Chapter 7 Revenge

• Now that the misunderstanding was settled, Cyrus didn't waste any time returning to his room.
• The room was fully furnished. There was also extra bedding in the wardrobe.
• The first thing Cyrus did was to carefully check the room inside and out, ensuring that the room wasn't bugged for the sake of protecting his privacy.
• Once he was satisfied with his inspection, he entered the bathroom and took a shower.
• Then, he sat by the window as he observed Rodon under the night sky.
• A hint of lingering sadness crept into his heart, and it only grew stronger as time passed.
• He was all alone in the apartment, utterly lost in thought.
• He gazed up at the sky until his eyes turned blurry. The bright moon hanging up in the sky looked as though it had turned into a rippling moon reflected on the lake.
• He inhaled deeply as he carefully took out his phone. Then, he swiped to the only photo he had of his mother. Alas, it wasn't a happy picture because it was her memorial picture!
• His mother had a gentle smile playing on her lips in the picture. The moonlight only made the tenderness in her gaze even more distinct. Yet, there was a hint of obvious sorrow lingering upon her brows.
• Perhaps his mother was still worrying about her imprisoned son until her dying breath. She probably had no idea how he would survive in the future.
• "Mom!"
• Cyrus knelt before the window, the knuckles on his fist turning pale due to pain and anger.
• The leaves on the trees didn't want to leave. Alas, the wind was merciless as it blew against the trees' branches.
• Although he was ready to fulfill his filial duties, he was too late to the party. His parents were already long gone.
• His tears slid to the corner of his mouth, leaving a bitter taste in his mouth.
• The Nikolaou family will pay! I'll make sure that each and every one of them will pray for hell by the time I'm done with them! They'll all pay!
• Ring! Ring! Ring!
• His phone started ringing just as he was spiraling out of control.
• So, he took a deep breath and did his best to suppress his sorrow.
• Once he was ready, he picked up the phone and saw that it was Grace calling.
• "Grace, what's wrong?" Cyrus held back his tears and tried to smile through his pain.
• Grace asked with concern, "Cyrus, have you found a place to stay?"
• "Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry."
• Grace hesitated for a moment before saying, "Cyrus, I have a proposition. Before I say anything, I hope you can promise you won't get angry."
• "Alright, I'll bite."
• She blurted, "I started a cosmetics and healthcare company. Unfortunately, the security department is short-staffed. I want you to work there. Cyrus, please don't get me wrong. This isn't a handout. I really do need your help. So, can you come to my house tomorrow to pick me up? Can we go to work together?"
• Her voice was cautious from the beginning till the end.
• Cyrus listened, wiped away the tears on his face, and couldn't help but curl his lips into a genuine smile.
• He knew very well that Grace was just trying to ensure he could put food on the table. However, she was also worried about hurting his self-esteem.
• Ah, she truly is a kind-hearted woman.
• So, he replied, "Okay, I'll pick you up at 8 a.m. sharp."
• "Sure!"
• Grace hung up the phone and flopped onto the bed. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile, betraying her delight.
• Although she had bumped into Cyrus five years later, she didn't feel awkward at all. Instead, there she could feel a hint of affection in her heart.
• It's sweet.
• "Grace? Grace!" Nephele shouted in the living room. "Grace, I know you can hear me! You'll cut off all contact with Cyrus starting from tomorrow!"
• "Mom!" Grace jerked to her feet and stormed out. "Mom, Cyrus is already in such a miserable state. How can you do such a thing?"
• "It's precisely because he's miserable that we shouldn't have anything to do with him!" Nephele pouted. "The Nikolaou family has already announced that your engagement with Cyrus is null and void! Plus, Mr. Nikolaou has repeatedly warned us not to shelter that waste of space! Honestly, I don't know why you're so hung up on him! You have so many suitors chasing after your skirts! Why do you have to cling to Cyrus? Turn your eyes to the world! There are so many men who are better than him. Frankly, even an average Joe would be a better choice than him!"
• Grace slammed the bedroom door shut, refusing to listen to a word out of Nephele's mouth. "Mom, I'm going to bed. If you keep being so disrespectful, I'll just live in the company dormitory from now on!"
• …
• Cyrus got up early in the morning, washed up, and walked into the living room. He was just about to leave when he found churros, soy milk, and eggs on the table. There was even freshly baked bread smack dab in the middle of the table. It seemed that his unruly and unwanted housemate was quite the chef!
