Revenge: A Path of Destruction
Chapter 140: Wait for Me

Chapter 140: Wait for Me

Liam Drake’s eyes hadn’t left Lauren since the image appeared.

She hadn’t blinked.

Ever since the hologram was displayed—especially the one labeled as the mysterious man named Alex—her gaze had been fixed. Unmoving. Unreadable to most, maybe, but not to Liam.

He knew her. Or at least he thought he did.

Lauren was typically cold, composed, and aloof—especially during meetings like this. But right now? The look on her face was... different.

There was something raw beneath the surface. A softening in her eyes. A kind of... yearning. No—recognition.

And worse, the kind of emotion that made Liam’s heart twist.

That’s not... love, is it?

He forced the thought away instantly. No. It couldn’t be. Lauren didn’t love anyone. She barely liked people. She had rejected every suitor that came near her, including him.

Liam remembered it vividly. He was fourteen when he first met her. His father had brought him along to one of their estate visits. And there she was—Lauren, already carrying herself with a maturity beyond her years.

Graceful, sharp-eyed... and beautiful. Even at that age, she had the striking figure and confidence of someone two years older. He had been floored. Spellbound.

He fell hard.

From that moment on, he began pursuing her. Initially, he approached her as a friend. However, he soon realized that the number of boys surrounding her was increasing, which filled him with fear.

Even though he knew they posed no real threat, he couldn’t take any chances. By the time she turned twenty, he had finally mustered the courage to ask her.

She didn’t hesitate.

"No."

Not even a soft "let me think about it," or a "maybe someday." Just that single word. Flat and direct, like a blade to the chest.

Still, Liam didn’t give up. He couldn’t. She was the only one who made his heart race like this. So he stayed close. Waited. Hoped.

Eight years.

Eight damn years, and still nothing had changed.

Until now.

Now, as she looked at the image of that man, Alex—Liam saw something in her eyes he had never seen directed at him. Not once.

It wasn’t just curiosity. It wasn’t caution. It was something deeper.

Like someone who had found what they lost.

Or worse... someone who had been waiting all along for someone else.

He clenched his jaw, his hands tightening into fists beneath the table. His mind scrambled for explanations.

Maybe she’s just surprised.

Maybe it’s just nostalgia. Maybe that man reminds her of someone. It doesn’t mean anything.

He repeated those thoughts like a mantra, trying to drown out the sharp sting in his chest.

But no matter how hard he tried to deny it, one truth had begun to settle into his bones like cold steel:

Lauren had never looked at him that way.

----

As the discussion around the table continued, a woman’s voice rose above the others—measured, clear, and confident.

"I don’t know if this might be a coincidence," she began, "but if we look at the current state of the Earth Domain... perhaps the reason the Higher Clan is pursuing him is because he might be the cause of their internal collapse."

All eyes turned toward her. Serina Vale—the Director of the Adventurers Guild. One of the few women present, but easily one of the most respected figures in the room. Her words carried weight, not just because of her rank, but because of her long-standing reputation for being right.

The room stirred. Some heads nodded in agreement, the suggestion bouncing off old suspicions, but others scoffed silently.

"How could a single Grandmaster destabilize a Clan that commands thousands of its kind?" one councilor muttered under his breath.

Clara folded her arms and replied calmly, "We also considered that possibility. The timelines are... oddly close. But we dismissed it as a coincidence.

The Earth Clan, even in its weakened state, is still one of the most powerful clans on the continent. More than that of the central government in raw force.

A Grandmaster, no matter how exceptional, couldn’t possibly bring them to their knees. And more importantly, none of the other Higher Clans seems interested in the matter. Only the Wind Clan, at least what we think."

She paused, letting the room digest that before finishing, "So we can’t confirm anything. Not yet."

Serina, unfazed, continued, "Then we need to send someone to track him. The bounty isn’t just abnormal—it’s dangerous. We don’t know who he is or why he’s being hunted, but until we do, this mystery will only grow."

This time, more voices murmured in agreement. It was a logical step. Safe. Neutral.

Clara nodded. "Any objections?" Silence. "Then... who are we sending?"

Before the words could settle, a single hand rose.

"I would like to go, if you don’t mind."

Heads turned.

Lauren.

She stood composed, but her voice carried something unusual—something firm, and beneath it, something personal. Everyone in the room turned their attention to Dominus, her father, as they waited for his reaction.

Dominus blinked slowly, eyes narrowing slightly. Lauren had never volunteered for missions like this. Not once. She was the type to stay out of field operations, preferring analysis, command, or silence.

"...Lauren?" he asked, his voice cautious. "You want to go?"

She nodded once. "Yes."

Before anyone else could speak, another hand rose.

"I’ll go too," said Liam Drake.

Lauren’s expression barely shifted, but for the briefest moment, a frown flickered across her face, quickly buried beneath her usual composure.

Dominus rubbed his chin, then gave a slow nod. "Very well. Since you have volunteered, I’ll assign a full escort team—Grandmaster and Master rankers.

You’ll leave within the next two days. You’re to track the target, observe, and avoid conflict unless necessary."

Neither Lauren nor Liam objected.

Clara moved to wrap up. "No further objections? Then that concludes this meeting."

As the council chamber began to empty, Lauren was among the first to leave. Several people tried to approach her, including Liam, but she offered them polite deflections.

"I need to prepare for the journey."

No one pressed further.

Her footsteps echoed through the corridor as she walked briskly toward the exit, her mind racing far ahead of her body.

’Wait for me, Alex.

I’m coming.’