A Storm Before the Clinic
Zyan Ashbourne’s expression immediately darkened.
The confidence that had been resting on his face disappeared in an instant, replaced by an icy glare. His brows drew together, and the air around him seemed to grow heavier as irritation settled into his heart.
"This small Ravenswood household dares to disrespect the De Dominicis household?"
His voice became noticeably colder, each word carrying a sharp edge.
"A mere family of doctors."
"If they were in Silverhaven City, they wouldn’t even have the right to refuse!"
His tone was filled with absolute certainty, as though everything should naturally bend to the Ashbourne family’s will.
Across from him, Bianca De Dominicis merely smiled.
Her beautiful crimson eyes showed not the slightest ripple of concern. Instead, there was a trace of amusement hidden beneath her calm expression, as though she had just heard something laughably naïve.
She couldn’t even be bothered to argue.
The Ravenswood household had earned its reputation through generations of unparalleled Ancient medicine. Countless powerful figures owed them favors that could never truly be repaid.
Influential business leaders...
Military commanders...
Old Martial Arts experts...
Even people standing at the peak of society had once sought help from the Ravenswood household.
Anyone foolish enough to provoke them wasn’t simply making an enemy of one family.
They were challenging every powerful person whose life had once been saved by the Ravenswood household.
Thinking about that alone made Bianca inwardly shake her head.
Some people simply couldn’t see beyond the power they held in front of them.
Unfortunately, Zyan Ashbourne was one of them.
"Then I’ll go myself. If they refuse to cooperate, they can’t blame me for breaking their faces."
His patience had finally run out.
A cold snort escaped his lips as he straightened his clothes before turning toward the exit.
Every movement reflected the arrogance that had been cultivated through years of privilege.
He had already made up his mind.
Since words wouldn’t solve the problem...
Then force certainly would.
Without another moment of hesitation, Zyan prepared to head toward the Ravenswood Family Clinic together with the experts and attendants accompanying the Ashbourne household.
If they refused to cooperate...
Then they would simply have to bear the consequences.
Watching him leave, the atmosphere inside the room quietly became tense.
No one doubted that Zyan truly intended to do exactly what he had just said.
The Ashbourne household had never been known for backing down once its pride had been challenged.
Standing nearby, Julian D’Aurelius narrowed his golden eyes ever so slightly.
His black hair swayed faintly as he silently watched Zyan’s retreating figure.
A familiar sense of unease rose within him.
This didn’t feel right.
After everything that had happened recently, whenever someone acted recklessly around Steffan, things rarely remained simple.
Without wasting another second, Julian calmly spoke inside his mind.
"System, give me a spoiler of the plot."
The voice was heard by no one else.
Only the Tyrant System responded.
"Beep. Plot spoiler complete."
The mechanical notification echoed within Julian’s consciousness.
A flood of memories and future events rapidly poured into his mind.
One scene after another flashed before his eyes with incredible clarity.
According to the original storyline...
After the Obsidian Kings successfully cured Dario Ashbourne, he had also won Felberta Ashbourne’s complete trust.
Once Felberta stood firmly on his side, Zyan Ashbourne naturally reached a dead end, losing every chance to inherit control of the Ashbourne household.
That had originally been the path of fate.
But everything had changed.
Julian had already interfered with that destiny.
The future was no longer moving exactly as it once had.
Because of his actions, Zyan had managed to survive until this point instead of falling much earlier.
Now another possibility had emerged.
This time, when Zyan rushed to create trouble at the Ravenswood Family Clinic, he wouldn’t succeed in harming them.
Instead...
He would walk directly into a carefully prepared trap.
Steffan and Black ghost had already made their arrangements.
Rather than allowing Zyan to cause chaos, they would seize him instead.
By the end of it all, Zyan would become nothing more than another pawn under Steffan’s control.
Julian’s expression gradually became serious.
His golden eyes flickered thoughtfully.
So...
Even after suffering repeated setbacks, Steffan still hadn’t abandoned his plan to seize control of the Ashbourne household.
He had simply been waiting for another opportunity.
And now...
Zyan was about to hand that opportunity to him with both hands.
What an idiot.
Julian silently sighed.
He had spent considerable effort disrupting the original chain of events, preventing Steffan from gaining another powerful family as an ally.
If Zyan insisted on rushing toward the clinic now, he would only be delivering himself straight into the enemy’s grasp.
That wasn’t bravery.
It was stupidity.
After organizing everything he had just seen through the Tyrant System, Julian quickly formed a rough plan in his mind.
His gaze settled firmly on Zyan.
Then, with a slight frown, he spoke.
"I advise you not to court death."
The words weren’t loud.
But they carried enough weight to immediately halt the conversation.
Julian had painstakingly rewritten the Ashbourne family’s fate to stop Steffan from obtaining control over them.
He had no intention of watching all that effort disappear because of one reckless decision.
If Zyan insisted on walking into that trap...
He would only be helping the enemy.
Zyan’s footsteps stopped.
He slowly turned around.
His face darkened as his eyes locked onto Julian.
"What do you mean, Julian? Are you deliberately picking a fight?"
Zyan Ashbourne stopped in his tracks and turned sharply, his dark eyes locking onto Julian D’Aurelius with barely concealed hostility. His fists tightened at his sides as anger simmered beneath his composed appearance. Ever since Julian had spoken, it felt as though every word was meant to mock him.
Julian met his gaze without the slightest change in expression.
His golden eyes remained calm, almost indifferent, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.
Inside his heart, however, he had already reached a decision.
There was no point trying to persuade someone who insisted on charging toward disaster.
[Idiot... eager to deliver yourself to Steffan, huh?]