Chapter 46: Guinea Pig
Inside the study room of the Hayes estate, the atmosphere was unusually solemn.
Alistair Hayes sat at the center, hands folded behind his back, gazing into the fireplace. Beside him, Clarissa leaned against the polished wood desk, arms crossed. Damien stood nearby, sipping from a steaming cup of black tea, his expression unreadable.
"Father," Damien finally said, breaking the silence, "who exactly is this... Master Yun?"
Clarissa nodded slowly. "You never told us much. Why would you promise Natalie to someone like Gregory?"
Alistair exhaled deeply, the weight of the past hanging heavy on his shoulders.
"Master Yun is... a mystery," he said, voice quiet but firm. "Many don’t know where he came from. Some say he is some kind of god. Appears and disappears like mist. Others believe he’s mastered a kind of... ancient art. Something far beyond what we can understand."
Clarissa’s eyes widened slightly. Damien’s brows furrowed.
Alistair continued, "They say he can see the threads of destiny. Predict the rise and fall of people, clans, even entire corporations. That’s why so many powerful families are in debt to him. Some even went as far as transferring their entire fortune to him, just for a single word of prophecy."
Damien looked stunned. "You mean... that kind of man saved you and Natalie?"
"Yes," Alistair admitted. "As you know,it was fifteen years ago, during the Mount Gai incident. We were ambushed. I was poisoned. Natalie, only a child, was barely breathing. I thought it was the end... until that old man appeared out of nowhere and carried us to safety. He healed us. Until... the final night."
He paused.