Chapter 8: Bargain of Thorns
The iron gates of Elysium University loomed ahead as Kael stepped onto campus once more. It had been half a semester since he'd last walked these stone-paved paths—half a semester spent enduring relentless nightmares that left him gasping awake in the dead of night.
Only seven days had passed since everything changed.
Seven days since he consumed the Aura-Refining Potion.
Seven days since he awakened his cultivation and unlocked the future memories buried in his mind.
Seven days since Kael Theodore Nightshade stopped being a pawn of fate—and began shaping it instead.
He walked with calm precision through the bustling main courtyard, drawing eyes as he always had. But there was something different now—something colder, sharper in his gaze. He wasn't just the playboy heir anymore. He was becoming a force.
And today, another ripple would begin.
He spotted her standing near the fountain.
Julia Smith.
A junior in the university's college division. Quiet, studious, and gentle—someone most would overlook.
But Kael remembered her well. Not from the past—but from the future.
In one fragmented vision, he had seen her sobbing in a hospital hallway, clutching the hands of a dying woman. She had no one else. Just one desperate wish and a broken hope.
She turned at the sound of his steps, and when she saw him, her eyes widened.
"Senior Nightshade!"
Kael stopped.
Her voice trembled with urgency. "Please—please, wait!"
He turned his head slightly, saying nothing.
She ran up to him, her hands clenched tightly around a worn-out medical report. Her shoulders trembled.
"Senior… I—I'm sorry to bother you like this. I know you don't know me well, but I really admire you. I always have," she said quickly, cheeks burning. "You're strong, composed, untouchable. But…"
Her voice broke.
"My mother… she's dying. Cancer. The doctors said she needs emergency surgery, but the hospital refuses to operate without upfront payment. I've tried everything, everyone. I have no one left."
Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't look away.
"Please… you have power, influence. You can help her. I'll do anything."
She looked him straight in the eyes.
"I mean it. Anything."
Kael's expression didn't change.
The word "anything" echoed in his mind—not with pity, but precision.
In another life, he would have ignored her. In another future, she would have fallen apart.
But this time… she would become useful.
His reply was cold.
"Fine. Meet me tonight. I'll send the location."
Her lips parted in disbelief, but he had already turned and walked away.
---
That Night
The hotel room was dim, bathed in shadows and moonlight.
Julia sat on the edge of the bed, her entire body tense, heart pounding so loud she couldn't hear her own breath. When Kael finally walked in, she stood up.
"I… I trust you, Senior," she whispered. "I know this is wrong, but I—I really do love you."
Kael said nothing.
And he gave her nothing.
He took what he had claimed.
Without hesitation.
---
The Next Morning
Julia stirred beneath the sheets, her body aching in unfamiliar ways. She flinched slightly at the soreness between her legs, a small frown of pain forming on her delicate face. But it wasn't just the physical discomfort—it was the emptiness beside her.
The bed was cold.
He was gone.
She blinked back unexpected tears, disappointment settling like dust on her chest.
Then the door opened.
Kael walked in, perfectly composed, carrying a tray of breakfast.
She looked at him, surprised. "Senior… you didn't leave?"
"I don't disappear," Kael said simply, setting the tray down. "Eat. Take those pills. You need to recover."
Julia stared at the food, then back at him.
"What about the money?" she asked softly, shame clinging to every syllable.
Kael turned his gaze to her.
"I don't pay for things. I invest in them."
She flinched.
"I've already transferred your mother to St. Galen's Hospital—VIP wing," he said. "The best surgeon in the Elyrian Union will operate in one hour. She'll survive."
Her breath hitched, lips trembling.
"From now on, you're mine."
He handed her a contract—stamped with the Nightshade seal.
"You'll be my personal assistant, secretary… and mistress," he said flatly. "One hundred thousand Nyla a month. You'll work, travel, and live in the East Villa."
Julia's hands shook as she read the paper.
"I…"
"You can leave," Kael added, "but the surgery gets canceled. That's your choice."
Her tears fell silently.
And then—slowly, heartbreakingly—she signed.
Kael didn't comfort her. He only turned toward the window, watching the golden skyline of Elysium rise with cruel beauty.
One more pawn moved into place.
The game pressed on.
---
To be continued...