Filed to story: A Second Chance with My Billionaire Love
Halston stood beneath the dragon and stared up at it, awestruck. Was this the dragon he had been searching for? If it was, where was the dragon saliva? He looked around, and suddenly spotted a bronze-like cauldron at the highest spot in the cave, just below the dragon’s head. That cauldron was palm-sized, and was being held in the dragon’s claws. It looked like the dragon was drinking from it, and Halston figured it was probably housing the dragon’s saliva. He couldn’t dwell on it too much because time was running out, so he rolled up his sleeves and trousers before climbing up the dragon. The dragon’s body was long and spiraled upwards, and the climb was steep and slippery.
Halston felt that he was pretty good at climbing, but he slipped and fell countless times; it was exhausting. After a while, he finally reached the upper body of the dragon. He reached out and took the cauldron, and saw a clear liquid in it. He didn’t have time to think about where it came from, and just held the cauldron to himself, preparing to climb down.
Suddenly, he heard Neil’s voice a few meters beneath him. “Oh, my god! Man, you’ve got some guts!” Neil fell to his knees, holding his head anxiously. ’I thought you were joking, but you actually did it! The villagers are going to kill you for being disrespectful, I know they will!”
Neil had given Halston the map of the village because of their agreement, and he also genuinely wanted to help Halston. He knew the mountain paths were dangerous and the security outside the cave was strict, so he felt Halston would give up and go back. However, Neil was still worried about him, so he told the guards at the memorial chamber that he wanted to pay respect to the ancestors then went to check it out.
Unexpectedly, Halston had successfully snuck into the memorial chamber, and he’d even climbed onto the dragon’s neck and taken the dragon’s saliva, which was the clan’s treasure. Neil was shocked, and felt like he was about to pass out.
“Neil, you came just in time! Help me take this.” Halston held the cauldron with one hand and clung to the dragon’s body with the other. The climb down wouldn’t be easy, and he was also afraid of spilling the liquid in the cauldron, so he was relieved to see Neil.
“No, I don’t want to.” Neil looked up at Halston and squatted there arrogantly. “I can’t do such a thing to betray my clan. They’ll kill me if they find me out.”
“I know you’ll help me.” Halston handed the cauldron to Neil. “If not, you wouldn’t have given me the map or risked coming here. I’m begging you- please take good care of this cauldron and give it to my assistant. My wife’s life depends on it.” Halston seemed to have realized that he wouldn’t be able to escape, and knew he could depend on the kind and trustworthy Neil to hand the cauldron to Elijah.
As expected, Neil’s heart softened. “Ah, you’re a stubborn man. I’m unlucky to have met a client like you…” He sighed and accepted the cauldron.” Whatever. You’ve got to pay me the tour guide fee; I won’t work for free.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you work for nothing.” Halston solemnly handed the cauldron to Neil, then carefully descended the dragon’s body. However, when he was seven or eight meters above the ground, he heard footsteps. He turned to Neil and said urgently, “Someone’s coming. Hurry up and hide! n
“What-“
“You have to get the dragon’s saliva out of here… Please!”
Neil wanted to say something, but had no choice but to quickly hide in a corner.
A group of men in traditional clothes rushed in, carrying machetes. When they saw Halston, their faces flushed with anger and they swung their machetes threateningly.
“How dare you climb atop our dragon ancestor! Kill him! We must kill him!”
“Yes, kill him! Kill him!” Everyone shouted and surrounded Halston. The memorial chamber was the most sacred place of the clan, and the dragon statue in it was worshipped by all the villagers in Dragos. It symbolized the prosperity and safety of the clan… but Halston was riding it.
It was unforgivable!
A day had passed, and the atmosphere in Ellsworth Manor was tense. Everyone in the manor looked solemn.
“Today is the last day. Where’s Halston?” Owen looked up at the calendar on the wall in the living room, and a worried sigh escaped him.
“It’s hard to tell.” Quinton clenched his fists, then scoffed, “I’ve always said that he’s just an incapable pretty boy. Don’t count on him-we have to come up with something else.”
Owen hung his head in regret. “If I hadn’t told him about the four herbs, he wouldn’t have risked his life searching for them, and things wouldn’t have ended up like this. We didn’t get the herb, and now he’s missing.”
