"You think standing on a swing makes you a tough guy? Gods, you're dumb as a rock!"
Elara's voice dripped with icy disdain as she watched Theo Corin perch precariously on the swing.
Behind the villa, the small lawn bathed in sunlight—swing, patio set, and her mother's prized rose garden—was once a family retreat.
Now, it was her hunting ground.
Theo sneered, gripping the ropes tighter. "A lousy swing's nothing. You women just love overreacting."
He pumped his legs, sending the swing soaring higher.
Elara's lips curved into a cold smirk. She'd lied about him fearing swings—all to goad him into this.
Her gold and air Superpowers hummed to life, invisible threads coiling around the swing's six thick ropes.
Theo laughed, oblivious to the danger. "See? Piece of—"
Snap!
The first rope frayed, then a second. Panic flashed across his face.
"Shit!" He flailed, trying to steady himself.
Click. Click.
Two more ropes snapped. The swing tilted violently.
Theo screamed as the last three ropes gave way, sending him plummeting eight feet into the rose bushes.
Thorns tore at his skin with a sickening rip.
Elara stood frozen, watching him crumple motionless among the crushed blooms.
Pity—her mother's roses were ruined.
But Theo? Good riddance.
In her past life, he'd awakened a water-element Superpower, joined her enemies, and nearly got Kael killed.
This time, she'd nipped that threat in the bud.
She stepped forward to check his condition, but a roar cut through the air.
"Elara!"
Kael sprinted toward her like a rabid cheetah, his face pale with terror.
He'd heard the scream, seen the broken swing—and thought it was her.
Before she could react, he tackled her into a bruising hug, dragging her two meters away from the roses.
"Are you hurt? Where does it hurt?" He pulled back, his hands frantic as they patted her arms, legs, face.
His cold, hard features twisted with unbridled panic.
Elara blinked. She was fine—perfectly fine.
But the way Kael's hands trembled, the way his breath came in ragged gasps… it warmed something deep in her chest.
"I'm fine," she said, pushing his hands away gently. "Really."
Kael scowled, not buying it. "We're going to the hospital. Now."
"It's not me," she sighed, nodding toward the bushes.
"He fell. Accidentally."
Kael's gaze snapped to Theo's crumpled form.
His jaw tightened, dark rage swirling in his eyes. He'd always hated Yang Ming and his son—leeches, the both of them.
"Stay away from him," Kael growled, his protectiveness flaring hotter than ever.
"From now on. I'll crush anyone who tries to hurt you."
Elara didn't argue.
For once, his overprotectiveness didn't irritate her. It felt… familiar. Safe.
As Kael knelt to haul Theo out of the roses, Elara glanced at the swing's broken ropes.
One problem solved.
Now, back to preparing for the end of the world.
Kael hauled Theo up like a sack of potatoes, his grip tight enough to bruise.
"I'll teach this bastard to get close to you," he muttered, already plotting to "accidentally" rough Theo up on the way to the hospital.
Elara watched, a satisfied smirk tugging at her lips.
Theo's arm hung limp, his leg twisted at a grotesque angle—broken, for sure.
He'd be bedridden for months. If he had internal injuries? Even better.
"Take him to the hospital," she said, her tone casual.
"He got hurt on our property—can't have Yang Ming screaming about lawsuits."
She paused, adding sharply, "Find a good lawyer. If he tries to blackmail us, Voss's family doesn't roll over."
Kael raised an eyebrow, impressed by her sharpness. "Got it. I'll tell Mom and Dad. You stay here."
"Uncle Yang will rush to the hospital—no need for us to waste money," Elara added, already turning toward the lawn mower.
She needed to erase any trace of her Superpower.
Kael grinned, dropping Theo's limp body into the car. "Smart girl."
He dragged Theo away like cargo, leaving Elara to trim the lawn—hiding the subtle marks of her power.
When she finished, not a trace of her handiwork remained.
She patted her clothes and walked back to the villa, calm as if nothing had happened.
Next Chapter Teaser
Yang Ming storms the villa, screaming for a fortune in compensation for Theo's "accident"—but Elara has no mercy. Kael's lawyer and the police arrive, and the broken swing's ropes become the center of a investigation. Will the forensic check expose Elara's Superpower sabotage? And as Kael's obsession with protecting her grows borderline suffocating, can Elara keep her distance… or will she cave to the safety his devotion offers? The apocalypse countdown ticks louder, and their tangled fate is about to collide with family drama and Superpower exposure.