A sharp knock echoed through the room.
Knock. Knock.
The sound caught everyone’s attention, momentarily pausing the tension in the air.
“Come in,” Meleonora said, though there was a flicker of dissatisfaction in her voice.
This was an important interrogation. She didn’t appreciate being interrupted.
But then again, this was a hospital. Rose was still a patient, and it could be something urgent. Maybe a doctor needed to check on her. That was the only reason she allowed it.
Knock. Knock.
The knocking came again.
Meleonora frowned. Did they not hear me?
Just as she was about to repeat herself, Lucian, who had been standing, suddenly moved.
He walked toward the center of the room where a chair rested. It was meant for doctors to take brief rests during long surgeries.
Without a word, he pulled the chair forward, sat down with a slow, deliberate motion, and crossed one leg over the other. He placed both hands on his knee, fingers lightly tapping in a relaxed rhythm.
His posture…
It was the picture of effortless elegance, like a king sitting on his throne.
Meleonora and the others in the room frowned.
What now? Meleonora thought, annoyed by his casual arrogance.
Then, Lucian spoke.
“Come in.”
His voice was calm, slow, almost lazy.
The way he said it …it wasn’t a request. It was an invitation, but with an undeniable authority.
Meleonora’s brows furrowed deeper. Why does it feel like he’s the one in control here?
The door clicked open.
An old man stepped in.
His short, graying military-cut hair was neatly in place. Despite the wrinkles lining his face, his sharp eyes and straight-backed posture told the story of a man who had seen more battlefields than most could imagine.
Broad-shouldered, dressed in a finely tailored suit, he carried an unshakable presence.
Strong. That was the first word that came to mind.
“General,” Meleonora and the two officers behind her immediately straightened, snapping into a salute.
Purple-haired man blinked. General?
A slow chill crawled up his spine.
Wait… What the fuck is happening?
A Kane. A government official wearing a bomb vest. And now, a goddamn General?
No, wait… His mind raced as he glanced at the insignia on the old man’s suit.
Not just a general… A fucking Marshal?!
Purple-haired man sucked in a breath.
He was in deep, deep shit.
Still, forcing himself to act natural, he hesitated only for a second before mimicking Meleonora’s salute.
The old man smiled lightly, nodding toward Meleonora and her men.
“Quick on the uptake, girl,” he said with a small chuckle.
“Yes, sir,” Meleonora responded, her voice steady, professional.
Then
A voice cut through the air, casual yet ice-cold.
“So, you finally woke up, huh, old man? I thought you were dead.”
The room dropped into silence.
Meleonora’s head snapped toward Lucian, fury flashing in her eyes.
Without hesitation
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She drew her pistol again, the barrel aimed directly at Lucian’s head.
“Have some respect, brat,” she hissed, her tone deadly.
“This is a General. I can overlook your lack of discipline, but this man has spent decades protecting this country on the frontlines. Stand up, salute, and watch your disgusting language, or I won’t hesitate to put two holes in your skull.”
The temperature in the room seemed to plummet.
And yet
Lucian didn’t even flinch.
His posture didn’t change. He remained seated, leg still crossed, hands resting lazily on his knee.
He didn’t even turn his head to acknowledge her.
His cold eyes remained locked onto the General.
Completely ignoring her.
Meleonora’s grip on her gun tightened.
Purple-haired man swallowed hard.
This guy…
Is he a lunatic?
At first, he thought Lucian was just arrogant. Now, he wasn’t so sure.
No matter how influential the Kane family was, no matter how strong Lucian might be
He was still an 18-year-old brat talking down to a General like he was nothing.
What the hell gives him that kind of confidence?
Purple-haired man exhaled through his nose, shaking
The purple-haired man stared at the scene in utter disbelief.
This dude has no IQ. No EQ. How the hell does he plan to survive with that kind of brain?
Now he understood.
No wonder the entire Kane family doesn’t like him. No wonder the media and all the rumors paint him in such a negative light.
He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples.
Meanwhile, the tension between Meleonora and Lucian remained thick in the air.
Then
Sighhh.
The General let out a deep breath, shaking his head.
“Calm down, girl. It’s alright… I deserve that,” he said gently, reaching out to lower Meleonora’s pistol with his hand.
“But sir, he”
She was about to protest when the General looked at her with a soft smile.
“It’s alright. Don’t worry too much… And you should be more respectful to him. Pointing a gun at people like this isn’t good. How will you ever get a husband with that attitude?”
Cough. Cough.
Purple-haired man choked on his own spit.
Did this old man just say that?!
He straightened up quickly, pretending he hadn’t just almost died from shock.
“Huh?!” Meleonora was completely thrown off.
Respectful? To him?
Not getting a husband?!
Her mind scrambled between rage, confusion, and sheer disbelief.
Her anger surged like an inferno, almost as if her hair might actually catch fire from the sheer force of her emotions.
Before she could respond, the General gently patted her head, completely dismissing her.
“Alright, alright, put that toy away. Not like it’ll do you any good here anyway,” he said lightly, then turned toward Lucian, ignoring her reaction entirely.
Meleonora clenched her fists so tightly they trembled.
She wanted to scream. She wanted to do something. But she knew better than to lash out now.
She was too stunned to even argue.
The General took slow, steady steps forward, his gaze locking onto Lucian.
He picked up a chair from the side and placed it directly in front of Lucian face to face.
Lucian, still seated with one leg crossed over the other, remained completely relaxed.
Then
The General did something that shattered the entire room.
He bent forward.
Lowering himself into an apologetic bow.
“I would first like to sincerely apologize to you.”
—