao Li Xin’s shadow for days. Is he a ghost or something?! And the so-called meeting with the humanitarian organization had only worsened her mood, but she couldn’t avoid it because that was the reason why she was allowed to stay longer in Heriond.

By evening, Lucia dragged herself back to her suite, her patience worn thin and her spirit heavier than her designer heels. As soon as the door shut behind her, she exhaled sharply and collapsed onto the velvet sofa, letting her body sink into its cushions.

With a careless motion, she kicked off her heels, the sound of them clattering against the marble floor echoing through the room.

Her hand reached for the nearest comfort, a half-filled bottle of liquor on the side table. She poured herself another glass, the soft glug-glug of amber liquid spilling into crystal, breaking the suffocating silence.

All of a sudden, her phone rang. The shrill tone cut through the haze. Lucia squinted at the caller ID on her phone screen. She sighed and snatched it up, pressing it to her ear without enthusiasm.

"What is it...?" her voice low and hoarse from alcohol and exhaustion.

A familiar, mocking laugh came through the line. "Wow. Bad mood already," Sean drawled, his tone dripping with amusement.

Lucia leaned back against the couch, one arm draped over her forehead. Her patience was already frayed, and Sean’s voice was the last thing she wanted to hear. "What do you want, Sean?" she asked flatly, too tired to pretend civility.

"I heard from Timothy you were planning to seduce that painter, named Zhao Li Xin." His voice carried that insufferable smirk of his. "I’m curious how that’s going, but from your voice, it seems you have failed, huh?"

Her head snapped up. "I didn’t fail! Why does everyone keep saying that?" she shot back, her tone sharp enough to cut glass.

Sean chuckled softly, enjoying her temper far too much. "Then what happened?"

Lucia hesitated, her anger deflating into a bitter murmur. "I just... haven’t had the chance to meet him lately."

"Oh?" Sean’s voice turned sly. "So he’s avoiding you?"

She clenched her jaw, glaring at the wall as if it were his face. She wanted to deny it, she wanted to make excuses that Zhao Li Xin was busy or something, but even she started pondering if that cold man deliberately avoiding her. Still, she refused to admit it loudly.

"He’s not," she said finally, her voice tight. "Whatever. Why are you calling me anyway?"

Sean hummed, dragging out the moment. "Have you met his wife? Raven Jane?"

Lucia scoffed. "The obnoxious, arrogant woman? Yeah, I spoke with her. What about her?"

"Did you notice anything strange about her, whether she got too close with people from Cestine Palace?"

Lucia frowned, sitting up a little straighter. The haze of alcohol began to lift as suspicion flickered through her mind. "You think she has connections to Cestine?"

"Did you see Garrof Winfield or Lloyd Bryner with her?" Sean asked, suddenly serious.

"No," Lucia said slowly, shaking her head. "If they were in Herriond, I didn’t see them; then again, someone like them is not like someone who would attend an arts exhibition. Moreover, is a big city, they can hide anywhere..." She adjusted her posture, sensing a shift in his tone. "What are you getting at, Sean?"

There was a short silence, filled only by the faint hum of static. Then Sean’s voice came quieter, heavier. "Do you remember the breach at Elysium?"

Lucia exhaled sharply, her lips curling. "How could I forget? Your brother and Ellias were kicking fuss like crazy."

"Yeah, the truth is I have a suspicion about one of the identities who broke into Elysium..." Sean paused. "...I think one of them was Raven Jane."

The room seemed to be still. The alcohol fog cleared instantly from Lucia’s mind. She sat bolt upright, her pulse quickening."Are you freakin kidding me? Did you tell Salvo about this?"

Sean let out a sigh that carried the weight of uncertainty. "No. Not yet. Like I told you, it’s only a suspicion; I don’t have solid proof. And if I tell Salvo before I’m sure..." He trailed off. "You know how he is."

Lucia stared at the darkened window and let out a soft chuckle, the sound dry and humorless. "Better to kill a thousand," she murmured, "than let one enemy slip away."

Sean exhaled heavily through the phone. "That’s exactly why I didn’t tell him. There has already been too much bloodshed over the past few months. It’s getting harder to cover things up."

"Like your brother ever cared," Lucia said with a cold smile. Her reflection glinted faintly in the glass, pale and sharp. "Anyway, how can you be sure the group that breached Elysium came from Cestine Palace?"

Sean’s voice came with a snort. "Who else has the means, the power — and the balls to do something like that and leave unscathed?"

"You got the point." Lucia placed the bottle down on the table, the clink echoing in the quiet suite. She rose and walked toward the kitchen, phone pressed between her shoulder and ear.

"That would explain how Zhao Li Xin managed to hold an exhibition at Harland’s National Art Gallery. And why he rejected your brother’s invitation to join the organization."

That got Sean’s attention. "Wait— Salvo tried to recruit him?"

"Yeah," Lucia replied, pulling the fridge door open, the soft hum filling the pause. "And he was eager about it. One of the reasons I’m still stuck in this city is to change Mr. Zhao’s mind."

Sean asked inquisitively, "And you think you can?"

"As long as I can get close to him... though I don’t have much time here," she murmured, taking out an ice cube and dropping it into the glass.

There was a brief silence on the line, then Sean asked, "Do you need help?"

Lucia froze mid-step, her brows lifting. "Why are you being nice?" she asked, her tone light but her eyes narrowing. "That’s not like you."

"I’m just bored here," Sean replied, too quickly.

Lucia’s laugh was soft, teasing. "That’s not it. You never meddle in someone else’s mission. Wait—" she said suddenly, her tone turning sly, "you didn’t tell your brother about Raven Jane because you don’t want her hunted down, do you? And now you’re offering to help me seduce her husband..."

Her grin widened as she leaned against the counter. "Sean Lockwood — don’t tell me you’re interested in someone’s wife."

There was a pause on the other end, but a faint sound of restrained breath. Lucia’s smile deepened, her voice lowering to a purr. "Oh, that’s interesting."

Sean’s tone turned sharp, defensive. "You’re imagining things."

"Am I?" Lucia asked, savoring the silence that followed.

"Do you need my help or not?" His voice cut through.

Lucia folded into the question, knowing now was not the time to rile him. She let out a long, tired exhale. "Fine. How can you help me?"

"Simple," Sean answered with certainty, then continued, "We can kidnap her, though it won’t be easy. We should assume she and Zhao Li Xin are powerful ,gifted people and a hunter. However, if it works, that means we kill two birds with one stone. You can get Zhao Li Xin, and I can interrogate Raven Jane about her ties to Cestine Palace. Perhaps I can even change her mind and her position."

"Are you going to play ’devil’s advocate’ with her?" Lucia smiled slyly. "Don’t act self-righteous, Sean. I know what you really want."

"Whatever. Do you agree or not?" His voice grew impatient.

Lucia giggled. "Of course."

"Good," Sean said at last. "I’ll make the arrangements. They’re both hunters, so we can’t be reckless. Don’t do anything, don’t forget remind Timothy as well, and wait for my signal."

Lucia let the words settle, feeling the weight of the promise like ice in her throat. "I’ll be ready."