From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 263

Chapter 263 Severing Ties

“Sylvia, huh? Leander murmured to himself. “Didn’t expect the Shires to have ties with the Stonepeak Sect.”

He let out a small laugh and looked away. He was only a little curious.

Sylvia, Ethan, Claire–no matter how high people ranked them in Astria, they were no longer in the same league as him.

In the front hall of the Shire estate, Martha walked quietly beside Sylvia. She tilted her head slightly toward her old friend and spoke in a hushed tone. “Sylvia, that boy Leander—what do you think is going on between him and Madeline?”

Sylvia’s voice came cold and steady. “It’s easy to see. Your famous cousin has feelings for him. And they’re not sibling feelings. What she feels is the kind of bond men and women share.”

Sylvia had spent most of her life inside the Stonepeak Sect, training since she was eight. She had barely stepped into the outside world. But her technique, Frozen Spring, gave her more than martial strength. It heightened her senses. She could read people without hearing a word.

And Madeline’s feelings for Leander were clear the moment Sylvia looked at her.

“You’re seeing what I see,” Martha said, her gaze narrowing slightly.

“What’s your read on Leander himself?”

Sylvia answered without pausing.

“He’s unremarkable.”

She paused, then added, “My Frozen Spring is similar to the Silvermoon Sect’s Lucent Blade. We can sense what’s buried inside someone.

“Take you, for example. Every time I see you, I can feel your hunger for control. It’s loud. It’s constant. But when I look at Leander, I feel nothing. No want. No drive. He’s like a clean page. People like that are either hidden masters… or just plain average.

“And judging by how young he is and the way he carries himself, I’d say he’s just another face in

the crowd.”

Martha listened carefully. Then she gave a slow, heavy nod.

“My cousin Madeline… her mother left the family when she was still pregnant. She didn’t have much experience with people. She probably got attached to Leander because they lived together. But you know how Grandpa thinks. He worships power.

“He already arranged for Madeline to marry Sawyer Locke. Sawyer’s young, brilliant, and already known as Cranfordale’s rising star in finance. Grandpa respects him.

“If Grandpa hears that Madeline’s in love with someone like Leander, he won’t just stop it–he’ll crush him. And Grandpa doesn’t care about playing nice.

“Leander’s not related to us by blood, but he’s still Aunt Hazel’s adopted son. I was only two when she left, but I’ve never forgotten how kind she was to me. I don’t want her son to show up here for the first time and get thrown to the wolves.”

Martha’s voice stayed calm, but her thoughts were already ten steps ahead. She had already mapped the fallout from every angle.

Sylvia didn’t react. She gave a slow shake of her head.

“He chose to come here. So, whatever happens next, it’s his to handle.

“This world isn’t kind. There’s no room for pity. Just strength.

“And even if Old Mr. Shire treats him politely because of you, do you think Sawyer will do the same?”

Martha went quiet. Her breath caught for a moment, then she let out a low sigh.

Sawyer had been drawn to Madeline for years. Once he found out she was Old Mr. Shire’s granddaughter, he doubled down. His family even sent elders to propose formally. A man like that wasn’t going to let another guy, especially one like Leander, get close.

“I need to talk to Grandpa. He needs to hear this before it explodes.”

Her eyes sharpened. She turned and walked quickly toward the garden behind the house.

Sylvia stayed where she was. She closed her eyes as if to rest, but her thoughts weren’t still. Leander’s face flickered through her mind.

Her brow creased slightly. “He doesn’t have any real power… so why does he feel so detached from all of us? Why does it almost feel like he’s looking down on us?”

Joshua led Leander and Madeline to their rooms. They were next to each other with only a wall between them. Once they unpacked and freshened up, Madeline adjusted her appearance, letting her true features show. Her beauty returned in full–a soft, striking elegance that caught the light.

She was ready to meet the grandparents she had never known. Joshua looked at Leander, opened his mouth slightly, then shut it again. He stayed quiet and guided them to the back garden where the study was located.

He knocked gently on the door. From inside, a deep voice rang out with authority.

“Come in.”

Joshua opened the door and stepped aside, motioning for the two of them to enter.

Leander stepped inside and immediately saw the man sitting at the desk.

He wore a sharp suit and looked no older than fifty. His posture was rigid. His brows were thick, his eyes piercing. Even while seated, he gave off the presence of a man who had lived through fire and command. His aura settled in the room like the edge of a sword, quiet but dangerous.

Leander didn’t need to guess. He was looking at Clement Shire–the core of the Shire family. The general who once led half of the Thundercliff Army.

Standing behind him was another man. He looked to be in his forties, tall and lean with a sharp gaze. His back stayed perfectly straight. His presence said one thing: soldier. And based on what Leander sensed, his power slightly surpassed even Clement’s. Most likely a personal guard.

He set the journal aside and stood.

“Oh, right! Grandpa, this is Leander. Mom always treated him like her own son. He came with me today to wish you a happy birthday.”

Leander took the seat beside her, but the moment he did, Clement’s face changed. The softness vanished. He gave Joshua a small wave.

“Madeline, your grandmother’s in the garden. She’s been wanting to meet you. Joshua, take her over there.”

Then he looked at Leander. “You stay. I haven’t had a real conversation with someone your age in a long time. Let’s talk.”

Madeline didn’t sense anything strange. She gave Leander a quick wink and walked off with Joshua. The door clicked softly behind them.

The air inside the study shifted. The warmth left with Madeline. What remained was silence and something sharper. Clement’s posture stiffened. His face turned cold and unreadable. His eyes narrowed like a hawk locking in on its prey.

Leander sat calmly, unmoved by the sudden change. His gaze met Clement’s directly. There was no tension in his shoulders, no unease in his breath. His calm didn’t break, not even for a second.

Clement noticed. A small flicker of surprise passed through his eyes, followed by the faintest curve of his lips.

“So, your name’s Leander?”

Leander nodded politely. He stood and bowed with the traditional salute. “Hello, Old Mrs. Shire.”

That bow wasn’t for the old general. It was for Hazel.

His face stayed steady, his expression firm but respectful. No pride. No fear. Clement watched him for a beat longer. The boy’s composure impressed him. Not many

that age

carried

themselves like that.

But Clement had met more than his share of composed young men. He had trained them, broken them, and buried some of them, too. Leander didn’t intimidate him. His voice dropped, slow and weighty. “I kept you behind because I have something to say.

“As Madeline’s grandfather, I need to make things clear.”

He gave a nod, and the silent guard stepped forward. Without a word, the man reached inside his coat and pulled out a check. The crisp paper caught the light.

“One million.

“I want you to leave Madeline. Walk away, and never look back.”