My Wife is a Hidden Big Shot

Chapter 277 - 269: His Lord is So Easy to Placate Now

Aurora Sinclair’s voice struck Alvin Morgan’s heart like a great bell, its echo reverberating through his soul long after she had spoken.

Jared Miles’s gaze darkened, and his voice seemed to catch in his throat. He couldn’t utter a word.

「Four in the morning.」

Aurora Sinclair’s eyes snapped open. She leaped out of bed and ran downstairs.

She opened the door and intercepted the figure outside. "Senior Brother, where are you going?"

Jared Miles froze, suitcase in hand. He felt a sense of resignation as he turned around and sighed. "I was hoping to leave quietly, but you found me anyway."

"Why are you leaving?" A flicker of emotion crossed Aurora Sinclair’s eyes as she twisted the hem of her pajamas.

’Her senior brother would never leave without saying goodbye.’

Jared Miles raised a hand and stroked her hair, his eyes filled with gentleness.

"There’s nothing more I can do to help here. As it happens, some business came up at the office, so I’m heading back. You all be careful."

Aurora Sinclair bit her lower lip and suddenly looked up. "Is it because of what I... yesterday..."

But Jared Miles pulled her into his embrace, cutting off her words.

A bitter look appeared in his eyes. He lowered his head and said softly, "My junior sister has grown up. You don’t belong only to me anymore."

Aurora Sinclair froze. "You’re the person I trust most, Senior Brother," she said, her voice muffled against his chest.

A sad smile touched Jared Miles’s lips. He pushed her back slightly, looked into her eyes, and said seriously, "But I’m petty. I can’t stand seeing someone else in your heart. Do you understand?"

"I..."

"You like him, don’t you, Junior Sister!"

Aurora Sinclair flinched, her expression turning unnatural as she looked away. "I... I’m the Sect Leader now..."

Bitterness swelled in Jared Miles’s heart, and his smile turned pained.

After a moment, he said, "If you really want... then give the position of Sect Leader... to me!"

Aurora Sinclair was stunned. She looked up in an instant, but Jared Miles had already released her. He grabbed his suitcase and strode away.

He was wearing a long, black trench coat today.

It looked a little thin for a Kingsford winter.

The north wind howled, carrying a desolate chill.

He raised one hand, giving what seemed to be a carefree wave.

His voice seemed to drift back on the wind:

"Junior Sister, I will always be your safety net."

***

「Meanwhile.」

Standing by the window, Dean Morgan let out a long sigh.

’Good thing the master already fell asleep on the sofa.’

’If he saw this, his mood would be shot for the entire day.’

He had just turned around when he froze.

Alvin Morgan was sitting on the sofa, gazing intently out the window.

There was no telling how long he had been watching.

"Master... Aren’t you going to sleep a little longer?"

Dean Morgan’s heart tightened, and he took a couple of steps to the side.

"Tell her to come inside. It’s cold out..."

Alvin Morgan’s voice was devoid of warmth. He pressed a nearby remote, and the living room lights flicked on.

Dean Morgan schooled his expression and immediately opened the window to call out to her.

Outside, Aurora Sinclair stood in just her pajamas and slippers, staring blankly into the distance as if she were in a daze.

’Anyone who didn’t know better would think she was bidding farewell to a lover.’

"Aurora, the Master is telling you to come inside. It’s cold out..."

Unexpectedly, Aurora Sinclair paused, glanced at him, and then ran straight back to her own house.

Dean Morgan: ...

’What was that all about? Was she embarrassed?’

Completely bewildered, he turned back and glanced cautiously at his master.

His master’s expression was grim; it was clear he was in a foul mood.

Suddenly—

DING—

Alvin Morgan’s phone chimed.

It was the sound of an incoming text message.

Dean Morgan quickly glanced at the coffee table and whispered a reminder, "Master... a message..."

Alvin Morgan looked down. A line of text was displayed on the screen:

[Aurora: My senior brother left. I went to see him off.]

He immediately picked up his phone, stood up, and headed for his bedroom upstairs.

Dean Morgan was taken aback. Watching his master’s retreating back, he got the odd feeling that he had been instantly placated.

’He didn’t even need to look to know the message must have been from Aurora Sinclair.’

’His master was so easy to please these days...’

***

As the investigation progressed, Aurora Sinclair and Alvin Morgan followed a lead from the West Family to the Trent Family in Syland Province.

So, Alvin Morgan brought Aurora Sinclair to the Warner Research Institute, where they saw an old acquaintance, Norman Trent, in a hidden room.

