Chapter 58: Just because of one woman!

Alex walked down the stairs into the living room. Seated below were Viona, Edward, and Mr. and Mrs. Sunny. The air in the room was suffocating, thick with an explosive, hostile silence. He paused on the steps for a moment, letting the heavy tension wash over him, before walking toward them and sitting on a chair with a deceptively calm expression on his face.

"Mum, Dad," he called calmly.

Mrs. Sunny stared at Alex with a deeply displeased expression on her face, her eyes sharp and unforgiving. "I heard you two brothers are fighting over a woman. What happened?" she questioned coldly.

"Information sure reaches you fast, Mum," Alex replied, leaning back effortlessly.

"Show some manners when you speak, or you will regret ever existing in this world!" Mr. Sunny shouted angrily, his voice booming through the tense room.

"Don’t shout, Dad. Beauty will be frightened," Edward commented, his voice icy and protective.

"You!" Mr. Sunny pointed a trembling finger at Edward, his face turning red with rage.

"Brother, is it worth angering our parents over a woman?" Viona commented, her voice soft and gentle as she put on an angelic facade.

"Shut up, or you will never be able to open that mouth of yours again!" both Edward and Alex scolded angrily in unison, glaring dangerously at her.

Viona pouted, immediately hugging Mrs. Sunny’s arm. "Who is this damn girl that managed to capture the attention of these two?" she thought, envy growing in her heart.

"Good! Where is the lady who wants to cause a disaster in my family? Where is she?" Mrs. Sunny questioned angrily, her sharp gaze sweeping the room.

Above them, Nova walked out of her room and leaned casually against the second-floor railing, watching the chaotic scene below in the sitting room with a cold, detached expression on her face. The murderous tension radiating from the family was almost palpable, yet she remained utterly unfazed.

"Instead of trying to find trouble for an innocent girl, you should hold your son and warn him to stay away from Beauty. If he keeps being stubborn, I can’t promise he will live long," Edward commented coldly, glaring dangerously at Alex.

"Are you threatening your brother with death now? Right in front of me? Just because of one woman!" Mr. Sunny’s voice was filled with shock and panic as the room plunged into a terrifying standoff.

Alex laughed lightly, the sound chilling and devoid of warmth. "She isn’t just an ordinary woman, Dad. She is the woman I have chosen. Kill me now if you have the guts, Edward. As for staying away from Beauty... humph, that’s your wishful thinking," he replied.

Edward’s rage snapped completely. He whipped his gun out from his jacket pocket, pointing it directly at Alex’s forehead. The atmosphere froze into a suffocating, deadly silence. "Don’t think I won’t dare to kill you right here!" he shouted angrily.

Mr. and Mrs. Sunny panicked and immediately stood up, horror choking their throats. "What do you think you are doing, Edward!" Mrs. Sunny shouted.

Alex wasn’t the least bit afraid. Instead, he stared provocatively straight into Edward’s barrel. "I dare you to shoot it," he said, glaring at him with a mocking gaze.

"Don’t you dare me!" Edward gritted his teeth together, his finger pressing down on the trigger. He was about to shoot when Viona suddenly rushed forward and grabbed his arm, jerking the gun upward and causing the shot to go wildly off target.

A deafening BANG! echoed through the living room as the bullet embedded itself in the ceiling, leaving a heavy scent of gunpowder lingering in the air.

"Brother, did you really mean to shoot Second Brother?" Viona asked, her voice filled with trembling disbelief.

Alex clenched his fists tightly. "This bastard really meant to kill me. It seems he truly intends to have Beauty all for himself. No... I must act first," he thought, his eyes bloodshot with rage as he glared back at Edward.

Up on the balcony, Nova, who was watching the high-stakes family drama with a completely disinterested expression, rolled her eyes. "Boring," she murmured, turning around and walking back into the room.

Mrs. Sunny walked closer to Edward, her body trembling with outrage, and suddenly—

Slap!

She slapped Edward heavily across his face. "You really meant to kill your brother, didn’t you? You might as well kill me too!" she shouted, two hot tears escaping her eyes.

Edward stared at his mother, adjusting his coat and placing the gun back into his pocket. "Yes, I intend to kill him. And if he still refuses to let go after this, you should prepare his coffin, Mum," he said coldly. Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of the house.

"Edward!" Mr. Sunny shouted, but Edward didn’t bother to look back as he slammed the front door shut.

Mrs. Sunny could feel her heart racing wildly in her chest before her legs gave out and she collapsed onto the couch. "It’s over... it’s over now," she sobbed.

Viona immediately walked closer to Mrs. Sunny, gently consoling her. "Mum, don’t be sad. I’m sure Big Brother is just angry, that’s why he’s acting like this. He will definitely calm down when he comes back," she consoled.

"Alex, are you trying to play a prank on your brother? Tell Dad, I will definitely handle everything. It’s... it’s not worth toying with your life because of a woman," Mr. Sunny said, staring with desperation-filled eyes at Alex.

Alex chuckled, a cold, ruthless sound. "Do I look like I’m joking? One of us has to die in order to have Beauty. I’m not leaving her for anyone," he said, standing up and heading back upstairs toward his room.

Mr. Sunny sank back into the chair, hiding his face in his palms. "Why is my family like this? Why?" he thought, overwhelmed by despair.

Viona’s brows knitted tightly together as she watched Alex’s departing back. "With the way both brothers are so obsessed with this so-called Beauty, they will definitely hand over their entire inheritance to her without hesitation if she asks for it," she thought, her eyes darkening.

"No... I must get rid of her before things get completely out of hand," she thought, her eyes flashing with pure, murderous intent.

..... Inside the Room .....

Nova lay on the bed, looking peacefully asleep. The door creaked open, and Alex entered. Seeing Nova asleep, a soft, warm smile spread across his face, replacing his previous murderous rage.

He walked closer to the bed and sat down gently, caressing Nova’s cheek with a feather-light touch. "She’s asleep already, good," he thought. He pulled out his phone and dialed a contact.

The phone rang for a few seconds before it was finally connected. "What’s up?" a male voice echoed over the phone.

Alex stared intently at Nova. Seeing that she wasn’t making any movement, he lowered his voice into a quiet whisper. "Do you have a mild sleeping spray that can make someone sleep for maybe around twenty hours?" he asked.

"What do you want to use that for?" the voice asked in a surprised tone.

"Quit asking questions and answer me, do you have it?" Alex asked, his tone instantly sounding irritated.

"There’s no such thing as a ’harmless’ twenty-hour sleeping spray here. All of them have severe side effects, and the risk of someone going into a coma or never waking up again is extremely high," the voice replied.

"Oh... never mind then," Alex replied, frowning.

"What do you want to use it for? I might be able to help with an alternative," the voice asked again.

"Mhm. I want to use it on my girlfriend. I have something important to take care of tonight, and I don’t want her to wake up until I get back," Alex replied.

"Your girlfriend? Alex, you have a girlfriend?!" the voice shouted louder than before, clearly shocked.