Chapter 914: Past Grudges

Chapter 914: Chapter 914: Past Grudges

Bang, bang—Ling Feng tossed the two men in black aside like discarded sacks of garbage. He turned to Aiven and said, "Aiven, today this is your stage. If anything happens, your big brother will take care of it for you!"

Aiven looked at Ling Feng gratefully, took a deep breath, and then nodded firmly. "Big Brother, I understand!"

Ling Feng’s overwhelming display of power stirred the hormones of everyone present. Chief Taggart’s face had turned completely dark. Beside him now were only two Demi-God Domain experts, yet Ling Feng had effortlessly sent them flying one after the other.

While enraged, Chief Taggart also felt an intense sense of crisis. If even his closest guards were no match for Ling Feng, could he escape if Ling Feng really intended to kill him?

As the two men in black tried to charge forward again, Taggart coldly ordered, "Stand down!"

The men in black gave Ling Feng a hateful glare. They were top-tier experts of the Nilas Family, yet they’d been humiliated by Ling Feng. They refused to believe Ling Feng possessed the skill to take two of them on simultaneously—it had to be a sneak attack that had worked in his favor!

With eyes full of unwillingness, the two men in black returned to stand behind Taggart. Taggart exhaled a breath of relief, feeling that his life was somewhat more secure now.

"Does our Nilas Family have a grudge against you?" Taggart asked Aiven in a deep voice.

From the battle just moments before, it was clear that the Nilas Family had been the target of deliberate hostility. Taggart was certain Ling Feng and Aiven bore animosity toward the Nilas Family—he just didn’t know what exactly fueled their hatred.

"Of course, we have a grudge!" Aiven stepped forcefully, causing Feike to scream in agony. Aiven replied coldly, "A grudge that ends only in death!"

Murderous intent flashed in Taggart’s eyes as he sensed the overwhelming fury in Aiven’s words. He began strategizing how he could kill Ling Feng and Aiven here and now.

"Taggart Nilas, I have a question for you!" Aiven took a deep breath, calming himself, then spoke solemnly. "Do you still remember Yina?"

"Yina?" Taggart froze, puzzled as to why Aiven would suddenly mention a woman’s name. Could Caesar, that troublemaking brat, have gone and taken yet another woman by force?

"I don’t know who this woman is!" Though the name felt vaguely familiar to Taggart, he denied it outright. "Is there some kind of misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding?" Aiven let out a bitter laugh, tears streaming down his cheeks. "It seems that Yina from over twenty years ago has long been buried in the dust of your memory, Chief Taggart. Hahaha..."

"Over twenty years ago... Yina..." The words struck Taggart like thunder, making his body tremble. He remembered—vividly—he remembered that gentle, serene woman and her graceful, tranquil smile.

"Yina... Yina..." Taggart Nilas muttered to himself, then suddenly raised his head to look at Aiven. Aiven’s face was hauntingly familiar—the resemblance to Yina was unmistakable.

Emotions surged within Taggart as he suppressed the turmoil in his heart. In a trembling voice, he asked, "You... are you Yina’s child? Are you my child with Yina?"

Aiven wiped the tears from his eyes, letting out a cold laugh. "You’re finally starting to remember? It seems Chief Taggart’s memory isn’t so bad after all. You still recall the woman you abandoned all those years ago. Should I thank you for that on her behalf?"

Taggart opened his mouth, his face contorting with pain.

Yina was the maid in Taggart’s study—the only woman who had ever touched his heart. Though Yina’s status was lowly back then, she had never viewed herself as a lowly servant.

Countless nights, as Taggart worked late in his study, Yina silently stayed by his side, holding his lamp, offering tea, and easing his fatigue with massages. Over time, Taggart realized he’d fallen for the serene, gentle woman.

Whenever Taggart lifted his eyes to see Yina beside him, his restless heart felt as though it had been soothed by a pure spring.

But as the Nilas Family’s top heir at the time, Taggart knew his marriage was not his decision to make. He also couldn’t express his feelings; had his father found out, Yina would have met a fate worse than death.

Thus, Taggart suppressed his emotions and married according to his father’s will. When he inherited the position of Family Head, he knew he was finally in a position to marry Yina and express his love openly.

But at that moment, Yina requested to leave, saying she needed to return home to marry. The reason shattered Taggart—it was utterly unacceptable to him.

Driven by desperation, Taggart confessed his feelings to Yina in the study. But Yina refused to believe Taggart could love her, only reaffirming her decision to leave.

In a burst of passion and anger, Taggart forcibly violated Yina in his study, sternly declaring she would never be allowed to leave him.

Under Taggart’s coercion, Yina stayed and soon discovered she was pregnant. Taggart was overjoyed, as the child was his and Yina’s.

Disregarding all opposition, Taggart arranged for Yina to be cared for and frequently visited her.

Taggart believed he was about to welcome his second child, but his first wife sensed the looming threat to her status.

Though she had given birth to Caesar Nilas, she feared Yina would deliver a son who would surpass Caesar in favorability. With Yina receiving so much affection, she worried Yina’s child might one day inherit the Clan Leader’s position.

Thus, while Taggart attended a meeting, his first wife conspired with Ficknilas to poison Yina and throw her body into the river.

Upon his return, Taggart found Yina missing and frantically searched for her. After an investigation, he uncovered the actions of his wife and Feike. When he sent people to search the river, Yina had already vanished.

Enraged beyond reason, Taggart punished his first wife harshly and vowed never to step foot into her rooms again. As for Ficknilas, it took years for Taggart to gradually forgive him.

Yina was gone—lost to his affection and the internal struggles of a powerful family! Taggart was heartbroken. Since then, he had shut himself off emotionally, never accepting another woman into his heart.

He had resigned himself to living out his life in solitude. But today, unexpectedly, he encountered Aiven. Seeing Aiven’s tearful yet smiling face, Taggart’s heart ached while filling with unexpected solace.

"This is my son—this is my son with Yina!" Taggart gazed at Aiven, his eyes now filled with gentle warmth.