"No, I just trust you..." Levi said carefully. "Besides, I heard he doesn't like women younger than him. To be honest, I'm envious that you'll get a chance to perhaps chat with him."
"You're envious that your girlfriend gets to chat with another guy?" Nina asked, placing her hands on her hips.
Levi "???"
Yeri shook her head, laughing.
These two still had a long way to go in their relationship.
Levi then glanced at his phone and said casually, "Remember Calin's brother? There's breaking news just now. It says he was arrested after federal police received a tip about Bryce Gate's whereabouts. But it turns out the person they found was Sergei Ricci."
Yeri frowned and leaned over to take a look at the news.
The article showed photos of what appeared to be a remote coastal area where Bryce Gate had supposedly been hiding. Among the few people found there was Sergei Ricci, who looked as though he hadn't eaten properly in days.
Another video showed him shouting that he was a victim. He claimed that he had been abducted against his will, blackmailed, and forced to take Bryce Gate's place.
Following the breaking news, a well-known marketing account that frequently covered scandals involving wealthy families and elite society released an explosive report detailing the truth about Bryce Gate's identity.
Among the revelations was the shocking fact that Bryce had been involved in an arson case when he was only eleven years old, in which a woman named Celestine had died.
She was Shin's biological mother.
The fire had also nearly killed Shin and Tristan, who had been at the villa at the time.
Elder Madam Keir's shriek suddenly echoed through the room.
"Who the hell allowed this scandal to be published?!"
Although the Keirs had long since severed their ties with Bryce Gate, there was still one undeniable connection. His mother, Eleanor Keir, remained married to Allister.
Now that the truth about Bryce's identity had resurfaced, the matter about Shin being an illegitimate son would undoubtedly become a heated topic among netizens again.
"Allister, do something about this news!" Elder Madam Keir rushed toward her son. "Shin is about to get married. Don't you think it's too much of a coincidence that this news broke out now? Someone clearly wants to turn this wedding into a controversy!"
Allister was already tapping away on his phone before his mother even finished speaking.
"I don't see anything wrong with this," Ellis said from the side. "At the very least, I won't be accused of being involved in Celestine's death anymore."
However, the old matriarch remained unhappy.
"Nothing wrong? Don't you know how easily people with bad intentions can twist the truth? They'll say we're harboring a criminal. They'll say that instead of seeking justice for Celestine, the matter was buried and Eleanor remained married to Allister. Not to mention that her own son eventually became the son of the woman who murdered her."
"Isn't that the truth?"
Allister lifted his head, his expression heavy with guilt.
Elder Madam Keir opened her mouth but couldn't find a single word to refute him.
"But isn't Shin doing well now?" Ellis commented. "He's the head of the family now. If he'd remained hidden, he wouldn't be where he is today."
Elder Madam Keir immediately nodded. "Right. It was to protect the family, and you were only thinking about your son's future. After all, the living still have to move on. If Celestine could see Shin now, she'd be at peace. And Shin himself never blamed you for your decision, right?"
Allister said nothing more. He simply lowered his gaze, feeling a lump form in his throat.
This was something he had buried deep within himself for years.
His deepest guilt, remorse, and self-condemnation.
Meanwhile, Yeri forwarded both news reports to Shin.
Something about Sergei being found in Bryce's place didn't feel right.
Based on her understanding of Bryce Gate and her previous encounter with him, Bryce was sharp and cautious. He had survived in the underworld for far too long to make a careless mistake like this.
Not only had he managed to remain hidden for so long, but he had been involved in the underworld since he was a minor.
Someone like him wouldn't simply disappear and leave behind an obvious trail, and he certainly wouldn't allow himself to be found so easily.
-
Shin received Yeri's message and wasn't the least bit bothered by Bryce's past being exposed.
As for Sergei Ricci? It was most likely a smokescreen.
"Don't you know Bryce's last whereabouts?" Shin asked Tristan.
Tristan pondered for a moment.
Since that encounter at the harbor, which had resulted in both sides exchanging gunfire, they had still been able to track Bryce Gate's movements until he disappeared from their radar two weeks ago.
"You know you can easily track him without human means," Tristan pointed out.
"For what?" Shin couldn't be bothered.
If Bryce wanted to come after him, then let him come.
He had never considered Bryce a threat or even a nemesis. To him, Bryce was nothing more than an annoying mosquito buzzing around, hardly worthy of any further attention.
Just then, a crew member approached, bowed formally, and informed them that the chartered plane was ready.
