The intense training began the very next evening, taking place within the sprawling outdoor gardens of Ronan's estate. Under the starry night sky, Maya focused on teaching Liora advanced hand-to-hand combat techniques, while Ethan worked closely with Ronan to hone his reflexes. Michael and Sophia stood by as well, offering their own guidance and support.
Yet, even after two or three days of grueling practice, Ronan's raw power showed no signs of increasing. Liora, however, made a massive breakthrough. Driven by her sharp intellect, she successfully learned how to use the power of teleportation, mastering the ability just like Ronan.
Recognizing the stagnant progress with their offensive magic, Maya and Ethan quietly devised a risky plan to force the hidden energy out of the two ancient gems. They resolved to implement it during that night's session.
"Whew... I can't do this anymore." Ronan groaned, collapsing onto the lush grass and letting out a heavy sigh of exhaustion.
Liora smiled faintly, sitting down right beside him to take a grateful sip from a bottle of water.
A few yards away, Maya caught Ethan's eye and gave him a sharp, knowing nod. The trap was set.
What happened next was something neither Ronan nor Liora could have ever anticipated. Summoning a massive amount of his own internal energy, Ethan brought his hands together and unleashed a brilliant, blinding sphere of white light, sending it hurtling directly toward an unsuspecting Liora.
Seeing the lethal beam of light rushing toward her, Liora shrieked in sudden panic.
But before the blast could make contact, Ronan reacted on pure instinct. Letting out a fierce roar, he threw his body forward to shield his lover. With one arm, he pulled Liora tightly against his chest, while simultaneously thrusting his other hand outward toward the oncoming threat.
The moment his arm extended, a massive, brilliant sphere of deep red energy erupted from his palm. It collided violently with the white ball of light, completely obliterating it in mid-air.
It all occurred in the blink of an eye. When the smoke cleared, Ronan was standing tall, his eyes glowing a dangerous, vibrant crimson.
"Are you completely out of your mind?!" Ronan screamed, his voice laced with protective fury.
But before he could even process the attack, another lethal burst of white energy came flying at him from Maya's direction. This time, Liora didn't hesitate. Stepping in front of Ronan, Liora threw her hands up and manifested a massive, glowing blue spherical shield. The white ball of light slammed violently against the blue barrier, dissolving into harmless sparks.
Liora stood firmly, her own eyes now glowing a powerful, radiant blue.
"Wow!! That was absolutely incredible!" Sophia cheered from the sidelines, watching the spectacular display in awe.
"What is wrong with you two?!" Ronan shouted, his chest heaving as his adrenaline spiked. "We were almost blown to pieces!"
Ethan stepped forward, a satisfied smile breaking across his face. "I did it because standard methods weren't working. It looks like my theory was correct, you both possess incredible new powers, but they will only manifest for the first time when one of you is in immediate danger."
Ronan scoffed, letting out a breathless, disbelieving laugh at their guardians' extreme tactics.
With their latent powers finally unlocked, the group spent the next few days training aggressively. At entirely unexpected moments, the four guardians would launch surprise magical attacks at the couple. However, Ronan and Liora successfully anticipated and blocked every single assault, their synergy growing stronger by the hour.
A week passed in a blur of exhausting routines. The physical toll on Ronan and Liora was immense. Under normal circumstances, they were only getting about four or five hours of sleep. But Liora, driven by her relentless ambition, was barely sleeping two hours a night. Even after the brutal physical training ended, she would stubbornly sit at her desk and study until dawn, completely against Ronan's wishes. Balancing university with secret magical warfare was proving to be a monumental challenge. Everything seemed to be going according to plan, until...
"Liora!!" Ronan screamed.
In a flash of pure panic, Ronan sprinted across the garden, dropping to his knees just in time to catch Liora's limp, unconscious body before it hit the ground. They had been in the middle of their usual nighttime practice when Liora simply collapsed.
The other guardians rushed over, crowding around them in deep worry.
"L-Liora?! Baby, look at me. Open your eyes." Ronan pleaded, gently patting Liora's pale face. But Liora remained entirely unresponsive.
Then came the most terrifying sight: a dark stream of blood began to trickle from Liora's nose.
"Call Lily right now! Tell her to get over here immediately!" Ronan roared, his voice cracking with pure terror as his eyes flared a blinding crimson. The others scrambled instantly to fulfill the command.
When the phone rang at eleven o'clock that night, Dr. Lily woke up with a loud growl of irritation. However, the moment she heard the frantic urgency of the message, she threw her sleepiness aside. Knowing exactly how reckless and protective Ronan could be, Lily threw on her clothes and rushed straight to the Brown mansion.
