the two-faced Adopted Girl Who Melted CEO's Ice-Cold Heart
Chapter 76: I Heard You Took Action for a Woman?

In front of the "South Wind Knows My Intent" suite stood two muscular, fully armed men.

Ignatius Leclair instructed Little Six to remain outside, then entered the suite.

Inside the suite, the lights were off. Only the glow of neon lights seeped through the curtains, illuminating the corners of the room.

"Still don’t like brightness?" Ignatius Leclair entered the room, speaking lazily as he flipped on the lights. His gaze settled on the handsome yet cold and resolute man seated in a wheelchair.

The man’s features were strikingly handsome, with an aura of impenetrable depth. He frowned slightly, adjusting to the sudden brightness in the room. Then, he turned his wheelchair in another direction, smirking faintly. "You’re late."

Ignatius Leclair removed his jacket and casually grabbed a bottle of red wine from the bar. Uncorking it, he poured two glasses and responded in a low tone.

"I thought you’d never leave the Imperial City in this lifetime." The man lounged on the sofa, sipping his red wine leisurely, raising a brow with a faint tone of mockery.

Richard Shaw pressed a button on his automatic wheelchair, moving it forward a few paces. He observed Ignatius Leclair’s gloomy expression, then subtly curled his icy lips into a fleeting smile. "My legs are useless now. Can only stay home, idling away."

Ignatius Leclair let out a cold, mocking laugh. Richard Shaw—scion of the Shaw Family, a prestigious name in the Imperial City—could crush others solely with the weight of his accumulated military merits, never mind the legacy of three generations. After losing the use of his legs, Richard resigned from his position as Admiral to recuperate at home.

A civilian in plain clothes able to influence Imperial City’s grand dynamics—this was what made Richard Shaw truly terrifying.

"The matters in the South Seas don’t require your interference." Ignatius Leclair didn’t need to guess; it had to be the old lady who persuaded him to step in. The Howard Family and the Shaw Family shared deep ties. Besides the Howard matriarch, no one else could compel Richard Shaw.

"Mm." Richard Shaw nodded slightly. He hadn’t intended to meddle this time in the South Seas anyway.

He was merely an idle man at home, rusty and broken—useless.

Only the Howard matriarch, worried for her grandson, dared to send him. Ignatius Leclair, ruthless as ever, was the kind whose every move struck fatally. Instead, Richard worried more about his opponent.

"The old lady asked me to probe—when are you planning to settle down?" Richard Shaw’s handsome features broke into a faint smile. Fine lines traced the edges of his eyes, emanating a mature, subtly seductive charm.

All these years, there hadn’t been any women around Ignatius Leclair. Not only was the old lady impatient, even Richard found it odd. Could it be a late-stage cleanliness obsession—or had he switched preferences?

"Come ask me again when the day comes that you want to heal your legs." Ignatius Leclair narrowed his eyes, glancing briefly at Richard’s damaged legs.

Richard Shaw’s legs had been paralyzed for years. Numerous domestic and international top doctors had come to examine him, only to be turned away at his door. He’d abandoned piled-high accolades, sacrificed the honor and rank of Admiral, and isolated himself in a quiet cabin in Imperial City.

Yet, with the Shaw Family’s influence over the military and his many high-ranking followers, no one could touch Richard Shaw.

Back when the incident occurred, Ignatius Leclair had traveled north. Not only was the Shaw Family in utter chaos; the entire Imperial City was thrown into disarray. Fortunately, when that woman died, she left behind a newborn son. Only then did Richard cling to life by a thread, losing only his legs while leading a solitary life with his child.

Women—they were undoubtedly the most disastrous curse in this world. His closest friend, the Shaw Family’s most dazzling heir, had ultimately fallen at the hands of a woman.

Ignatius Leclair’s thoughts wandered to Delphine Carter. Luckily, Delphine was timid and meek. Her mother and brother’s fates rested entirely in his hands. Add to that her humble background with no connections. She had always been submissive, allowing him to control her easily.

Richard Shaw shook his head with a soft laugh and said faintly, "Message delivered. I should head back now. Word is—you’ve targeted Stone Leclair this time, all because of a woman?"

Richard pushed open the door, and the two attendants at the entrance immediately became alert, surveying their surroundings with heightened vigilance.

Without waiting for a response, Richard Shaw let out an enigmatic smile and left on his own.

Ignatius Leclair’s expression darkened. Seated casually on the sofa, he swirled the red wine in his glass, a fleeting shadow passing through his eyes.

Looks like targeting Stone Leclair this time had caused quite a stir—so much so that even Imperial City had been alerted.