Chapter 3 You Have No Right to Pry

Right at that moment, a glint of silver streaked through the air.

The blade of a kitchen knife sailed through the air, embedding itself deep into the table with a loud thud.

Matthew flinched and quickly drew his hand back in shock.

Stepping in closer, Kayce spoke in a low, deadly serious tone. "The hand that dared to touch my wife-chop it off yourself."

Everyone from the Morris family stood frozen in place.

Kayce had always been the quiet one. They had thought that he was the type to vanish when trouble came knocking.

Not a single person could wrap their head around the fact that he was the one stepping up now.

Matthew twisted his lips into a mocking grin. "What did you just say? Go ahead, say it again. I don't think I heard you right."

Kayce said it once more, his voice even colder, "I said, the hand that touched my wife-cut it off yourself."

The gangsters started shouting, surrounding Kayce with threats and curses.

Matthew closed the distance between them, his stare burning with rage. "You really don't know who you're messing with, do you? Talking to me like that, you've signed your own death warrant."

A faint, scornful laugh slipped from Kayce. "Just another street rat pretending he's someone important. Can't handle it yourself? I'll do it for you."

A strange flutter ran through Rosalyn's chest. Although her feelings were all over the place, a tiny warmth grew inside her, stirred by Kayce standing up for her.

"You really think you're something, huh?" Matthew roared, grabbing the knife off the table and lunging toward Kayce. "I'll finish you off right now!"

Horror swept across the faces of the Morrises.

"Look out!" Rosalyn screamed.

Instead of retreating, Kayce leaned into the attack, grabbing Matthew's wrist mid-swing. He struck Matthew's elbow sharply with his free arm.

The sickening sound of snapping bone filled the air as Matthew's arm bent at an unnatural angle, rough white bone tearing through flesh.

With a sharp clatter, the knife hit the ground.

Matthew dropped to the ground, shrieking in unbearable pain.

Around him, the rest of the gang stiffened, too stunned to react.

Without a hint of hesitation, Kayce swept his gaze over them and said, "Leave."

Having spent their lives bullying the defenseless, these men broke down the moment they stood against someone truly dangerous.

Scrambling to help Matthew, a few of them stumbled forward, dragging him away in silence.

Stunned into silence, the Morris family watched as everything turned upside down. None of them could make sense of Kayce's sudden change.

It was hard to believe this was the same worthless Kayce they had always looked down on.

Breaking the heavy silence, Kayce said, "Kevin, stop hanging around with scumbags like that."

His words snapped everyone back to their senses.

Anger flushing his face, Kevin snapped, "Since when do you think you can tell me what to do?"

Despite the fact he had just been humiliated by a thug, Kevin showed no fear of Kayce whatsoever.

Kayce scoffed, "Funny how you weren't this bold when they were intimidating Rosalyn."

With her lips pressed tight, Rosalyn said, "Give him a break. He's still young. Being scared is natural."

But Kevin was already in his twenties. It was a poor excuse and everyone knew it.

If Rosalyn had one flaw, it was how she coddled Kevin far too much.

With a deep frown, Jenessa said, "Handling one problem doesn't give you the right to order us around. You have no place telling Kevin what to do."

Letting out a heavy sigh, Sebastian said, "Charging in like that was foolish. There were better ways to handle it. Was picking a fight really the answer?"

"That's right," Jenessa said sharply. "You just made enemies out of street thugs. What if they show up and wreck the place? How are we supposed to keep the business alive?"

A quiet chuckle escaped Kayce, but he kept his thoughts to himself.

No matter what he did, he would always be wrong in the eyes of Jenessa and Sebastian.

"Do you even realize who you just messed with?" Kevin said angrily. "Matthew's brother is the captain of the mine security team under Oliver Davies!"

In the coal-rich land of Aresphis, Oliver Davies stood like a king among men. His mine security team was practically a private army that everyone in town feared.

"Matthew's brother works for Oliver?" Jenessa's face drained of all color. "God help us... we're screwed."

Her glare cut straight to Kayce. "You started this mess. You're fixing it. Leave us out of it."

With a calm tone, Kayce replied, "Relax. I'm not dragging you into this."

There was a time when even the wealthiest titans of finance bowed their heads in his presence. Why would a rich thug shake him now?

Rosalyn darted an unhappy look at her parents and brother. "Enough!"

Kayce had moved because of her. Somehow, she found herself siding with him without hesitation.

Things had taken such a sour turn that Sebastian and Jenessa gave up and decided to call it a day. Working was the last thing on their minds.

Like always, the Morrises slipped away. Kayce was left to handle the mess.

To them, chores were his burden to carry.

Nothing changed today either. Kevin and the Morris couple disappeared without saying a single thing.

Yet tonight turned out different. For once, Rosalyn stayed behind to lend a hand.

She leaned over a table, wiping it down, when a pendant slipped free from her shirt.

The pendant was a carved wooden cross, deep red with a smooth finish, glowing oddly under the light.

She wore it every day.

Before, Kayce never gave it a second thought. But now, with his memories stitched back together, he knew exactly what it was.

The carving was made of Witherwood-a rare, poisonous variety of sandalwood that grew deep in the jungle.

It would emit a kind of nerve gas. Prolonged exposure could lead to nerve damage.

Shock flickered through Kayce as he realized Rosalyn had been wearing something so dangerous.

Breaking the silence, he said casually, "Rosalyn, you really shouldn't be wearing that necklace anymore."

She lifted her head, caught off guard. "What's wrong with it?"

"The wood's dangerous," said Kayce. "If you keep it close, it could hurt you without you even knowing."

Rosalyn laughed under her breath. "I feel fine. Better than fine."

Clearly, she thought he was being ridiculous.

This time, Kayce's voice turned serious. "I mean it. You need to stop wearing it."

"That's enough!" Frustration flared in Rosalyn's eyes. She slammed the rag onto the table. "I thought we agreed to leave each other alone. Did that slip your mind?"

A heavy sigh escaped Kayce. "Alright. I won't bring it up again."

"Maybe you've already guessed that someone special gave me this. But that still doesn't give you the right to pry."

Without another word, Rosalyn turned around walked away.

Right from the start, Rosalyn saw their marriage as a simple transaction. She gave him a place to stay, and in return, Kayce helped her win an apartment.

In her mind, there was nothing more between them.

Lately though, she had sensed a change. His growing feelings scared her, and every time he showed affection, she pulled away before it could deepen.

Before today, Kayce would have chased her without a second thought. But today, he didn't.