As soon as Madame Skyvault entered, she saw her husband, the Skyvault Palace Master, pacing the grand hall with a grave expression. Instantly, she wiped the smile from her face and hurried forward. "Husband, what’s happened?"
She tightly clasped the Palace Master’s hand, putting on the devoted look of 'no matter what happens, I’m with you.' It was this act that had kept the Skyvault Palace Master devoted for twenty years—any suspicion he felt quickly melted away.
"Yimo..."
"Husband, what’s wrong? What’s happened?" The Skyvault Palace Master, lost in his own feelings, didn’t notice the stiffness in Madame Skyvault’s hidden smile.
Lately, she’d heard the name 'Yimo' every single day—she was on the verge of losing her mind.
"Yimo, there are rumors in the jianghu that you hired assassins—what’s going on?" Thankfully, the Skyvault Palace Master hadn’t forgotten the real issue.
"Hired assassins? Me? Who would I want killed?" Madame Skyvault looked genuinely shocked, her expression flawless, as if she’d just heard something absurd. But the panic and unease inside her—only she knew.
"Wasn’t it you? Then why do rumors say you spent nearly two hundred thousand taels of gold to put a hit on a woman named Serena Feng?" The Skyvault Palace Master frowned deeply. The whole thing was odd—never mind whether Yimo had that much money, even if she did, why would news of the bounty leak out?
Assassins have their own code—they never reveal their employer.
Thump, thump, thump...
Madame Skyvault’s heart raced; a flash of panic crossed her eyes before she quickly regained her composure. She explained calmly, "How could that be? Why would I hire assassins when Skyvault Palace is full of masters? And besides... that Serena Feng woman hurt little Sienna. Husband, you’d naturally want revenge—why would I need to do anything? Besides, two hundred thousand taels of gold? I couldn’t possibly come up with that."
When she finished, she looked up at the Palace Master, a hint of grievance in her eyes that she tried hard to hide, giving her an air of stubborn pride.
She put on this expression because she knew this man always fell for it.
Lu Yimo—a woman who’d never voice her grievances, who’d rather bite through her own lip than let a single tear fall.
Right now, she was Lu Yimo—clearly wronged, yet refusing to let him see it.
"Yimo, I’m sorry. I don’t doubt you—it’s just that when I heard the news, I was so shocked I had to ask. I know it wasn’t you..." The Skyvault Palace Master quickly pulled Madame Skyvault into his arms, comforting her.
"Husband, I’m fine. I know you’d never suspect me. We’ve been married so long—don’t I know your heart? Still, we must get to the bottom of this. We can’t let anyone slander Skyvault Palace. Outsiders might think we’re bullying some young girl."
Madame Skyvault comforted the Palace Master in turn—just like the real Lu Yimo would. Even when wronged herself, she’d still worry about others, always putting them first.
Twenty years—she knew Lu Yimo’s habits better than Yimo herself, and played the part more skillfully than the original. Sometimes, she couldn’t tell when she was acting and when it was real.
"Yimo, don’t worry. I’ll see justice done—I won’t let those people get away with it. I’ve already struck a deal with the Emperor of Eastlyn: in this war, I’ll take care of Ninth Royal Uncle for him, and he’ll keep everyone else at bay." As long as there’s profit, allies are never in short supply.
"Husband, I knew with you here, nothing could happen to me, Sienna, or Jeremy. As long as our family is together, we can overcome anything." Madame Skyvault gently embraced the Skyvault Palace Master, the two of them nestled together in a scene of tender warmth...
Sean Xuan, standing outside the door, nearly gagged at Madame Skyvault’s words. When he walked in and saw their display, he couldn’t help but sneer, "Family? Madame Skyvault, you really have no shame."
His words startled the pair apart. The Skyvault Palace Master and Madame Skyvault hurriedly separated, flustered. The Palace Master, both embarrassed and angry, looked up to see his least-favored son, Sean Xuan, standing there with a dark expression. "Sean, you’re getting ruder by the day. Why did you come in without making a sound?"
How could he come in so quietly? Sean Xuan had entered without him noticing at all—since when had his son grown so formidable? A flicker of wariness flashed in the Palace Master’s eyes toward his own flesh and blood...
But Sean Xuan and Madame Skyvault both saw it. Sean’s face was cold and indifferent—he’d long since grown used to his father’s neglect. As for Madame Skyvault, Sean didn’t miss the glint of secret delight in her eyes.
Without Sean in the way, her son Jeremy Xuan could become the next Palace Master.
Jeremy Xuan—young and gifted. It was clear how high the couple’s hopes for their son ran. But in the end, it was only a dream...
"Father, I did speak up. You two were just so caught up in each other that you didn’t notice me." Sean Xuan replied calmly. His father might not care about him, but Sean still had to show respect—otherwise, the world would scorn him.
The Skyvault Palace Master’s face reddened with embarrassment. He barked, "Sean, watch your mouth!"