• Although he stood by his stance of finding her utterly annoying, he had to admit that the food was emitting a fragrant aroma.
• Cyrus glanced at the other bedroom and thought to himself, Even though that woman has a set of lungs that could rival the most gossipy grannies out there, she has a kind heart. She even went out of her way to make breakfast for me.
• Thus, he quickly finished his breakfast and headed downstairs without hesitation.
• Meanwhile, Shannon was stuck in the washroom as she clutched her stomach in discomfort.
• "Ugh, I hate my life! Why do I always get like this before a performance? It's so frustrating!" Shannon complained as she rubbed her cheeks in annoyance.
• She was a renowned opera singer. Although she was young, she was already relatively well-known within the circle.
• Sadly, her current company was not supporting her career, making it difficult for her to gain popularity.
• Shannon finally felt her stomach cooperating with her after struggling for almost half an hour. So, she emerged from the bathroom after washing up, ready to have breakfast before heading for work.
• To her dismay, the breakfast on the table had disappeared like the wind. There wasn't even a crumb left for her.
• Shannon felt her rage soar to unimaginable heights as she witnessed this scene. If it weren't for the fact that she was never late, she would start to suspect that her period had come early.
• "That godforsaken man! That scoundrel! Just you wait!"
• ...
• Cyrus descended the stairs, headed straight to the bike-sharing facility, paid for one, and swiftly rode toward Springe Avenue.
• Grace and her mother, Nephele, were engaged in conversation by Springe Avenue's entrance.
• "Grace," Cyrus greeted as he hit the brakes on his bike.
• Grace smiled as she remarked, "Cyrus, you're right on time. It's 8 a.m."
• "So what if he's punctual? How could you even consider riding a shared bike? Have you no shame?" Nephele scolded, looking disdainful.
• Cyrus responded in resignation, "Mrs. Lindgren, I just returned and haven't had the chance to buy a car. Besides, shared bikes are environmentally friendly."
• "Rubbish! You can boast all you want in front of your buddies, but I know you! Can an ex-convict like you even afford a car? What will you get? A Nissan?" Nephele sneered contemptuously.
• Grace tugged at Cyrus' arm. "Forget about her. My car broke down. Let's take the subway to work."
• Just then, a brand new Mercedes-Benz E300 pulled up next to them.
• Magnus, who was dressed sharply in a suit and golden silk tie, stepped out of the car with a box of collagen.
• "Hello Mrs. Lindgren. Hello Grace," Magnus greeted Nephele as he handed the gift to him.
• Nephele put on a smile the second she caught sight of Magnus. It wouldn't be an understatement to say that she did a complete 180. "Magnus, you've arrived at the nick of time. Grace's car broke down today. Could you give her a ride to work?"
• Magnus nodded. "Mrs. Lindgren, don't you worry. I will take care of Grace to the best of my abilities. I'll be responsible for her daily commute from now on."
• Nephele, who was still holding the gift, warmly shook Magnus' hand. "Oh, by the way, Bosco's gang of troublemakers visited our house again yesterday. Can you handle them and ensure they don't bother us anymore?"
• Magnus hesitated momentarily. Nonetheless, he couldn't possibly refuse Nephele's request when Grace was present!
• So, he chuckled lightly and assured confidently, "Mrs. Lindgren, you can trust me! Dealing with Bosco and his gang is as easy as pie for me. My father holds significant influence in Rodon."
• "Oh, my. I feel so much better after hearing you say that. You're much better than someone over here. All he can do is ride a shared bike over to pick my darling Grace up. Gosh, you have no idea how embarrassed I am about this!" Nephele shot a glare at Cyrus as she sneered.
• Magnus used the opportunity to size Cyrus up.
• Although he had never met Cyrus, there were enough rumors about the man in their social circle. So, he was more or less aware of what had happened to Cyrus.
• Magnus couldn't help but let out a snort when he noticed the Motivate brand printed on Cyrus' bike.
• "Hahaha! So, you're Cyrus. I've heard about you. You were engaged to Grace about five years ago, weren't you? Unfortunately, you ended up in jail before you could even graduate from high school."
• Magnus shook his head, showing a hint of sympathy. "Bro, with no education, a criminal record, and no skills… Gosh, I can't even imagine how you'll survive in today's society. However, since you and Grace are friends, I can reluctantly offer you a position as a warehouse manager or something. How does that sound?"