Chapter 381

The tranquil monastery courtyard buzzed with activity outside the sandalwood-scented meditation hall.

Business tycoons shifted allegiances faster than flipping pages. They swarmed around the Roland family, sycophantic grins plastered across their faces, desperate to bask in Isabella Langley and Master Xingyun's perceived divine favor.

"Your opportunism is impressive," Alexander Roland remarked coldly, the glint of his ring mirroring the frost in his eyes. "First, you shun my sister like a plague. Now you grovel at her feet. Do you truly think the Rolands are pushovers?"

The crowd stiffened, unprepared for his public confrontation during the Blessing Ceremony.

A few cowards already shrank back, eager to avoid collateral damage.

"Evelyn Roland is a jinx!" one man spat defiantly. "Keeping her around brings nothing but misfortune!"

Alexander's lips curled into a humorless smile.

Some people were rotten to the core.

In the corner, the acting abbot and novice monk trembled, barely daring to breathe.

Inside the meditation hall, Isabella fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Miss Roland," Master Xingyun pressed, hands clasped reverently, "the monastery is willing to pay handsomely for that insect repellent formula."

Her fingers twitched. "We'll discuss it another time."

She forced a strained smile, her back drenched in cold sweat.

When they exited, the master beamed with satisfaction.

The moment his back turned, Isabella's face contorted with rage.

That formula?

Again—Evelyn!

That wretched girl had been banished from the mountain. Why did her shadow still linger?

Her nails dug bloody crescents into her palms. She wanted to grind that name between her teeth and swallow the ashes.

——

Dozens of miles away, in a secluded villa, Evelyn sneezed violently.

"Coming down with something?" Sebastian Valdemar propped himself up, reaching for her forehead.

"Someone's cursing me," she deflected, tilting away.

His hand hovered midair, pale lips pressing into a tight line.

"The monastery situation..." A cough rattled his chest. "I'll handle it."

His thumb absently traced his ring, a faint flush coloring the corners of his eyes.

"Sure thing, Mr. Valdemar~" She deliberately drawled the title.

Behind his glasses, his gaze darkened.

He longed to resort to more... persuasive methods. But frightening her was the last thing he wanted.

"I'm checking on Bianca." She turned toward the door.

"Don't go—"

The whisper dissolved into empty air as the door clicked shut.