"What on earth did you do to push her to the point of passing out? She is suffering from severe mental exhaustion." Lily scolded, directing a sharp, reprimanding glare at the group gathered in the bedroom.
Ronan stood silently by the edge of the bed, staring fixedly at the floor. He bit his lip hard, fighting back the hot tears gathering in his eyes, refusing to break down in front of the others. A suffocating wave of guilt washed over him. He felt utterly pathetic for failing to protect his angel from his own stubbornness.
Lily let out a heavy sigh, her tone softening slightly. "I'll prescribe some medicine. Make sure to get it from the pharmacy immediately. And for heaven's sake, do not let her bury herself in work anymore. Keep her mind as relaxed and stress-free as possible. Let her spend time in nature, let her be around her friends, and stop keeping her cooped up indoors. Her mind completely shut down because she couldn't handle the pressure. But surprisingly... her physical body and core energy remain incredibly strong."
Ronan didn't say a word, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"I'll take my leave then. Here are the prescriptions she needs." Lily concluded, placing the slip of paper firmly into Maya's hand. She cast one last lingering, worried look at Ronan, who was still standing with his arms crossed, biting his lower lip in silent agony, before quietly exiting the room.
A heavy, painful silence blanketed the bedroom after Lily left.
"I-It's all my fault." Ronan finally whispered, his voice trembling violently. "I should have noticed it. I should have realized just how stressed she was. But... all I did was stand by and watch her push herself to the brink."
A single, heavy tear finally escaped Ronan's eye, spilling down his cheek. He swiped it away frantically.
Sophia, whose heart was aching for Ronan, couldn't bear to watch Ronan tear himself apart. Despite still being a little intimidated by Ronan's intense aura, Sophia stepped forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him. The moment the embrace closed, the dam broke, and Ronan silently let out the painful tears he had been holding back.
"Ron... it's not your fault. It's our fault too." Sophia murmured gently, softly patting Ronan's head. "As your guardians, we failed to take proper care of both of you. You are carrying an immense amount of stress yourself, you know. If you keep blaming yourself, you're going to break next. So please, stop scolding yourself."
After a while, Ronan managed to calm his breathing. The others quietly excused themselves, leaving Ronan alone in the quiet room with the unconscious Liora.
Stripping out of his heavy shirt, Ronan climbed onto the bed and lay down beside Liora, pulling her soft body flush against his bare chest. He showered Liora's face with tender, lingering kisses, lovingly stroking her blonde hair. As he held her tight, a profound ache bloomed in Ronan's chest; he realized just how desperately he had missed Liora's warmth.
It had been weeks since they had properly cuddled like this. Usually, Liora would study until the sun came up, inevitably falling asleep face-down on her desk. By the time she woke up to rush to university, Ronan was already heading out to the corporate office. Their hectic lives had left them with no time to simply hold each other.
"I'm so sorry, my angel." Ronan whispered, his eyes filling with tears once more. Let out a shaky sigh, he buried his face in Liora's hair and finally drifted off to sleep, holding his world tight in his arms.
The next morning arrived in the blink of an eye. Liora had briefly stirred in the middle of the night, but the sheer comfort of Ronan's radiating heat had quickly pulled him back into a deep, peaceful slumber.
When morning fully broke, Liora was the first to wake up. At first, she simply nuzzled her face happily against Ronan's solid chest, soaking in the security of the embrace. But suddenly, her eyes caught the bright sunlight pouring through the window, illuminating the bed. Her eyes widened in absolute panic as she realized she was going to be incredibly late for university.
Liora began to frantically wriggle out of the blankets, trying to scramble out of bed. However, Ronan's hand shot out, wrapping firmly around Liora's wrist. With a sudden, powerful yank, Ronan pulled her right back down, causing Liora to fall flush against his chest.
"R-Rony, let me go! I'm going to be so late for university. I need to get ready-"
Liora's frantic protests were completely cut off as Ronan leaned up, capturing her lips in a deep, forceful kiss. Liora let out a soft moan as Ronan kissed her roughly, the passion between them instantly turning heated.
Exercising every ounce of her willpower, Liora reluctantly pulled her lips away, breathing heavily. "R-Ron, I'm really sorry, but I seriously have to go to university right now-"
"You're not going anywhere today." Ronan commanded softly, his large hands coming up to gently stroke Liora's cheeks.
Liora's eyes widened in confusion. "Huh?"