“It’s too late to say that now!” Xavier slammed his fist on the table and snarled, “What kind of a doctor are you? Are you trying to save lives or end them? Halston wanted to dig people’s eyes out because of your words, and now, thanks to you, we don’t even know if he’s alive!” He stood up and grabbed Owen’s collar fiercely. “Tell US the truth-who the hell are you? Did that scumbag Jovan send you here to trick Halston?”
Xavier was the most worried about Halston’s safety in the manor. He hadn’t known about the herbs; if he did, he would never have let Halston take such a risk. Even fools could tell that those herbs didn’t exist, but Halston was out there risking his life to get them as fast as he could. It was courting death, and he couldn’t believe that everyone else had agreed to it. Did they even care about Halston’s safety? “Yeah, Flossie’s life is important, but isn’t Halston’s too? Do you have to exchange his life for hers? This is just like before-you wanted to take Shirley’s eyes and give them to Flossie. Do you think that’s right? All of you are wicked!”
Xavier then turned to Quinton and pointed at him accusingly. “I know what you’re planning-you’ve been fighting Halston for so many years, and somehow happened to appear right when he went looking for that lousy pearl. I’m sure you must have conspired with this quack to harm Halston!”
Quinton had always been short-tempered, and he didn’t like Xavier accusing him. He snapped, “Don’t talk nonsense! If I wanted to fight Halston, I’d do it openly. Why would I go to the trouble to do all this?”
“Openly? Hmph!” Xavier still held a grudge against Quinton for harming Halston back then, and didn’t hesitate to bring it up. “To be honest, you’re the cause of all this. You nearly killed Halston, but he begged someone to save you… I don’t know how you can show your face here. If I were you, I would have killed myself!”
Quinton staggered back in shock. “How… could you…” “What?” Xavier demanded stubbornly. “We aren’t related, so I can say what I want! Don’t think that I’ll feel sorry for you-you’re just an outcast, and if it wasn’t for Halston, I would have dealt with you ages ago!” “That’s enough!” Leia had been keeping silent, but she couldn’t take it anymore. She got to her feet and pushed Xavier away. “You’re upset because your first love has suffered-we get it.. Just stop taking out your frustrations on innocent people! Yes, others might not know about the conflict between Quinton and Halston, but as Halston’s friend, you should know better. There’s no right or wrong between them-just defeat or victory. If Quinton was still harboring a grudge against Halston, don’t you think he would have let him die when he saw him drowning in the Southern Sea?”
Xavier looked at Leia, and calmed down a little. “I don’t know about that, but I would never forgive someone who blinded and nearly killed me.” “But Halston wasn’t a nice man either back then. He snatched away another man’s woman and ruined that man’s face. He even killed that man and took his property, so I don’t think it’s wrong of Quinton to want to take revenge. However, he’s now let go of his hatred and made peace with Halston, which is great.” Leia was Flossie’s bestie, so she knew the affairs of the Ellsworth family well. At first, she had felt that Quinton was cruel and extreme, but after learning about his past, she understood why he had behaved that way. “Quinton was very handsome, but Halston ruined his face. He was such a strong man, but he had to wear a mask and keep a low profile. He had been waiting for a chance to make a counterattack. Have you ever thought of what he’d been through all those years?” “Hmph! You think he’s handsome?” Xavier’s face twisted in jealousy, and he sneered, “No wonder you’re defending this pervert-you’ve got a crush on him! Seems you can’t tell right from wrong anymore.” Xavier had been at everyone’s throats because he was worried about Halston, but his mood had worsened when he saw how close Leia and Quinton were. Leia always addressed Quinton intimately, which annoyed Xavier. He also recalled that their previous argument and strained relationship were because of Quinton, and all of this had made Xavier find Quinton an eyesore.
“Are you out of your mind, Xavier? Is that really all you think about?” Leia planted her hands on her waist angrily.
“Explain why you’re so forgiving towards this scumbag then! A normal person would have stayed away from such a person, but you’re close to him and address him intimately. Are you that blinded by love?”
“I’m not, but you are!” Leia snapped furiously.
“You’re wrong-I’m the smart one who calls out lovestruck fools!” Xavier sneered.
Both Owen and Quinton automatically took a step back and watched their fight. Honestly, it looked like a lovers’ quarrel… and it was rather sweet.
