"Brother-in-law, this was freshly made from your mother's skull. Aren't you curious who will end up with this relic?"

Chapter 7

Silas stared at the relic on the stage with bloodshot eyes, a chill running down his spine.

Caspian then leaned affectionately against Seraphina’s arm.

"Sister, I want that relic. It would be perfect to pray for the soul of our late little niece."

Seraphina pinched Caspian’s cheek dotingly and then raised the bidding paddle in her hand.

"Ten million."

Silas grabbed Caspian’s arm with a fierce expression.

"Caspian, how dare you?"

Caspian looked at Silas with an innocent expression, but the words that came out of his mouth were like sharp daggers plunged into Silas’s heart.

"If you hadn't tried to protect your mother's honor back then, your daughter wouldn't have died. I’m doing this for your mother’s sake—using her skull to create a relic to pray for Sophie is my way of helping her offset her sins."

Silas looked at the corner of Caspian’s mouth curling upward, wishing he could tear the man in front of him to pieces. He raised his hand high, ready to strike Caspian across the face.

In the next instant, a force pushed him hard to the ground.

Silas slammed into the steps, a numbing wave of pain radiating from his back.

Caspian looked at Silas, feigning magnanimity.

"Brother-in-law, if you wanted the relic, you could have just asked. Why resort to violence?"

Hearing Caspian’s words, Seraphina’s expression turned even colder.

"Silas, how have you become so vicious?"

Seraphina’s voice wasn't loud, but it was enough to draw the attention of everyone present.

"Isn't that Silas, the so-called genius bomb disposal expert? Why has he become so unhinged?"

"What kind of 'genius' expert? Just a loser who couldn't even save his own daughter."

"How embarrassing. As the son-in-law of a top-tier wealthy family, to resort to hitting someone over a relic—Seraphina must be losing all face because of him!"

As the mocking voices reached them, Seraphina’s gaze grew even darker.

"Get out of here now. Do you want me to have you thrown out?"

Silas clenched his palms tightly, struggling to keep his tears from falling, his gaze locked firmly on the relic on the stage.

"Seraphina, do you even know what that relic is made of?"

Seraphina gave a cold snort.

"It doesn't matter what it's made of. Since Caspian wants it, I am going to win the bid today."

With that, Seraphina raised her paddle again.

"I’ll place a top-tier bid."

Those words shattered every hope Silas had left. He looked at Seraphina, his gaze nearing a plea.

"Seraphina, I’m begging you, please let me have the relic, okay?"

Seraphina looked at Silas, her voice ice-cold.

"You aren't worthy!"

The words felt like invisible hands pushing Silas into a bottomless abyss.

Silas looked at Seraphina in despair, then fell to his knees with a thud at Seraphina’s feet.

"Seraphina, I’m begging you—give me the relic."

A flash of shock flickered in Seraphina’s eyes as she saw Silas kneeling there, but she quickly suppressed it. She strode onto the stage, took the relic from the auctioneer, and then walked slowly toward Silas step by step.

Silas looked at the relic in Seraphina’s hand, filled with expectation.

But in the next instant, Seraphina stepped directly over Silas and placed the relic around Caspian’s neck.

In an instant, all the light in Silas’s eyes dimmed, and he slumped powerlessly onto the floor.

Everything he had traded his dignity for had resulted in nothing but cold, heartless trampling.

So, love or the lack of it really is that obvious!

Seraphina swept a cold glance over Silas, who was slumped on the ground, and looked at the bodyguards nearby.

"Take him away. Don't let him stay here and continue to be an embarrassment."

Silas was dragged out of the banquet hall by the bodyguards like a dead dog. He had just stumbled back into his bedroom when the door was kicked open with force, and Seraphina walked in with a dark, sinister expression.

"Silas, how dare you send people to kidnap Caspian and teach him a lesson?"

Chapter 8

Seraphina gripped Silas’s hand tightly.

"Silas, if you couldn't get that relic, you wanted to take revenge on Caspian, so you had someone kidnap him to teach him a lesson, right?"

Silas looked at Seraphina and found it laughable.

"Seraphina, I was brought back by your own people. Where do you think I would have found the opportunity to kidnap Caspian and teach him a lesson?"

