The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 1434

Adriana didn't understand. “What does this mean? What exactly does Matthew want by making such a fuss?”

Before Zephyr could speak, Neera suddenly broke the silence, articulating each word clearly, “What he wants is my life.”

Upon hearing that, Adriana was taken aback. “W-What do you mean by that? Your life? Neera, what on earth are you talking about?”

Zephyr's face was dark and gloomy, his voice sounding like it was being squeezed out between his teeth. “Ms. Garcia is not wrong. That is indeed Matthew's objective. I'm afraid the incidents from District Twenty-One to District Twenty-Five are all part of a series of traps. He has played a trick of creating a diversion. When trouble occurs in the five districts, the Gordon family will definitely send support because the five districts are simply too large, and the situation is serious. Therefore, the number of people sent will only be more, not less. Moreover, it must be someone with a high position and authority in the Gordon family. As the head of the family, Ms. Garcia must stay at the Gordon residence. In this way, it will be convenient for Bartitsu Guild to take action. Bartitsu Guild has sent people from other families tonight. If they really intend to take advantage of the chaos to take Ms. Garcia's life, he can easily shift the blame onto these families afterward. It seems they have already colluded. Even if they bear such a crime, no one will really be punished. Instead, they might even get a bigger piece of the pie.”

Adriana was so startled by his words that she broke out in a cold sweat.

However, there were still some things she didn't understand. “But what's the point of doing this? Even if Neera loses her life, there are still others in the Gordon family. If he wants the power of the five districts, there will be others who will stand in his way...”

“No one will stand in his way. Matthew has already built up enough momentum for himself. Districts Twenty-One to Twenty-Five have all been heavily hit. Now, all public opinion is against the Gordon family. Everyone is calling for Bartitsu Guild to take over those five districts. With Ms. Garcia's death, those five districts would be unmanaged. Bartitsu Guild can completely send people to intercept the Gordon family members who rush back upon hearing the news. They can take advantage of the chaos to get there first and rightfully claim the position. Moreover, even if the Gordon family rushes back, Bartitsu Guild can take advantage of the current chaos within the Gordon residence and their heavy losses as an excuse to prevent the Gordon family from continuing to control those five districts. They would claim that they are acting in accordance with public opinion. When the time comes, even if the Gordon family makes a reasonable demand for their rights, it would be dismissed as wishful thinking and greed, forgetting righteousness for personal gain. In short, Bartitsu Guild has made a move that has blocked the path ahead. The Gordon family is now on the defensive everywhere. The only solution is to ensure Ms. Garcia's safety. There must not be the slightest mishap,” Zephyr said.

Upon hearing that, Adriana was terrified, feeling a chill from head to toe.

She never imagined that Bartitsu Guild could be so corrupt. Instantly, she was filled with immense regret. “If I had known it would be this dangerous, I would never have agreed to let you become the head of the Gordon family, let alone allow you to come to Phison!”

Adriana bit her lip tightly, her eyes welling up with tears, her heart filled with worry and fear, pushing her to the brink of madness. “Chad, that jerk... If anything happens to you, I-I won't let him off the hook!”

Seeing the situation, Neera's previously tense mood suddenly eased a bit. She held Adriana's hand, giving her strength. “Aunt Adriana, don't worry. I'm tough as nails. Absolutely nothing will happen to me. I've been through so much hardship. Why would I fear this? Isn't it just a bit more thrilling than before? No problem at all. Since Matthew is so eager for my life, I'll play along with him. I'm actually curious to see the look on his face when I'm standing in front of him, safe and sound.”

Saying that wasn't about being arrogant, but rather, it was about boosting her own morale.

In truth, Neera was terrified at that moment, and her legs had gone slightly weak.

But seeing Adriana on the verge of tears with worry, Neera knew she absolutely couldn't crumble.

After all, she didn't believe she would die that easily.

In fact, she was determined to emerge victorious.

“Besides, there's still Zephyr, isn't there? He's highly skilled and will protect me,” Neera added.

Upon hearing those words, Zephyr solemnly and respectfully bowed slightly before assuring, “Ms. Garcia, rest assured, no matter what, I will protect you. Anyone who wants to take your life will have to take mine first!”

“We don't have much time,” said Zephyr after understanding the situation. “We need to figure out a way to leave this place now.”

“But I can't just leave.” Neera hesitated. “There are still so many people here. If I leave, wouldn't I be abandoning them to their fate?”

Adriana insisted, “No. You must go. They are fighting so hard, all for you. If you don't leave, you'll be letting down their unwavering loyalty!”

Zephyr also said, “Ms. Garcia, we are not abandoning them. I have already alerted people outside, and soon, there will be several groups coming to assist us. But before they arrive, you must leave this place. They have already breached our defenses, and we can barely hold them off. If we delay any longer, we might not be able to flee. So before that happens, you must leave! As long as you are safe, the Gordon family will have a future!”

He knew she couldn't be at peace with it, so he explained to her, “Moreover, our people are not that fragile. It's just that we are outnumbered, so for now, we can only resist with all our might. It doesn't mean we're just going to die in vain.”

Neera gritted her teeth, wrestling internally for a moment. She understood that she couldn't let her emotions cloud her judgment. She needed to focus on the big picture. “All right. I'll go with you, but how do we get out? The place is completely surrounded. We don't have an easy way to leave.”

Zephyr said, “No. There is a way.”

He glanced out the window, looking down toward the building below, his eyes deep and thoughtful. Turning his head back to Neera, he lowered his voice and continued, “There's a secret passage at the Gordon residence. Apart from a few seniors of the Gordon family, hardly anyone knows about it. We can escape through this passage.”

“A secret passage?” Neera had been there for quite some time, yet that was the first time she had heard of it. She was utterly surprised.

Adriana only just found out. “Where is this secret passage? How come I've never seen it before? Are there any places that look like a secret passage? And where does this secret passage lead to?”

Zephyr answered, “Behind the wine cabinet in the kitchen, there's a hidden door. That's the entrance to the secret passage. This passage leads directly to another Gordon family stronghold not too far from here. When the time comes, we can rest there and wait for reinforcements.”

Neera nodded. “Time waits for no one. Let's talk as we walk.”

Soon, the three of them emerged from the bedroom. With Zephyr leading the way, he made sure the coast was clear before allowing them to follow.

What everyone failed to notice was that after they left the window, a figure downstairs suddenly looked up. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, were fixed intently on the spot where they had just been standing. A sinister smile crept up from the corner of his mouth.