Chapter 5: The Black Ring and a Childhood Betrothal: Lexie Looske in Peril

Words : 2522 Updated : Jan 29th, 2026

Pierce Looske settled back into the car. "Young Master, did you know that girl just now?" Peony asked, curiosity bright in her eyes. "A younger girl from the Looske family," Pierce said mildly. Peony knew his past and did not press. He had walked away in silence because he did not want Lexie Looske to learn he had returned-not yet. He did not know that she already realized he was the one who saved her. Before long, Pierce arrived at a villa on the outskirts of Seafrost. "Young Master, I prepared this place for you. What do you think?" Peony asked with deference. Pierce took in the villa at a glance. "So-so. It will do." "If you are not satisfied, I can find you something better," Peony offered. "No. Don't trouble yourself." He waved her off. "Your top priority is to mobilize all of Flowber Palace's strength. Find my mother, Emmy Wimple, and find out why the Wimple family was wiped out." Peony bowed her head. "Yes, Young Master." "You can go. I'm going to rest," Pierce said. "Of course. Also, Flowber Palace prepared a surprise for you," Peony added. He was already walking toward the villa. Whether he heard her or not, he gave no sign. Peony's figure vanished into the night. Pierce stepped into the foyer. "Welcome home, Young Master!" several sweet voices chimed. He paused, then faced four stunning girls, each with her own charm. "And you are?" he asked, puzzled. "Reporting to the Young Master, we are from Flowber Palace. The Palace Master chose us to attend to you," said the girl in pink with a sugary smile. "I'm Mina." The girl in white smiled lightly. "I'm Lara." The girl in green spoke shyly. "I'm Zena." The girl in yellow inclined her head with poise. "I'm Jenna." Plum, Orchid, Bamboo, Chrysanthemum? Pierce blinked. "Right… Mina, Lara, Zena, Jenna? You should go back. I'm not used to being waited on." The four exchanged looks, then dropped to their knees, flustered. "Does the Young Master despise us? We may not be world-shaking beauties, but we are untouched." "That's not what I meant." Pierce rubbed his brow, a headache stirring. He wanted to give Peony a good scolding. Who told her to prepare a 'surprise' like this? They might not have been peerless, but each was easily a nine out of ten. "Please don't drive us away, Young Master!" they pleaded in unison. "Do as you like," Pierce said, shaking his head. He let the matter drop. He toured the villa, found a spacious bath with a sunken tub, and decided to wash up and change. The smell of blood on him was too strong. "Ahh." He sank into steaming water, relaxed from bone to marrow. The tub had constant temperature control, adjustable to taste. That, at least, pleased him. After bathing, Pierce returned to his room. He lay on the bed, old memories rising like mist. "Godmother, where are you?" he murmured. He touched his chest, drew out a black ring he wore as a pendant, and stared at it. His parents had left the ring to him. They had vanished when he was very young. Some said they were dead, but Pierce never believed it. One day, he would find them both. And if memory served, before they disappeared, they had even arranged a childhood betrothal for him. Jenton, inside a military base. A woman in uniform, poised and sharp-eyed, listened in shock as a subordinate delivered a report. "Your intel is solid?" "It came from Seafrost. No doubt." "Pierce Looske-that useless fool is alive?" she muttered. She was the youngest female general in Valia's history, Angelina Lawes. "The Looske family's useless young master. I thought he died six years ago. Didn't expect him to surface again." "If he had died, it would have been simple. But he's alive, so that engagement needs to be annulled." "I'll go to Seafrost myself and make him end it," Angelina said coolly. "To become my man, he must stand at the very peak of the world." "As for you, Pierce-you are not worthy." Seafrost Hospital. Lexie Looske sat on the bed, eyes locked on her phone. She replayed a video again and again. In it, a young man worked with fierce focus to save an injured girl. That face-familiar yet distant-stirred memories she had buried. "Pierce… is that you?" she whispered. Last night's crash had been a nightmare. An ambulance rushed her to the hospital for a battery of tests. The results defied belief-no obvious injuries. The scene had been a wreck: her car totaled, blood everywhere, yet her body seemed unharmed. The doctors recommended observation. Pierce saved me and left without a word. Did he not want to see me? Or was there another reason? She had people search all night but found nothing. Questions pricked at her heart. The door opened. A young man in a light-blue suit stepped in with a fruit basket and an armful of flowers. "Lexie, I heard about the crash. How are you feeling?" His voice carried genuine concern. "Clyde? What are you doing here?" She had told no one about the accident. Clyde Looske, who oversaw the Looske family's business operations, set the fruit and flowers on the table, a hint of reproach in his tone. "You get in a car wreck and don't tell me?" "It wasn't like that." Lexie shook her head. "I didn't think it was a big deal." "Not a big deal? Your car was totaled," Clyde said, staring at her. "I'm really fine. Do I look hurt to you?" Lexie spread her hands with a small smile. Clyde studied her. She did not look seriously injured, just a shade pale. "At first I was hurt badly," Lexie said. "Then a miracle doctor showed up. He used extraordinary methods and saved me." "A miracle doctor?" Clyde's look turned skeptical. Seeing his disbelief, Lexie let it go. She did not want to bring up Pierce. Instead, she shifted to the crash. "Clyde, I need you to look into this for me." "The driver already died in the accident. What's left to investigate?" Clyde frowned. "The man who hit me killed himself," Lexie said quietly. Clyde's eyes hardened. He understood what that implied. "What are you thinking?" "The Zorn family." Clyde's brow furrowed. "Someone from the Zorn family approached me days ago. They wanted to acquire your pharma company. I turned them down." "You think they tried to kill you first, then take over?" Clyde sounded unconvinced. "The Zorns are huge. Why would they care about a small pharma outfit? And resort to something that extreme?" "Sounds like you don't pay much attention to me," Lexie said with a quick, amused glance. "My company's market cap already cleared a hundred million." Clyde's surprise was plain, admiration tinged with regret. "I underestimated you. Growing a near-bankrupt pharma firm to over a hundred million in just a few years-respect. But if you hadn't left the Looske family, you could have gone even farther." "Enough, Clyde. I don't regret my choice," Lexie said, cutting him off. He saw her expression shift and let the matter drop. Pierce did not know that after he was driven out of the Looske family, Lexie left soon after by her own decision. In truth, she no longer had ties to them. She had been searching for him for years and never stopped, not even now. Seeing his face in that video filled her with joy. She could have lived a carefree life as a Looske heiress, but she walked away. "Don't worry. I'll investigate. If it was the Zorn family, they won't get off easy," Clyde said. "Thanks," Lexie replied with a nod. After he left, Lexie stayed in the hospital until dusk. Feeling fine, she checked herself out despite the doctors' objections. She stepped outside, about to hail a cab back to the company, when a black luxury SUV pulled up at the curb. The door opened and a burly man in a black suit climbed out, voice cold. "Miss Li, come with me. My young master wants to see you." Lexie's eyes chilled. She was about to refuse when the man drew a black pistol and leveled it at her, finger poised. "All right. I'll go meet him," she said, and got into the car.

Chapter 5: The Black Ring and a Childhood Betrothal: Lexie Looske in Peril

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