"You're skipping lectures today. You are staying right here with me all day long." Ronan stated.
"I-I can't, Rony. I have an overwhelming amount of work to do."
Ignoring her protests, Ronan reached over to the nightstand, grabbed his phone, and dialed a number, immediately switching it to speakerphone. Liora watched him with intense curiosity.
"Hello? Ronan?" a voice boomed from the speaker.
"Ah, hello, Professor Paul." Ronan greeted smoothly.
Liora's jaw dropped the moment she recognized the name of her notoriously strict professor.
"Oh, hello! Are you busy right now, Ron?" the professor asked warmly.
"Not at all. I'm just getting ready for the day. I wanted to call and ask you about one of your students. A young woman named Liora Miller. Do you happen to know her?" Ronan asked, casting a smug look at the girl beside him.
"Oh, are you kidding me? How could I not know her?! She is hands down my absolute best student!"
Ronan playfully furrowed his brows, acting offended. "Hey, I thought I was your favorite student."
"I'm sorry, Ron, but I have to be honest here." Professor Paul chuckled over the line. "For years, no one could even touch the academic records you left behind. But this Liora kid? She is remarkably smarter than you. You have to admit it. Her intellect is simply beyond anything I've ever seen. I am entirely certain she will become a wildly successful business woman in the future. Mark my words, she's going to surpass you. In a few years, you'll have to step up your game, Ron, because this kid is going to knock you right off your throne and take your place. You really ought to meet her sometime. She's incredibly smart and exceptionally pretty."
Liora's face flushed a violent shade of pink at the professor's lengthy praise. Ronan looked down at her, a proud, beautiful smile spreading across his lips.
"She's already mine." Ronan murmured, staring deeply into Liora's eyes.
"Excuse me? What did you say?" the professor asked, having caught the mumbled sentence.
"Oh, nothing, Professor. I just meant... that's exactly why I've already been planning to recruit and meet with her." Ronan covered smoothly.
"Ah, I see! Well, why the sudden interest?"
"Well, she actually came to my company recently for some practical insights. I noticed her brilliance immediately, so I wanted to consult you about her standing. She seems to excel not just in business, but in many other areas as well." Ronan said, playfully winking at Liora. Liora rolled her eyes with a shy smile.
"Oh, she absolutely does! Well, I should let you go, Ron. I need to head out to campus to teach her lecture."
"Actually, Professor... about that. If Liora happens to miss her classes today, will it negatively impact her grades?" Ronan inquired.
"What are you saying, Ron? If that girl skips today, or honestly, if she skips the entire year, she won't lose a single thing. To be perfectly frank, she's wasting her time in those introductory classes. If I had the authority to push her straight into her final year, she would graduate with far higher honors than any of the other seniors."
Ronan's eyes widened in genuine surprise as he stared down at Liora. "Are you really that brilliant, baby?"
"Huh?" Liora squeaked, entirely flustered.
"Alright, Professor, I'll let you go. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me. I apologize for interrupting your morning."
"Oh, it's no trouble at all, Ron. Take care!"
With their pleasantries finished, the call disconnected. Ronan set the phone down and looked at Liora triumphantly.
"Did you hear what your own professor just said about you? You absolutely do not need to go to lectures today."
Liora pouted slightly but ultimately relented. "Okay..."
Ronan smiled warmly. He lovingly cupped Liora's face with both hands, bringing their faces together until their foreheads rested against one another.
"Listen to me, love. Just like your professor said, you are incredibly smart. But you cannot keep stressing yourself out like this, okay? You are fully capable of achieving your dreams. I know for a fact that you will be a phenomenal CEO someday. And beyond that... you are going to make a beautiful, perfect Empress for the Mo Kingdom."
Liora's heart skipped a beat, her cheeks burning a radiant red at the title.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Later that afternoon, the two of them were driving out of the city.
"Where exactly are we going, Rony?" Liora asked, gazing curiously out the passenger window at the passing scenery.
"To the orphanage in Liverpool where I grew up." Ronan replied softly.
Liora's eyes widened, and she turned completely toward him. "Oh... wow."
Following Lily's strict medical instructions to get Liora away from her stressful environment, Ronan had planned a special day trip, choosing to share the most vulnerable piece of his past with the girl he loved.
"I make it a point to donate a million pound sterling to them every single year." Ronan mentioned casually. "And I support a few other orphanages across the region as well."
Liora's jaw dropped all over again. "A million pound sterling?!"
Ronan let out a melodious laugh, nodding his head.