"I’ve always spoken this way, Father—haven’t you noticed?" In truth, he was even more pitiful than Serena Feng. Having a father was worse than having none at all.
"Sean, where’s your manners?" Sean’s indifference only made the Palace Master angrier. Was this how a son should treat his father?
"Manners? That’s a question for you, Father. What have you ever taught me? How long did you actually raise me?" Sean Xuan stated calmly, leaving the Palace Master gasping for words, able only to point at Sean, sputtering, "You, you, you..."
Sean Xuan spoke the truth. Ever since the Palace Master married Yimo, he’d stopped caring about this son. He never expected the boy who once clung to Yimo would react so violently when she became his stepmother. At three years old, Sean fought until he was covered in blood, refusing to call Yimo 'Mother.'
That look of hatred in his eyes—the Palace Master still remembered it. The thought of such deep hatred in a small child made him uneasy... and more determined to avoid his son.
And so things became what they were now: father and son, strangers in all but name.
"Husband, don’t be angry. Sean’s still young—just teach him well." Madame Skyvault chimed in at just the wrong moment, only fanning the flames. The Palace Master grew even angrier. "Young? Jeremy is two years younger and far more sensible than him."
Jeremy Xuan, her son with Yimo—a clever, beautiful child. Only when he looked at Jeremy did the Palace Master feel like he had a real son.
"Jeremy is well-behaved thanks to your teaching. If you have time, teach Sean more—he’ll grow up sensible too." Madame Skyvault suggested sweetly.
"Jeremy’s good manners are all thanks to you. Both Jeremy and Sienna are wonderful children." The Palace Master’s tone softened when speaking of his beloved son, but his gaze toward Sean Xuan grew even colder.
Sean Xuan stood there, expressionless, letting the couple play out their scene of warmth.
It had always been this way. To them, their family of four was the only real family—he was forever the outsider, always ignored.
He didn’t care, not really. Sean Xuan had no desire to stay any longer, and turned away coldly...
He wanted to see how much longer Irene Lu could keep up her arrogance.
"Where are you going?" The Skyvault Palace Master clearly hadn’t lectured enough; seeing Sean Xuan walk off without a word, his temper flared again.
These two—father and son—must have been enemies in a past life.
"Just bringing in a few friends. They wish to pay respects to Father and Madame Skyvault." With that, Sean Xuan left, not even sparing them a glance.
The same face—on Aunt Emma, it was comforting. But on this woman, it made him sick...
"Look at him—he’s got no air of a Young Lord at all." The Palace Master was secretly pleased, though. If Sean was willing to bring friends to meet him and Madame Skyvault, maybe he was finally letting go of his grudge?
"Don’t be angry, Husband. Isn’t Sean being sensible now? He’s brought his friends to meet you first—that’s a good sign." Madame Skyvault smiled sweetly, but in her mind she was plotting: once Sean’s friends arrived, she’d play the doting mother, showing them how rude Sean was to his stepmother. After all, someone who’s unfilial isn’t worth befriending.
With Madame Skyvault’s comfort, the Palace Master’s anger subsided. When Sean Xuan returned, bringing two distinguished young men and a veiled woman, both the Palace Master and Madame Skyvault adopted an air of dignified hospitality.
They really did look alike.
As Serena Feng, Nolan, and William Wang entered, their gazes fell on Madame Skyvault. That face—uncannily similar to Serena’s. But none of them wanted to imagine Serena growing old into such a hollow mask, as if her features were just a facade.
After one glance, the three looked away, focusing on the Skyvault Palace Master. Seeing him put on airs as a stern elder, they exchanged amused glances.
Did the Skyvault Palace Master really not recognize them?
This was going to be interesting!
Sean Xuan snorted. His father was unbelievably arrogant—he still didn’t know what Nolan or William Wang looked like. No wonder Skyvault Palace was in decline.
Sean Xuan stood motionless. The Palace Master waited for an introduction, but when none came, he had to ask, "Sean, aren’t you going to introduce your friends to your father?"
"Are you sure you want to know who they are, Father?" Sean Xuan grinned wickedly. The Palace Master and Madame Skyvault were puzzled. "Sean, didn’t you say you’d bring friends to meet us?"
"Of course. I just assumed Father already knew them—their reputations aren’t exactly small." Sean thought with malicious glee about how shocked his father would be when he learned who these two really were...
"They are indeed outstanding young men. I haven’t left the palace in years, so I don’t know who you are?" The Palace Master looked confused, unsure of Sean’s attitude, so he asked directly.
William Wang was a true gentleman—respectful to elders and kind to children. Seeing the elderly Palace Master ask, William stepped forward.
People are always more forgiving of courteous, handsome young men. The Palace Master and Madame Skyvault immediately liked William Wang, their smiles growing warmer. But the words William was about to speak would leave them completely stunned...