Chapter 476 Without Power, You Are Nothing
Elissa sighed, "As expected, when you love someone, even amnesia can't stop your heart from racing when you see them again."
Hope glanced at the photo of Lyndon and shook her head. "But Lyndon doesn't seem affected. If he wanted to find her, he'd have better resources than we do."
"Lyndon has always been emotionally detached," Elissa said, taking another theatrical sip. "Getting him to fall for someone isn't exactly a walk in the park. But once he does? He loves with everything he has—once and for life."
Hope settled deeper into the cushions, propping her chin on her hand. "With his family background, won't he have to marry for alliance?"
"Probably, but if he ends up falling for Thora, I could help make it work. We've got some pull now, after all." Elissa shrugged. "Though who doesn't want to reach for the stars?"
"An alliance marriage plus your influence would cement the Myles family's position even more."
Elissa shook her head firmly. "You can't take any of that with you when you die. Life's about experiences—having one soul-deep, unforgettable love is worth more than all those material things combined."
Hope didn't argue. "Worth a shot. If it doesn't work out, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
When Anne received Elissa's message, she stared at her phone in complete bewilderment.
Elissa: [Keep creating opportunities for Lyndon and Thora]
Hadn't they agreed not to put all their eggs in one basket?
Anne typed back: [Why? He's not interested, and didn't you tell me to introduce Thora to other guys?]
Elissa: [Change of plans. Just trust me on this]
Anne: [Okay]
Anne set her phone face-down on the table. When Lyndon noticed her troubled expression, he asked, "Something wrong?"
Unlike Elissa and the others, Anne had never learned to mask her emotions—everything showed on her face.
"Nothing..." She stood to leave. "I just need to find the restroom."
Lyndon rose as well, but Anne waved him back down. "I'll just ask the staff."
"I was heading that way anyway," he said with casual indifference.
Anne had no choice but to walk with him. After a moment's hesitation, she ventured, "Do you have to marry for alliance?"
Lyndon shook his head slightly, never one to hide things from her. "Not necessary, but it's an option."
Anne understood, then stumbled over her words. "So you... well... maybe you could... I mean, I think you should..."
Lyndon's quiet laughter cut her off. The reason he hadn't held the entire Larson family accountable for Willard's actions was because of Anne's genuine nature—she'd been raised with love. The only real suffering she'd endured was Willard's emotional manipulation, which later led to her struggling alone after leaving the Larson family. Despite everything, she still retained an innocent quality that Elissa had long since lost. Elissa had fought her way through real hardship.
His affection for them differed accordingly—with Anne, he felt more like he was looking after a little sister who'd never quite grown up, his protectiveness tinged with indulgence.
"What are you trying to say? You don't need to overthink things with me—speak your mind."
Anne wasn't sure if she should be direct, so she excused herself to the restroom first. When she returned, she didn't bring up the topic again, and Lyndon, seeming to guess her thoughts, didn't press.
Thora watched them return one after the other, noting how Lyndon instinctively shielded the door despite it posing no real threat to Anne. He was cold to everyone else, yet with her he showed nothing but warmth and overwhelming tenderness.
A strange feeling stirred in Thora's chest. Back when Elissa had claimed Lyndon as her brother, Anne had followed suit. Because of their similar features, Thora had assumed they were biological siblings. Even when Gabriella had targeted Anne earlier, treating her as a romantic rival, Thora had mocked her assumptions without thinking twice.
But she'd forgotten something crucial—there was no proof they were actually related. And Lyndon's care for Anne seemed... excessive.
After dinner, Lyndon drove them back to their hotel. They'd spent the entire day sightseeing and were exhausted, so Anne declined his invitation to go out for evening entertainment. Besides, she could see that Thora seemed upset and wanted to comfort her.
"Thank you, Lyndon. Drive safely." Anne waved goodbye.
Lyndon nodded. "Call me if you need anything—I'm always available. Don't worry about bothering me."
Anne agreed and waved him off. When she turned to take Thora's arm, she found her friend had already walked into the hotel alone without a word. Anne hurried to catch up.
Just as she was about to show Thora Elissa's message, Thora spoke first, "Anne, Mr. Myles likes you. If you don't feel the same way, I think you should keep your distance."
