Chapter 151: Stop Hiding From Me, Uncle

Chapter 151: Chapter 151: Stop Hiding From Me, Uncle

Xavier followed her gaze. Until that moment, his attention had been entirely occupied by the cultivation manual. Now, he finally set his work aside and focused on her.

"You’re thinking of visiting the Sinclair family?" he asked.

"Yes," Mira nodded firmly.

She had spent far too long enduring the humiliation and injustice inflicted on her by her own family.

Now that her strength had improved, she wanted to confront them herself and demand an explanation.

The memory of being driven out of the Sinclair family remained painfully clear in her mind.

Back then, she had been left with almost nothing.

If she had not been fortunate enough to meet a husband who stood by her and helped her when she needed it most, she might not have survived.

How could she possibly forget the people who had pushed her into such a desperate situation?

And there was more. Through her mother’s discreet inquiries, Mira had learned additional details about the betrayal she and her father had suffered at the hands of the Sinclair family after leaving Mistfall Forest.

The more she learned, the harder it became to contain her anger.

She could no longer pretend that the matter did not bother her.

Now that she finally possessed enough strength to stand up for herself, she had no intention of continuing to tolerate their actions.

"Fine. I’ll accompany you," Xavier said, closing the manuscript and rising from his seat.

"Thank you, Mr. X!" Gratitude flashed across Mira’s face.

She was well aware that the Shadow Ring had already dispatched assassins to eliminate her.

She also knew that Adrian Sinclair was not the only threat within the Sinclair family.

There was an even more powerful elder backing him, and she could not afford to underestimate the danger.

Mira had no intention of rushing into the Sinclair family’s residence blindly.

With Mr. X accompanying her, she would at least have someone capable of dealing with the family’s strongest members.

More importantly, she had a husband and a mother to think about.

She could not afford to throw her life away through recklessness and leave the people she cared about to suffer the consequences.

Xavier glanced at the time. It was already two in the afternoon.

"Let’s get this over with and return before it gets too late," he said. "Come on."

"Yes, Mr. X!" Mira immediately followed him.

The two left the Extraordinary Division and headed straight for the Sinclair family’s compound.

* * *

Inside the Sinclair family’s residence, Adrian Sinclair was discussing the family’s future with his father, the current Grand Elder.

Ever since the Lindsay family had been destroyed, the Sinclair family’s position had become increasingly precarious.

The incident had stirred up trouble both inside and outside their household, leaving Adrian struggling to maintain control.

He had previously calmed the dissatisfied members of the family by promising that finding Maya Knox would give them an opportunity to establish ties with the Shelby family of Groundcrest.

Unfortunately, that promise had yet to produce any results.

Days had passed without a single reliable lead on Maya’s whereabouts.

Meanwhile, the voices demanding that Adrian apologize to Mira had grown louder.

The same argument had surfaced again that very morning.

Some family members even wanted him to carry a bundle of thorns on his back and kneel before Mira to beg for forgiveness, following an old custom of demonstrating sincere remorse.

Only his father’s authority had prevented the dispute from escalating further.

But Adrian understood that this could not continue forever. If things carried on this way, he would soon lose whatever authority he still possessed as the head of the Sinclair family.

"Those fools seem to think I enjoy watching the family fall apart!" he snapped, his frustration spilling over.

"Do they imagine I wouldn’t bring Mira back into the family if I could? It’s easy for them to demand an apology, but how exactly do they expect me to make up for everything we’ve done?"

He rubbed his forehead wearily before continuing.

"Besides, nobody knows when my son Jonathan will be released from prison. His future is practically ruined. Fortunately, I’m still young enough to have another son."

After a brief silence, he looked at his father.

"Father, what if we abandon Valemont altogether?" he said. "We could move somewhere else and rebuild the family from scratch."

The suggestion came from genuine exhaustion rather than careful consideration.

Since the Lindsay family’s downfall, Adrian had barely enjoyed a moment of peace.

Criticism from outsiders, opposition from within the family, and the constant fear that Mira would eventually return to settle her grievances had worn him down.

For the first time, he was seriously considering running away from it all.

His father immediately frowned.

"Absolutely not!" the Grand Elder said, fixing him with a stern look.

