Chapter 3

The mountain road was winding and rough.

Valentina led the way, occasionally glancing at her phone to confirm the direction, grumbling about how difficult the path was.

Derek followed silently, his gaze vacant.

“This used to be a stargazing platform,” I said, pointing to a distant peak. “My father often brought me here to watch the stars.”

Valentina scoffed.

“Ayla, are you dying and having hallucinations? A stargazing platform in the middle of nowhere?”

I couldn’t be bothered to explain to her. After all, she was the one who was dying soon.

Suddenly, a handsome young man and an old man blocked our path.

The young man was indeed the “Liam” Valentina had spoken of.

Valentina’s eyes instantly lit up, and she ran towards him.

“Liam! I’m here!”

Liam looked up, and when he saw Valentina, his face was etched with clear disgust.

“Valentina? You actually came? Didn’t I tell you not to?”

He chided Valentina while massaging the old man.

“Mr. Thorne, please don’t be angry.”

“Mr. Thorne?” Valentina’s smile froze, as if she’d been struck by lightning. “What’s the relationship between this Mr. Thorne and Ayla?!”

Liam looked at her coldly.

“He is, of course, Ms. Ayla’s father, and also my superior.”

Derek walked over to Liam’s side and asked Valentina,

“You’re going to give your life to this man?”

Valentina’s expression changed. She violently shoved Derek away, yelling,

“Derek! Get lost! You’re so annoying!”

Derek stumbled back, almost falling, staring at her in disbelief.

Valentina glared viciously at Derek.

“I told you, I’ll give my life to whoever I want!”

Derek’s face instantly turned ashen, his body swayed, his eyes wide with shock.

Valentina ignored him, eagerly trying to impress Liam.

“Liam! Look! I have sixty years! I’ll transfer thirty years to you! No! All of it! As long as you…”

Liam impatiently cut her off, raising his smooth hand, his tone laced with a hint of pride.

“Save it. Who needs your stolen time?”

The numbers on his hand were clearly visible: 102 years.

“Mr. Thorne just transferred a hundred years to me, and he said if I keep his palace clean, he’ll give me even more later.”

A hundred years?!

Valentina looked like she’d been punched in the gut, her eyes bulging as she stared at the incredible numbers on Liam’s hand.

She shrieked,

“How is that possible?! He’s just an old man! Where did he get that much time?!”

My father, however, smiled at Valentina.

“Do you want more time too? Give me money, and I’ll sell it to you!”