Chapter 395
Master Xingyun coughed violently, his aged hand pressing against his chest. "Miss Roland, you may take them. But first, they must complete the final rite."
Incense smoke curled through the grand hall as monks encircled Cloud Summit and Cloud Spirit. The abbot stood before the Buddha statue, trembling as he lit three sticks of incense and knelt in reverence.
As the sandalwood burned to ash, a metallic taste rose in his throat.
"From this day forth, you are no longer disciples of this temple," the abbot rasped. "Let your fate serve as a warning to others. Now, bow three times."
"Dream on!" Cloud Summit jerked his head up. "This dump isn't worth staying in!"
Cloud Spirit rose beside him. After exchanging glances, they turned to bolt from the hall.
"Stop them!"
Evelyn's eyes turned frosty. Her leg swept out in a swift arc, sending both men crashing to the floor with pig-like squeals.
Sebastian gestured, and two black-clad men stepped forward, hauling the offenders away like sacks of grain.
Silence engulfed the hall.
Master Xingyun watched, chest heaving. A porcelain hand offered him tea at perfect drinking temperature.
"This water..." The abbot took a sip, his clouded eyes flashing with surprise.
Evelyn gave a slight nod. "Shall I check your pulse?"
She wasn't charitable by nature, but for true practitioners, she'd make an exception.
The abbot shook his head and shuffled away, bent like an ancient tree. He had discipline to restore and rules to reforged.
"Your hands."
Sebastian materialized beside her, holding a moist towelet between his fingers. When Evelyn accepted it, their fingertips brushed, sparking a current.
The crowd dispersed gradually. Scarlett lingered at the rear, her gaze boring into the synchronized figures ahead.
She'd altered her itinerary to return early, only to have her heart shredded witnessing Sebastian's demeanor toward Evelyn. The man who'd always maintained careful distance with her now had eyes for only one woman.
"Evelyn Roland..." Scarlett's nails bit into her palms.
Deep in the monastery, the Roland family sat in heavy silence.
"Isabella has disappointed us deeply," Sophia murmured, eyes red-rimmed.
Edward exhaled sharply. "We failed as parents."
A lone leaf spiraled onto the stone table between them—a mirror to their tangled thoughts.