Her Rebirth.-Chapter 40

Days passed, and while Kai was thinking of capturing this little butterfly of his, at least until his interest died down, the BlackBourne family was facing the biggest storm it had ever encountered.

Crack!

The vase smashed on the ground, shattering into pieces all over the floor.

"What the hell is going on?!" Oliver BlackBourne’s chest heaved, sorrowful and hateful.

But no one answered, because no one had an answer.

Just hours ago, he had stormed out of an emergency shareholder meeting because it was obvious to the naked eye that he was about to be impeached.

The BlackBourne family, once a titan in the business world, was crumbling at an unprecedented speed.

All their dirty dealings, every skeleton they had buried, had been dragged into the daylight and splashed across every major news outlet. Their stocks nosedived, and as they fell, an anonymous figure was silently buying them up in bulk.

Enemies they had once crushed without a second thought were now circling like vultures, waiting for the final blow.

Oliver clutched his chest, fumbling for his hypertension medication.

If this continued, it wouldn’t be business failure that killed him, it would be a stroke.

"Check!" he wheezed out. "Find out who’s behind this! Now!"

The secretary standing behind him didn’t dare hesitate, quickly stepping out to execute his orders.

Oliver’s mind raced. This was deliberate. Calculated. Personal.

But who?

The only recent conflict he could think of was with the Blackwotime But even the Blackwood family wasn’t capable of doing this in such a short period of time.

This wasn’t just an attack, it was a death sentence.

Whoever was pulling the strings wasn’t just after their business; they wanted the BlackBourne name wiped off the face of the earth.

For days, the BlackBourne family threw everything they had into the investigation and it didn’t take long to get an answer.

Because the other side didn’t bother hiding it.

ED Technologies.

The moment Oliver received the name, an invitation followed, an order, really.

The mysterious boss of ED wanted to meet and he was to bring Caleb.

Oliver found the request strange, but at this point, he had no choice. So now, standing before the towering ED Technologies building, Oliver BlackBourne felt something he hadn’t felt in decades.

Fear.

Beside him, Caleb stood stiffly, his hand still in a cast, his face pale.

A figure approached, it was Secretary Wen.

"Mr. BlackBourne," Wen said, his voice cool, professional, indifferent. "Our boss is expecting you."

Oliver took a slow breath, his fingers trembling slightly as he steadied himself. He had to remain composed.

No matter what, he had to ensure the survival of the BlackBourne family.

"Lead the way."

He knew of ED.

Everyone did.

A company that had emerged out of nowhere, rising to become an unshakable force in the corporate world. Many had tried to befriend its mysterious CEO, but no one had ever gotten close.

The culture of ED was ruthless, efficient, and impenetrable. It had no scandals, no betrayals and no weaknesses.

But Oliver never imagined that ED would be the one to break the BlackBourne family. ED’s move had cost him a lot of money. This kind of effort, this situation, was enough to say that ED—

Wanted to clean up the BlackBourne family.

Oliver just didn’t understand. How did they end up offending ED?

Oliver was led to a hidden private elevator, one that took him straight to the top floor but Caleb wasn’t allowed to follow.

Oliver hesitated. Why summon his son if he wasn’t even allowed to meet the boss? But ultimately, he didn’t resist. Right now, he couldn’t afford to anger ED.

The elevator doors slid open.

Secretary Wen led him down a sleek corridor before stopping in front of a large, elegant office door.

A cold voice came from inside.

"Come in."

Oliver paused.

This voice...

It was young.

Very young.

The door opened.

Oliver stepped inside and his world tilted.

Seated behind a luxurious glass and wooden desk, in an immaculately tailored suit, was a man he knew. A man he had never once considered a threat.

Kai Blackwood.

The useless son of the Blackwood family.

The illegitimate disgrace.

The man who had beaten his son senseless.

Dan Blackwood had called him to inform him that Kai couldn’t apologize as Caleb was at fault first. At that time, Oliver was a little angry when he heard that, but on that same day, the BlackBourne family started to have trouble. When one thing happened after another, he couldn’t care less about an apology.

Oliver’s mind reeled. He had dismissed Kai as a nobody, someone unworthy of attention. But now, looking at the calm, smiling figure before him, Oliver felt a deep, suffocating unease creep over him.

That smile...

It wasn’t friendly.

It was the smile of a predator who had already won.

"Ahh, welcome," Kai said smoothly, gesturing to the seat across from him.

"Please, have a seat."

Oliver remembered the first time he saw Kai. He looked quiet and inconspicuous. But today, looking at the smiling man sitting in the office chair, Oliver actually began to doubt—

How on earth was he blind to find Kai inconspicuous in the first place?

Oliver sorted out his emotions, took a deep breath, and slowly said, "Kai, I and your father are friends. Our families have been allies for decades now."

Kai’s smile widened.

"But the Blackwood family is the Blackwood family—" His dark eyes gleamed as he leaned forward.

"And I am me."

The room suddenly felt colder.

Oliver suppressed a shudder, and his throat became dry.

His lips pressed together before he asked, "The reason you did this to my family... is it because of my son’s conflict with your fiancée?"

Kai’s smile didn’t falter.

If anything, it deepened.

"Amelia is my fiancée." His voice was soft, but there was something sinister beneath it.

"No one can touch her."

His fingers drummed lazily against the desk. freeweɓnøvel.com

"Not even a strand of her hair."

The way he said it made Oliver’s stomach twist.

He had never expected that his family would be almost brought to ruin because of a woman.

