In the evening, Kaito returned home and found Akira in the living room looking through the window. Her face held unknown emotions, but it was obvious her thoughts were not happy. It was like her mind was far away from the moment.

"You know you cannot move the mountain by staring at it," Kaito said before he kissed her plump cheek lightly.

Akira did not turn from the window. "I am wondering when the nightmare will be over."

"We have made it so far. Nothing will happen. I will make sure that we live on and enjoy a happy life." Kaito responded.

Akira turned to look at him. "Do you think I bring out the worst in people?"

"How could you say that? You have always brought the best in me." Kaito said. "Before I met you, I did not know how good life could be. You lit up everything, and I realised I was always walking in darkness. You renewed my life."

Akira did not say anything for a long moment. When she did, her eyes were a little moist.

"Uncle Taiki found one of the bases of operation for the mercenaries who have been attacking us." She paused. "The two people coordinating the attacks in the city are old members of my team at the Immortal Sword Brigade."

Kaito's eyes darkened.

His uncle had not told him about this matter. It was not unexpected because Taiki often acted alone. When he said he would protect them, he was serious. He had been indispensable in protecting Akira from the increasing attacks.

After their return to Mountain Ridge, they had only enjoyed a short period of peace before the people looking for Akira came to town. As Zhong Feng and Hu Lei told Akira, it did not matter if the psychopath from the International Health Alliance was dead.

The person behind Watch was not willing to give up on Akira. If anything, they seemed to be willing to take even more risks just to develop and market their app. Even the presence of Kaito and the mysterious Taiki did not make a difference to them.

If Akira did not have a lot of protection on the mountain, she would have been injured or worse.

"People will always be who they are," Kaito said. "Some might suppress their demons for a while and others might change their behaviours. But at the core, every person will be who they are. Do not think further about this."

Akira was not comforted. "If their hatred of me is so deep that they will betray the Immortal Sword Brigade, it just makes me wonder. It is like my mother. She seemed like a good person when I met her, but she turned into an uncontrollable monster."

"You just revealed her true colours. She hid her true self deeply. You cannot blame yourself. At least, your father now knows the kind of person she is. And that is a good thing." Kaito said while patting the fluffy hair.

Akira stretched her arms and hugged Kaito. "You know how to talk sometimes. If you put in some effort, you might have a future as a life coach."

Kaito laughed. "If I were to become a life coach, I would begin a cult."

"So, how did the meeting go?" She asked.

"Do you need to ask?" Kaito was smug. "Naturally, everything went according to plan. Your husband is now the chairman of the Takahashi Corporation. I have never seen my grandfather so angry. I saw a puff of steam rising from the top of his head."

"You know that the people from the Takahashi family will begin appearing from everywhere to ask for favours from you. Are you sure you can keep up with the demands of being the patriarch?" Akira asked as she walked to the seats.

"I am not planning on associating too closely with them. Hajime needs to stabilise his position to stand firmly in his position. He can handle his family." Kaito paused. "Speaking of which, when did you talk to him? He said you invited him to our wedding."

Akira giggled. "He called to check up on me."

"Where did he get your number?" Kaito was sullen.

"From my grandfather. Grandpa was a little concerned because of my father's propaganda about me spending all my time on the mountain. He wants me to be closer to people of my age." Akira explained.

In truth, she had lost faith in the Yamazaki family or else she would not have left so decisively for the few months she was away. However, she was finally beginning to feel the warmth of her maternal family.

It was not the empty gestures that Sayaka used to placate her in the past. Her family members were treating her with genuine care that she did not think she would receive in her life. As a result, she was also beginning to get closer to them.

Both her father and second brother had never treated her poorly. However, since she returned, they checked up on her frequently and sent her thoughtful gifts. The gifts were not only for her but also for Little Precious.

After the fallout with her mother, she was happy to know that her father and brother accepted her child completely. Her grandfather gave her a big surprise by calling her. She thought it was perfunctory, but he had information about her that exposed the fact that he knew a lot about her.

She smiled as she thought about her family. If it were not for the danger that followed her constantly, she would be able to meet them more. However, for her safety, her movements were restricted to the mountain where there was sufficient security.

Unfortunately, Kaito misinterpreted the smile, and his face darkened.

"Don't talk to him. He is a busybody, and he has designs on you." Kaito said pettily.

Akira laughed and laughed at the statement. "I am like a thousand years pregnant. I can hardly walk. Why are you still so jealous?"

Kaito snorted. "Men cannot be trusted."

"What about you?" Akira asked with more amusement.

"You already trusted me. And now, you can never escape from my evil lair." Kaito smiled deviously before changing to a more serious tone. "What did Uncle do about your former colleagues?"

Akira became a little sad again. "I have told him not to alert them about his discovery. We have almost hooked the big fish. It would not do if we startled the people above them. I need to make sure that everything to do with Watch is eliminated."

Kaito sighed. The two of them were almost certain that the person who built the app was in the Immortal Sword Brigade. However, they did not know that other people from the valley were involved in the operations against Akira.

If that was the case, it would indeed be stupid to take out the minions. They needed to learn about everything before making a move. It was still frustrating to know that people who wanted to harm his Akira was still roaming free.

"How is the discussion going on with Vladimir Romanov?" He asked.

Hu Lei had connected Akira with Vladimir to lure out the people behind Watch. He was known in the crime world and the technology world. Even if he claimed that he had no more ties with the underworld, it was not farfetched to think he would invest in Watch.

It was the reason the developer of Watch was so interested in getting an investment for expanding the app from him. He was the dream investor because he understood both the technical and creative aspects of the development.

Therefore, the developer did not suspect it could be a trap.

"It is almost done. Vladimir has asked to see the full operation and the involved personnel before transferring the funds. He will be in town after the New Year's celebrations. I think that is why the Watch developer is more anxious to keep steady traffic." She said.

"But none of the mercenaries has managed to get a single image of you." Kaito frowned.

"According to Vladimir, the anticipation is making the promise of my death more exciting. And with Uncle Taiki appearing to deal with the mercenaries, he has also gained some popularity. He is like a surprise guest making a cameo." Akira laughed.

"At least, he is good for something," Kaito grumbled.

Akira laughed at her petty man. "That reminds me, your uncle said that you have been neglecting your training lately. From now on, you have to train with him in the morning. He said that he does not want you to win, but he cannot have an embarrassing nephew."

The evening passed without incident, but Taiki did not return. He was not predictable for someone who was not familiar with a lot of people in Mountain Ridge. He would come and go without a care from the house at odd hours.

The security measures installed around the mountain were completely useless to him. Luckily, he was on their side.

In the wee hours of the night, Kaito and Akira were woken up by an unfamiliar noise.

"Do you think it is Uncle Taiki?" Akira asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Uncle Taiki was not someone who would make any sound while walking through the house. He was a vigilant person and drifted like a ghost, formless and unheard.

"Stay here. I will go check it out." Kaito said as he opened his nightstand quietly.

He would not face an enemy without a weapon. And he had no doubt it was an enemy. Someone had broken the perimeter of their home, and he was going to teach them a lesson.