Once they boarded, the captain's voice echoed through the cabin, announcing the usual mandatory safety reminders.
"Maybe you should take a nap," Tristan suggested. "We still have a couple of hours before we arrive."
Because of the wedding rehearsal, Shin hadn't gotten even a minute of sleep in more than twenty-four hours. They had gone straight to the airport after dealing with the business matters, leaving him with barely any time to rest.
Shin ignored him, too busy messaging Yeri.
"Are you saying Shin Keir let his biological mother's murderer claim him as his son? That's absolutely diabolical! How could he stomach it?" Tristan said, raising an eyebrow as he read a netizen's comment.
"There are a few replies to this one," Tristan continued.
«[Why blame Shin Keir? Are you a selective reader? It says Shin almost died too, and he was only eight years old at the time. The truth might have been kept from him.]»
«[I don't believe he was clueless all this time. With his IQ, he must have known something. But with his current position, it's not easy to go against the Keirs.]»
«[The one who needs to explain himself is Shin's father. Isn't he the one at fault? He cheated on his wife, his mistress died, and instead of letting the scandal come out, he made his mistress's son legitimate. He's the heartless man who ruined both women.]»
However, someone immediately countered:
«[Eleanor Keir isn't exactly a good wife either. Have you all forgotten that Bryce Gate wasn't Allister Keir's son? It was a marriage scam! My sources say Allister and Celestine were already dating at the time, and Eleanor interfered between them. So she deserved her comeuppance.]»
"Are you done?" Shin finally spoke.
Tristan shrugged. "It's just interesting how everyone's so riled up while the person actually involved isn't the least bit bothered."
Shin "..."
His attention returned to his phone, Yeri had just sent him another message.
Yeri: I don't think everyone can wait. Besides, your family is already insisting that we start the rehearsal.
Shin replied immediately: It's fine. Let them wait. Or they can leave.
Yeri: You really know how to piss them off.
Attached to her reply was a selfie of her and Xati, with Xati sticking his tongue out at the camera.
Shin scoffed.
Without hesitation, he edited the photo, cropping Xati completely out of the frame.
Because of the red bonsai tree, he had reluctantly compromised and allowed Xati to participate in the wedding as a ring bearer.
That was already more than enough.
Suddenly, about half an hour after the plane took off, the aircraft jolted violently.
The cabin shook as the turbulence hit without warning.
Shin's expression changed slightly as he looked up from his phone.
Tristan smiled deviously. "Something's off. Didn't you notice that no one's been around since the plane took off? Not even our sexy flight attendants."
Shin merely glanced out the window before looking at his watch. His forefinger tapped impatiently against his armrest.
The plane jolted again despite the clear weather outside, then quickly settled back to normal.
Another half hour passed.
Suddenly, a voice came through the receiver.
"How do you like your flight, CEO Shin Keir?" the voice asked mockingly. "You must be getting impatient with your beautiful bride and family waiting for your arrival."
Then, from the back of the plane, three men emerged carrying heavy firearms, immediately pointing them at Shin and Tristan.
Hearing the commotion, Tristan turned around and let out a low whistle.
Not long after, the door to what was supposedly the pilots' cabin opened.
Bryce swaggered out arrogantly, flanked by two of his men.
"Well, dear younger stepbrother, we meet again." Bryce grinned from ear to ear. "I've been thinking of different ways to surprise you, and I thought you'd really appreciate this one. After all, you're always so confident that I wouldn't even be able to breathe the same air as you. But tada~"
Shin "..."
"You didn't see this coming, did you?" Bryce continued smugly. "As for your people, well, I left some bodies at the airport as a parting present. And as for the others... I figured it would be lonely in the afterlife, so you could use some company, right, Tristan?"
Tristan clicked his tongue. "You've gotten creative. Guess being exposed to the public finally peeled away all your pretenses. Now you're free to be yourself."
Bryce laughed, almost manically.
"This is what I like about you, Tristan! To be honest, I really thought you were just like me. Waiting for the right moment to make a move, placing chess pieces here and there like Yeri Zhi."
His smile slowly faded into something more mocking.
"But it's quite disappointing. It was all just Calin's assumption. You turned out to be nothing more than Shin's loyal guard dog all this time."
"Better than being a beaten one who ended up as a stray in a foreign country," Tristan shot back.
The smile on Bryce's face vanished, his eyes darkened.
For a brief moment, he remembered the past.
Before the fire, Shin and Tristan had been nothing more than two skinny brats who were constantly bullied by Hadi and Hiro.
Of course, Bryce had been the one pulling the strings behind it all.