"I honestly cannot comprehend why the media calls you a heartless, ruthless CEO." Liora murmured, her eyes full of pure admiration. "You are a literal angel, Ron."
A genuine, soft smile broke across Ronan's face. "To be honest, I prefer people buying into that cutthroat reputation. I want the corporate world to be afraid of me. If they think I'm soft, they'll try to walk all over me."
Ronan smoothly steered the car into the driveway of the orphanage, parking in the quiet yard. He turned to Liora, giving her a playful, suggestive wink. "Come on, let's go, love."
Hand in hand, the two of them walked inside. The elderly caretaker of the orphanage welcomed Ronan with an incredibly warm, motherly hug. When Ronan introduced Liora and subtly revealed the depth of their relationship, the caretaker's face lit up with pure joy. Having known Ronan since he was a helpless child, she was thrilled to see him completely happy and in love.
Once their scheduled charity and fundraising discussions were completed, Ronan and Liora walked out to the children's outdoor playground.
Standing by the fence, Liora silently observed her boyfriend. A soft smile graced her lips as she watched Ronan effortlessly pick up and cradle the little toddlers, his sharp eyes melting into an expression of pure, unadulterated love. In front of these innocent children, the terrifying, powerful billionaire completely vanished, leaving behind a gentle, warm-hearted man.
But as Liora watched the beautiful sight, a sudden, sharp pang of sorrow bloomed in her chest. A heavy weight settled over her heart as she remembered her own physical limitations, because of her weak constitution, she could never naturally bear a child for Ronan.
A few moments later, Ronan walked back over and sat down on the bench right next to Liora.
"You seem to absolutely adore babies, Rony." Liora noted softly, trying to hide the tremor in her voice.
"Yeah. I don't just like them, I love them." Ronan admitted, a wistful look in his eyes. "My greatest dream in life is to be a father someday."
Hearing the confession, Liora swallowed hard, her gaze dropping instantly to her lap. Ronan immediately picked up on the sudden shift in his lover's aura.
"Love? What's wrong?" Ronan asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
"I-I can't give you a baby, Ron." Liora whispered, her voice cracking with emotion. "I can't make that beautiful dream come true for you. I'm so, so sorry..."
Ronan's eyes widened in realization. He instantly understood the painful insecurity eating away at Liora's heart. "Oh, sweetheart... who on earth told you that I can only be a dad if you physically give birth to a baby? There are so many other ways."
Liora looked up, her eyes wide and completely bewildered by Ronan's casual demeanor. "Huh? Wait... are you saying you're going to leave me and marry a woman like Mia?!"
Ronan threw his head back and burst into a loud, booming laugh, the sound echoing across the playground.
"Oh my god! Baby, what are you talking about?" Ronan wheezed, trying to catch his breath. "Even if I were forced to marry a girl, I would never in a million years marry that monster Darkan."
Watching Ronan laugh so freely brought a small, reluctant smile to Liora's face. Finally calming down, Ronan reached out, taking both of Liora's hands firmly in his own and turning his body to face her fully.
"Listen to me very carefully, baby girl. If I am going to spend the rest of my life loving someone, it will only ever be you. I don't want anyone else." Ronan stated with absolute certainty. "Yes, I desperately want to be a father. But that doesn't mean I am ever leaving your side. You are the only one I want to raise a family with."
Liora blinked, still looking deeply confused. "But how?"
"Medical technology is incredibly advanced now, love. There are plenty of modern methods for us to have a child of our own blood. Or, even better, we can adopt." Ronan explained softly, turning his gaze back toward the children running around the park. Liora's eyes followed his line of sight.
"Look at these sweet kids." Ronan murmured, his voice rich with empathy. "Every single one of them came into this world under unfortunate circumstances. They are entirely innocent, yet they are left here, actively begging for a scrap of love. I know exactly how that feels, because I was one of them. I know the profound emptiness of growing up without a family. For me, being able to step into the life of an innocent child, adopting them, and showering them with the utmost love and security... that would be the greatest joy of my life. That is my true dream. I don't care about being a biological father. I want to be a good father, a protector who makes them happy and gives them the family they deserve. Do you understand, hmm?"
Liora stared at Ronan, her vision completely blurring as heavy tears of profound love and admiration overflowed, spilling down her cheeks.
Without care for who was watching, Liora threw herself forward, wrapping her arms fiercely around Ronan's neck and burying her face into his shoulder.
"I love you so much." Liora sobbed happily.
Ronan smiled gently, wrapping his strong arms securely around her waist, holding his entire world close. "I love you too, my beautiful angel."