Previously, Alvin Morgan had Emil Warner deliberately lie to the Martial Affairs Bureau and secretly detain Norman Trent.

It was a good thing they had detained him; if he had been sent to the Martial Affairs Bureau, he might have been killed by the hidden mole within a few days.

Norman Trent lay on the hospital bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as if he had lost his mind.

Emil Warner said with a look of regret, "His voice is gone, and his moments of lucidity are growing rarer. It’s difficult to get any more information from him now."

From Norman Trent, they had obtained an important clue: the Young Family seemed to be under the control of the Trent Family.

The Trent Family had always wanted to get the Young Family Notes from them but had never succeeded.

That was why the Trent Family still relied on the Young Family for their collaboration with Crestland’s IBG Bio-Group.

Currently, the Young and Trent Families were maintaining a facade of peace while being at odds. The Young Family wanted to escape the Trents’ control, and the Trents wanted the Young Family Notes.

"Looks like we need to take a trip to Syland Province," Alvin Morgan said, glancing at Aurora Sinclair.

But Aurora Sinclair stated bluntly, "I’ll go. You’re not allowed."

Alvin Morgan was taken aback. "Aurora," he said with a hint of resignation, "I’m a special investigator."

"You haven’t recovered yet."

"This is all I need," Alvin Morgan said, pointing to his head.

Just then, Emil Warner suddenly spoke up. "Young Lord Morgan, before you go, you need to visit the Lowell Family first."

Hugo Lowell’s eldest son, Stephen Lowell, had become the new Family Head of the Lowell Family after escaping the recent disaster by being locked in their private prison.

Because of the Bright Mountain Guardian’s words, he had decisively transferred all of the Lowell Family’s assets in Kingsford and moved his family’s old and infirm out of the city, settling in the hometown of Ethan Lowell’s birth mother.

This time, in addition to losing most of their elite members, the Lowell Family also lost a vast fortune treating their crippled kinsmen.

Most of these crippled members were from the Core Lineage, so the overall strength of the branch families now surpassed that of the Core Lineage.

This led the branch families to grow dissent. They blamed the Core Lineage entirely for the family’s decline and wanted to cut ties with them, seeking an opportunity to return to the Martial World.

Now, the branch families frequently go to Ethan Lowell’s home to cause trouble, demanding they hand over the Lowell Family’s Ancient Martial Inheritance.

Although Stephen Lowell was keeping them in check, he couldn’t hold out against their superior numbers and influence.

The day before yesterday, they nearly killed Marshall Lowell and Hugo Lowell, the two important pieces of "bait."

Alvin Morgan’s brow furrowed slightly. He glanced at Aurora Sinclair, worried the topic would make her uncomfortable.

But her expression was normal. "I owe Ethan Lowell a favor from our school days," she said calmly. "This is a good time to repay it."

***

Ethan Lowell’s birth mother, Sylvia Linton, came from Silverwood, a prosperous town in the river-lands of southern Veridia.

The climate there was pleasant, like spring year-round, making it a propitious place for people to recuperate.

Stephen Lowell had previously bought a large plot of land in town for Sylvia Linton and built a large manor for her parents to live out their retirement.

At the time, the town mayor had been delighted, thinking it was a business opportunity, and had praised Sylvia Linton for marrying so well.

Even the townspeople had been envious and tried to curry favor with Sylvia Linton’s family. Now, however, they couldn’t wait to drive these pariahs out of town.

Because ever since the family had moved back to town, debt collectors had shown up at their door almost daily.

Every day before dawn, someone would be BANGING on their door. Menacing figures blocked the alley entrance, causing the neighbors to complain incessantly.

Sylvia Linton had to give them gifts each time to placate them, but now they no longer wanted gifts. They had called the police several times with the sole aim of forcing the Lowells to leave at once.

Now, the Linton Family didn’t even dare to leave the house, afraid of being mocked and cursed by their friends and relatives in town.

Inside the manor, an old woman was washing clothes, crying as she worked. "Neve, when will these days end? What on earth did your husband’s family do? People are blocking our door and cursing us all day. In my entire life, I’ve never been slandered like this..."

Sylvia Linton’s eyes were red. She looked down, saying nothing, the very picture of someone who had been wronged.

Suddenly—

The sound of banging came from the door again, making the old woman jump.

Sylvia Linton quickly pulled the woman into her arms, biting her lip so hard that tears welled in her eyes.

"Is anyone home?"