"I will bring Caleb to apologize," Oliver said quickly. "Before Miss Amelia."

Kai chuckled.

"Oh, Oliver..."

He tilted his head, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the desk.

"Do you really think... an apology is enough?"

A chill ran down Oliver’s spine.

"What else do you want?" he gritted out.

Kai’s smirk widened.

He leaned back, watching Oliver with eyes that held no warmth.

"The hand that touched her," Kai murmured.

Oliver’s breath caught.

Kai’s fingers stopped tapping, his gaze dark.

"It’s only right," he said with mock innocence, "that I take it, don’t you think?"

Oliver shot up from his seat, his face twisted in fury. "How preposterous! You want my son’s hand?"

Kai’s smile fell. "Oh?" His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "It seems the BlackBourne family doesn’t mean that much to you after all."

Oliver clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palm. This demon was demanding his only son’s hand in exchange for the BlackBourne family’s survival. How could he possibly—

His gaze flickered to Kai, who watched him with unsettling amusement, as if savoring his torment.

"Mr. BlackBourne, if you’re unwilling to accept the deal, you’re free to leave," Kai said. "I have far more important matters to attend to."

Oliver gritted his teeth. If he refused, the BlackBourne family would be reduced to ruins. As much as it hurt to see his son lose a hand, he could get Caleb a prosthetic, a bionic arm, yes! that was a solution. Losing a hand was better than losing everything.

He exhaled shakily. "Fine," he forced out.

Kai’s smile widened. "I knew you were a reasonable man." He clapped his hands lightly. "Bring him in."

The door swung open, and two men in black dragged Caleb inside.

"Hey! Let go of me! What the hell is this?!" Caleb thrashed in their grip. His furious gaze landed on Kai, and he immediately recognized him. "Wait—you! You’re that bastard who broke my arm! The useless Blackwood mongrel!" His lip curled. "So you’re the one behind this? You think you can—"

SLAP!

The sharp sound echoed in the office as Oliver struck his son across the face.

"Shut up, you unfilial brat!" Oliver’s voice trembled with anger. "Do you think your words can save you now?! If not for your stupidity, we wouldn’t be in this mess!"

Caleb froze. His father had never spoken to him like that before. They had always pampered him, treated him like a prince—

Why was his father looking away from him now?

"Could you kindly bring our guest to the table?" Kai’s voice was gentle, almost coaxing, but it sent an icy chill down Caleb’s spine.

The two men forced him forward.

Caleb struggled harder, his instincts screaming. "Father! What’s going on?!"

Oliver kept his back turned.

Kai stood, walked to a glass cabinet, and pulled something out. It was a small, wickedly sharp axe.

Caleb’s blood ran cold.

Kai approached, twirling the axe in his hand. Then, with a casual smile, he extended it to Oliver.

"Here. A father’s hand should be the one to discipline his son, don’t you think?"

Oliver’s eyes widened. "You—you want me to do it?"

Kai’s lips curved into a slow grin. "Ah, but I have meetings to attend, you see. And bloodstains are such a pain to clean off a suit." He shrugged. "Don’t worry, it’s sharp. You’ll be done in one hit. Or are you contemplating choosing your son over the BlackBourne family? If so, I really admire the love among family members."

Caleb’s breathing quickened, his eyes darting between his father and Kai.

"F-Father?" His voice wavered. "You—you wouldn’t... You wouldn’t really—"

Oliver closed his eyes and took the axe with trembling hands. He walked to his son, trying not to see whatever expression he had on.

Caleb started thrashing wildly, trying to break free, but the two men held him down, stretching his injured arm over the table.

"Father—FATHER, PLEASE!"

Oliver raised the axe.

The room seemed to hold its breath.

THUD!

A scream tore through the office as the blade bit into flesh and bone, but it didn’t go all the way through. Blood spattered across the polished floor.

Caleb’s eyes rolled back in pain, shrieking in agony.

Oliver gasped, his hands slick with his son’s blood. His stomach churned. "Y-You said it would be one strike!"

Kai let out a soft chuckle. "Ah, my mistake. I must’ve forgotten to sharpen it this morning."

Oliver gritted his teeth, gripping the axe tighter. He couldn’t drag this out. He had to end it.

With a deep breath, he raised the axe again and swung it down—

THUD!

The severed hand dropped to the floor with a wet sound.

Caleb let out a soul-wrenching scream, curling into himself, his remaining hand grasping at the bloody stump where his limb used to be. Blood pooled rapidly beneath him.

Oliver staggered back, his face pale as a sheet. His hands trembled violently. He retched as he couldn’t take in the sight.

Kai watched the scene unfold, his eyes dark with satisfaction.

After a long moment, he finally spoke.

"I really don’t want to see his face again."

Oliver looked at Kai with anger and hatred. "Kai, I only have this one son! What about our BlackBourne family? If he goes abroad and never comes back, who will inherit my family business in the future?!"

Kai leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs leisurely. Then, in a bored tone, he picked up his phone and uttered a single command:

"Continue shorting BlackBourne’s stock. Make sure they lose everything."

Oliver collapsed to the floor, his aged face drained of all hope.

"I promise! I promise!" He clutched at Kai’s leg desperately. "I’ll send him away! He’ll never come back! Just—please—"

Kai merely smiled.

The door clicked shut.

In the silence that followed, Kai turned his gaze to the bloodstained floor.

His fingers tapped against the armrest.

"How unsightly," he murmured to himself.

Then, as if nothing had happened, he pressed the intercom.

"Secretary Wen, have this cleaned up. And bring me the annual report."