Seraphina paused for a moment. Before she could say anything, Caspian walked in looking disheveled, the palm print clearly visible on his face.

"Sister, don't blame brother-in-law. It’s my fault—I shouldn't have competed with him."

As Caspian spoke, he moved to take off the relic around his neck.

Seraphina immediately pressed her hand over Caspian’s with heartache.

"Someone as vicious as Silas doesn't deserve to wear something so sacred."

With that, Seraphina shot a look at the butler at the door.

"Silas, since you refuse to repent after so many times, go to the ancestral hall and kneel to receive the family discipline. You aren't to come out until you know you're wrong."

Silas looked at Seraphina in disbelief.

"You want me to undergo the family discipline?"

The Sterling family discipline required ninety-nine lashes with a long whip on the back—something no ordinary person could withstand.

Seraphina’s expression was ice-cold.

"If you do something wrong, you must receive the punishment you deserve."

Silas looked at Seraphina and laughed at himself.

"My biggest mistake was marrying you."

Seraphina froze, then her gaze grew even colder.

"Add ten more lashes. No one is allowed to let him out without my permission."

Silas was quickly dragged to the ancestral hall. The moment he knelt down, a bone-piercing pain shot through his knees.

The prayer mat was covered in thumb tacks.

The butler held the long whip and looked at him with regret.

"Sir, please forgive me. This was all ordered by CEO Seraphina."

As the words fell, the long whip in the butler’s hand lashed down onto Silas’s back—one lash after another—until his back was flayed, torn, and a bloody mess.

When the final lash fell, Silas was already lying prone on the ground, soaked in scarlet blood, a truly shocking sight.

The doors of the ancestral hall opened slowly, and Caspian walked in. When he saw Silas lying on the ground, a triumphant smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Brother-in-law, I’ve already pleaded with Sister for you. You can come out now."

Right at that moment, the phone in Silas’s pocket vibrated.

It was a message from his lawyer.

[Mr. Silas, your divorce proceedings with CEO Seraphina have been fully completed. I have couriered the divorce certificate to you; please keep an eye out for it.]

Silas breathed a sigh of relief as he looked at the message.

He could finally leave!

Silas struggled to crawl up from the ground, his expression gloomy as he looked at the triumphant Caspian.

"Caspian, I’ll be waiting to see your retribution."

After speaking, Silas turned and limped away.

Leaving the ancestral hall, Silas went straight home to pack his luggage.

He pulled his suitcase, took one last look at the house filled with lies, and walked out without hesitation.

As soon as he reached the front gate, a Rolls-Royce pulled up at his feet.

The window rolled down slowly, revealing a bright and enchanting face.

"Silas, I’ve come to fulfill our contract!"

...

Sterling Group.

Seraphina sat on a leather sofa as bodyguards escorted a man inside.

"CEO, this is the mastermind who kidnapped Young Master Caspian."

Seraphina stared at the man with a vicious gaze.

"Exactly how much money did Silas give you to make you bold enough to kidnap Caspian?"

The man looked at Seraphina, completely bewildered.

"Who is Silas?"

A flicker of confusion flashed in Seraphina’s eyes. Just then, her phone suddenly rang.

It was a call from the police.

"Ms. Seraphina, this is the bomb squad. Your parents have been kidnapped and have been fitted with pressure-sensitive bombs. Currently, no one but Silas can disarm this type of new bomb. Please bring Silas over immediately."

Seraphina was stunned, but her assistant spoke up in a panic.

"But, sir’s eyes can no longer distinguish colors!"

Seraphina paused for a moment, but still picked up her phone to dial Silas’s number.

In the next second, Seraphina’s face darkened.

She gripped the phone tightly as the mechanical female voice continued to echo.

Silas had actually blocked her!

Chapter 9

Seraphina gripped her phone tightly, her knuckles turning white, her expression chillingly dark.

"How dare Silas block me?"

As she strode out, she commanded her assistant.

"Use whatever means necessary to bring Silas to me."

The assistant didn't dare delay for a second and ran off.

Seraphina ran through over a dozen red lights to reach the kidnapping scene.

When she saw the abandoned factory where her child had once died, Seraphina was visibly stunned.