Anne's face cycled through several emotions before she laughed in exasperation. She patted Thora's shoulder. "You really are something... Why are you suddenly saying this?"
Thora had sampled the local pear blossom wine at dinner—it tasted sweet but packed a delayed punch. Despite Lyndon's warning about drinking too much, she'd been feeling irritated during their long absence and had overindulged. Now everything was spinning, and her thoughts were completely muddled.
Seeing Thora's flushed cheeks and silence, Anne remembered the alcohol and quickly helped her to their room. "Let me get you cleaned up, then you need to sleep this off. We'll talk tomorrow."
Thora collapsed onto the bed immediately. Anne fetched a warm washcloth to clean her face and hands, then removed her jacket and shoes before tucking her under the covers. Lyndon had booked them a luxury suite, so Anne quietly closed the bedroom door and headed to the outer room to shower, taking her phone to respond quickly when Lyndon's safe arrival message came through.
What she didn't notice was the door opening as she turned on the shower, a tall shadow flickering briefly in the doorway before vanishing as the door closed again.
When Lyndon arrived home, the lights activated automatically. He walked inside while checking his phone, not noticing the figure seated on his sofa until he went to pour water.
"Where's your situational awareness?" came a voice from the darkness.
Lyndon called out a greeting to his grandfather and poured two glasses, one for each of them. Uriah watched him settle down while still focused on his phone, understanding the situation without needing to ask. Instead, he brought up Gabriella.
Lyndon's expression darkened, his voice turning cold. "She's not worthy."
Uriah fingered the dragon head on his walking stick. "In what way?"
"Two-faced."
Uriah had never interfered with Lyndon's romantic life, with one exception—the girl he'd rescued years ago. Concerned that young Lyndon might let emotions cloud his judgment, he'd sent her away. But he hadn't abandoned her carelessly; he'd arranged for her to pursue her ambitions based on her abilities. The research facility explosion that killed her had been unexpected for everyone.
"Do you still resent me for that?"
Lyndon's tone remained perfectly level. "I never did."
Uriah had no sons, only four daughters. Back then, with no need for alliance marriages, he'd only cared that his daughters were happy with good men who could care for them. His one requirement was that their children take the Myles surname.
But the eldest daughter's husband had some influence of his own. When she bore a son, disagreements arose over the surname. Under pressure from the Myles family's power, they'd compromised and let the child take the Myles name.
So when the Myles family faced troubles, the eldest daughter's husband abandoned her, having already started another family with multiple children. His excuse was pathetic—claiming they wanted more children but she wouldn't bear them or let them take his name, so he'd found someone else.
They'd wanted Lyndon too, but he'd chosen to come to his grandfather's side. Uriah had invested everything in training him, and having lost two children, with few family members remaining, he'd been strict but also lenient. Their only serious conflict had been when that girl died—their first and only explosive argument.
Afterward, everything seemed unchanged, but Uriah knew some things had shifted permanently.
"The girl that Anne brought along... she resembles her somewhat."
"Grandfather." Lyndon's single word carried no emotion, but Uriah could hear the cold anger beneath.
"You mentioned arranging meetings for Anne." Uriah changed topics smoothly. "I have several candidates in mind. Take a look and arrange something yourself."
Lyndon agreed with a simple sound. Uriah didn't linger, and Lyndon walked him out.
Back on the sofa, Lyndon checked his phone—still no reply from Anne. His wallpaper showed a girl with crescent-moon eyes and a bright smile.
Truthfully, he'd never felt what he'd call love. When Uriah had made the arrangement, he'd agreed readily enough. But hearing of her death had been his first experience with heartbreak—a pain that carved itself so deep into his soul that only cutting away flesh and bone could remove her from his life.
Thora's face suddenly surfaced in his mind. The resemblance was undeniable.
This was precisely why he'd gently deflected Thora's obvious interest—he could sense her feelings and wanted to spare them both. His alliance marriages would be purely transactional, requiring no emotional investment. But Thora was different.
Anne emerged from her shower and immediately checked her phone, replying to Lyndon before setting it aside to get her face mask. As she opened her suitcase, something felt wrong.
