Chapter 3 They Had No Idea Whose Wrath They'd Just Unleashed

Ten minutes later, Saul returned with an update. "Mr. Spencer, I've dug something up. Three months ago, that woman collapsed on the street and was rescued by Miss Spencer. Since then, the two have stayed in close contact."

He hesitated before adding, "A while back, when Miss Spencer vanished for three days and left a message asking us not to search for her, it was tied to that woman. I'm still working on her background."

Over the years, countless women had tried every possible trick to get close to Cayden. But this one had gone further-dragging Ava into it. To be noted, she was the only person Ava willingly interacted with.

Cayden's gaze sharpened. That woman was dangerous.

"The woman's name is Lilah Walsh, daughter of Lachlan Walsh and his first wife. She grew up in the countryside," Saul continued, his tone tightening. "Lately, the Walsh family has been desperate to win the development project for the land in the West District. Previously, they sent Elissa Walsh to seduce you, hoping to seal the deal, but she failed. This might be their new approach."

Before Cayden could respond, the driver suddenly exclaimed, "Mr. Spencer, look-Miss Spencer is in danger!"

Cayden's head snapped up just in time to catch a soccer ball cutting through the air toward Ava's temple. His expression hardened, instincts taking over before thought could catch up. He rushed out of the car and sprang forward, every muscle coiled with urgency. Ava's frail condition made her too fragile to take even a glancing hit.

Right before the ball could crash into Ava, a figure darted out ahead of Cayden, leaping into the air and twisting mid-motion. Her foot connected with the ball in a clean, explosive strike, sending it hurtling back with deadly precision.

The way the ball tore through the air made the strength behind that kick undeniable.

The next second, a piercing scream ripped through the air.

Moments later, a pack of young men swaggered over, circling Lilah with sneers and demands. Their leers turned predatory once they got a good look at her, and crude jokes spilled from their mouths.

Lilah's eyes hardened. These thugs had deliberately kicked the ball toward Ava-just to torment a girl in a wheelchair. They had no idea whose wrath they'd just unleashed!

Lilah acted swiftly. In a blink, the thugs were already on the ground, groaning and clutching their ribs in sheer agony.

"Fuck off!" Lilah snarled.

Terror wiped the smirks from the thugs' faces. They scrambled to their feet and bolted.

The entire scuffle ended before Ava even managed to pull up Cayden's number. Her eyes widened in awe. "Lily, you... You are absolutely incredible," she stammered, barely managing to form a coherent sentence.

Before Lilah could respond, a piercing pain shot through her skull. The world tilted, her vision dimmed, and she collapsed-right into Cayden's steady arms as he rushed forward.

Cayden's expression hardened, eyes narrowing with a trace of cold suspicion. The Walsh family truly had an agenda.

By the time Lilah stirred again, the car was already rolling toward the Walsh family residence. Her lashes fluttered weakly, catching glimpses of Cayden beside her.

The car rolled to a halt in front of the Walsh family residence, and Lilah got out of the vehicle wordlessly.

Watching Lilah disappear beyond the gates, one of Cayden's subordinates remarked in a low voice, "This Walsh daughter handles herself far better than the last one."

Cayden stayed silent, but the stillness in his gaze spoke volumes. He glanced at Ava, fast asleep beside him, her breathing soft and even. Gently retrieving her phone, he scrolled through the chat history with Lilah-only to find every message gone, wiped clean without a trace. What could they have been hiding that required such secrecy?

His thoughts drifted to the display of skill Lilah had shown earlier. If the Walsh family dared to use Ava for their own gain, he wouldn't hesitate to crush them.

"Don't make things difficult for Lily," Ava murmured sleepily, her voice tinged with quiet stubbornness. Even half-awake, she recognized that dangerous glint in her brother's eyes-the one that meant someone was about to regret crossing him.

"I won't. Get some rest." Cayden's tone softened despite himself; when it came to Ava, he would never push back.

The accident two years ago still haunted Cayden. He should've been the one crushed under the wreckage, but Ava had thrown herself in front of him. He'd escaped with a mild concussion and fragments of lost memory, while she was left unable to walk. Since then, he had scoured every lead, every whisper of hope-searching endlessly for the elusive Panacea who might heal Ava. But Panacea remained out of reach.