At that moment, a servant hurried into the room. “They’re back! They’re home!”
“They’re back?” Both Leia and Xavier immediately stopped arguing, then childishly rushed to the door, each trying to outrun each other.
“I knew Halston could do it! He could even find a mythical item… What a guy! ” As Halston’s first fan, Xavier easily outran Leia and was the first to reach the door to welcome them.
However, to his confusion, only Elijah and a stranger were walking towards them slowly.
“Mr. Stuart!” When Elijah saw Xavier, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. He looked exhausted, and anyone looking at him could tell that things had not gone smoothly for them.
“Where’s Halston? I don’t… see him.” Xavier looked around anxiously, his stomach sinking. He turned to the stranger beside Elijah suspiciously.
“This is Neil, our guide when we went to Dragos. It was because of him that we got the dragon’s saliva,” Elijah introduced Neil to Xavier calmly.
“Hello, everyone. The dragon’s saliva is with me; Mr. Guajardo urged me to give it to you all…” Neil had never been to a huge city like Beach City, and looked overwhelmed and timid. He was holding the box that contained the dragon’s saliva tightly, knowing it could decide the fate of his clan and save Flossie. Neil sighed, then said firmly, “Hear me out-the dragon’s saliva determines my clan’s prosperity and future. I can only give you a bit, and then I’ll take the rest back to my village.”
“I don’t care about that-l want to know where Halston is! Why didn’t he come back with you?” Xavier had no interest in the dragon’s saliva. All he cared about was Halston.
“Mr. Guajardo, he…” Neil’s grip on the box tightened, and he looked reluctant to speak.
Elijah walked into the manor and said seriously, “We don’t have the time to argue. We’ve got to get the dragon’s saliva to Dr. Wagner so he can come up with an antidote for Ms. Ellsworth. If not… Mr. Guajardo’s efforts would be in vain.”
“His… efforts?” Xavier had a growing feeling that something was wrong. He grabbed Elijah’s collar and demanded urgently, “What the hell happened to Halston?”
Leia could tell that something had happened to Halston, but their priority right now was to detoxify Flossie. “That’s enough! Let go!” Leia pulled Xavier’s hands off Elijah’s collar, then told Neil and Elijah, “Go give the dragon’s saliva to Dr. Wagner.”
“Okay!” Elijah turned around and gave Xavier a look, then sighed and rushed into the manor with Neil.
When Owen saw the dragon’s saliva, he was in disbelief. It was practically an elixir in medical textbooks and was rumoured to bring people back to life, and Halston had actually found it. “Great! We have the items-Ms.
Ellsworth can be saved!” Owen didn’t waste anytime and immediately went to his laboratory to make the antidote for Flossie.
After a day of research, he finally came up with the antidote and gave it to Flossie.
After a while, Flossie felt much better. Her pain had lessened, and she didn’t feel so weak anymore. “It’s magical… I feel like I’ve come alive!” Flossie leaned against the head of the bed, her eyes bright. Before this, she needed painkillers to even have the energy to talk to others, but now, it felt like energy was surging through her veins.
“That’s wonderful, Flossie! You don’t know how scared I was seeing you like that!” Leia burst into tears and hugged Flossie tightly.
“Hey, I’m cured, not dead. People will get the wrong idea if you cry like this…” Flossie said teasingly as she hugged Leia and patted her back comfortingly.
“You must be better if you can tease people like this. Thank God for Halston! ” Leia said sincerely, sniffling and wiping her tears. If Halston had given up, Flossie might never have recovered. He had saved Flossie’s life.
“Yes, it’s all thanks to Halston. But…” Flossie paused, then asked hesitantly,” Where is he? I didn’t hear his voice when Elijah came in. Is he not home yet?”
“He…” Elijah clenched his fists, wondering if he should tell the truth.
“He went to the company!” Quinton interrupted Elijah. “He’s been away from Guajardo Enterprise for too long, and the company is a mess, so he had to go back to handle it. If he hadn’t, Jovan would have made the company his. N
“Yeah, Mr. Guajardo came, but he got a call from the board of directors. They asked him to return to the company for a meeting right away, so he had no choice but to go,” Elijah continued slowly, glancing at Quinton. Flossie had just escaped death, and her health and emotions were unstable. If they told her the truth, she might be too weak to take it..