She straightened slowly, her neck turning stiffly until her gaze landed on the figure sitting on the sofa. Her eyes went wide with shock.
Her first instinct was to run for her phone in the bathroom and call Lyndon, but she hadn't taken a single step before the man caught her. He wrapped her in the throw blanket from the sofa and hoisted her over his shoulder.
"Willard!" Anne shouted furiously.
The man ignored her completely, moving with swift purpose. In the underground garage, he shoved her into a car and climbed in after her, ordering the driver to move before they'd even settled.
By the time Lyndon received the message, Willard's private jet was already airborne.
"Find a way to intercept and force them to land at Suncrest City," Lyndon commanded coldly, gripping Anne's phone with its small cat-shaped case.
His subordinate immediately set to work. On the plane, Quinton came to report.
"Sir, Lyndon's activated air traffic control trying to force us down."
"Change course," Willard ordered calmly. He'd planned multiple flight paths before coming.
Quinton relayed the message to the pilot immediately. Moments later, Lyndon received an update.
"Sir, they've altered their route."
Lyndon's knuckles went white around the phone. "Team one pursues—see which airport they land at. Team two covers Seaside City airport."
"Yes, sir."
On the plane, Anne huddled in the corner of the bed wrapped in the blanket, her eyes blazing with fury as she stared at Willard, wishing she could tear him apart.
Willard actually smiled. "You thought Lyndon could be your protector? Don't forget—he's just the head of a magazine. What kind of real power do you think he has to shield you?"
Anne wasn't fooled. Global Insight Magazine wasn't some private publication—its director would have significant influence. And Lyndon's presence, his car, none of it suggested someone who was simply in business. She wasn't naive enough to rely on just anyone for protection.
"Willard, what do you want?"
Willard was surprised by her reaction. Since Lyndon wanted to play this game without officially acknowledging Anne, he wouldn't expose the truth either. No point letting Anne think the Myles family could help her escape him—she'd never be free of him, not in this lifetime.
"Isn't what I want obvious enough?"
Anne felt exhausted. She'd been in such good spirits after gaining a brother, and now he'd ruined everything.
"You're disgusting. You're only doing this because you have some power. Without it, you'd be nothing."
Willard listened impassively to her tirade. "Continue. Get it all out."
Anne clutched the blanket tighter. Willard held grudges—provoking him while she was at his mercy would only hurt her in the end.
"Done already?" Willard moved closer, bracing his hands on either side of her, trapping her completely. "Pity. If you'd said more, I'd have more to pay you back for later."
Anne couldn't help herself—she slapped him hard across the face.
Willard laughed, though his eyes turned cold. He worked his jaw where she'd struck him, his gaze growing dark and predatory.
By the time Anne regretted her impulse, it was too late. His brutal kiss crashed down on her, his hand gripping her throat to force her head back. She could only endure, unable to escape.
She felt the blanket being pulled away, felt herself being pinned down like meat on a cutting board. When his hands began moving lower, Anne panicked, flailing desperately to push him away, even leaving bloody scratches on his neck. But nothing could stop him—if anything, her resistance only made him more aggressive.
Quinton approached the door and heard the sounds from within. He scratched his head awkwardly, covering his ears as he stood there for a moment before deciding not to knock with his report.
A subordinate noticed his expression. "What's wrong, Quinton? Did the boss chew you out?"
Quinton shook his head. "Nothing. Just keep watch."
Meanwhile, Lyndon's actions had drawn attention from various quarters. Uriah handled the situation and sought out Lyndon for answers, having just gone to bed only to be roused again.
"Even for Anne's sake, you've been reckless. Most people don't know Anne is your family—this kind of dramatic response has everyone talking about you making grand gestures for a woman."
Lyndon remained silent, still uncertain where Willard was taking Anne. Some places were beyond his reach.
Uriah continued regardless of whether he responded. "I've handled it for you—suppressed some information while releasing others strategically. But I need to warn you about something."
He continued, "Willard has resigned. Even if he hadn't, he'd have easier access abroad than you do. Now he has completely free passage, but you don't."
Lyndon's eyes flashed dangerously as he immediately made a phone call.
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