"Our family has been established in Valemont since your grandfather’s time. Generations of the Sinclair family have spent years building relationships, establishing our reputation, and securing our position here. Do you think we can simply throw all of that away and start over somewhere else?" He shook his head in disapproval.

"Building a family from nothing is easy to talk about, but it’s an entirely different matter in practice. Without the connections and influence accumulated over two or three generations, how long do you think it would take us to regain our former standing?"

Adrian had no answer. After a moment, he let out another weary sigh.

"Then tell me what I’m supposed to do, Father," he said.

"Today, they want me to carry thorns on my back and beg Mira for forgiveness. Tomorrow, they’ll demand that I surrender my position as family head. If I allow them to dictate every decision I make, what authority will I have left? Will this even be the Sinclair family anymore?"

His shoulders sagged as he spoke. The confidence and determination he had once possessed seemed to have drained away, leaving him looking utterly defeated.

The Grand Elder opened his mouth, apparently intending to reprimand his son or offer another solution.

Before he could say anything, however, a sudden uproar erupted outside the room.

Footsteps and hurried voices followed, drawing their attention toward the entrance.

Then someone spoke.

The moment Adrian recognized the voice, his expression changed dramatically.

"Sweetheart! You’re finally home! Do you have any idea how much we’ve missed you?" one relative exclaimed.

"You’re not planning to leave us again, are you?" another asked.

"Look at you. You’ve become so thin! You must have gone through so much hardship all this time. It’s wonderful that you’re back!"

"By the way, who’s the young man accompanying you?"

The Sinclair family compound was unusually lively.

More than twenty family members had gathered around Mira, greeting her with exaggerated warmth and concern.

They asked about her experiences, expressed how much they had missed her, and behaved as though they had always been on good terms with her.

At the same time, their curious eyes kept drifting toward the unfamiliar young man standing beside her.

None of them knew who he was or why he had come with Mira.

Xavier paid little attention to their questions. He had accompanied Mira to ensure her safety, not to interfere in her family affairs.

How she chose to deal with the Sinclair family was entirely up to her.

Mira, meanwhile, was not moved by the sudden display of affection.

She remembered perfectly well how these same relatives had stood by and watched when she was thrown out of the family.

Not one of them had stepped forward to defend her. Now they were all wearing welcoming smiles and pretending to care.

She found the performance ridiculous.

"Where is Adrian Sinclair? Tell him to come out," she said, her cold demand immediately silencing the crowd.

Several family members exchanged uneasy glances before attempting to calm her down.

"There’s no need to be so hostile," one said. "Whatever happened can still be discussed. The family head made some mistakes, certainly, but you should at least hear him out. Don’t let anger get the better of you. We’re all relatives, after all."

"That’s right! The patriarch was in the wrong, but look at where you are now," another added.

"In a way, everything that happened pushed you toward a better life. Can’t you let the past go?"

"People should leave room for forgiveness," a third said.

"The patriarch has already suffered enough. His younger brother is dead, and his only son is behind bars. Please, don’t make things any worse for him."

The moment they sensed that Mira had not returned with peaceful intentions, the relatives began taking turns persuading her to show mercy.

This was exactly what the Grand Elder had instructed them to do.

He had anticipated that Mira might return one day, so he warned everyone beforehand to handle the situation carefully.

They were to persuade her to reconcile with Adrian rather than provoke another conflict.

Anyone who refused to follow his instructions would be expelled from the family.

As the highest ranking elder in the household, his authority was unquestionable.

Even if Mira returned, it would not change his position. Besides, Adrian was still the family head.

Allowing Mira to publicly humiliate him would be tantamount to disgracing the entire Sinclair family. If the matter could be resolved peacefully, that would undoubtedly be the best outcome for everyone.

Unfortunately, Mira had no interest in hearing them out.

"Enough," she said. "I’ve heard more than enough."

A mocking smile crossed her face as she drew the Dragon Bone Sword.

"I’m not here to reconcile with the Sinclair family, and I certainly haven’t returned to reclaim my place here," she said.

"I came to settle my grievances with Adrian Sinclair. That’s the only reason I’m here."

She raised her voice.

"Adrian Sinclair! Get out here!"