Chapter 340
Chapter 340 Trouble Stirs Again.
“Leander Ashcroft–it’s you p>
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Rodrick’s voice rang through the bar, thick with shock and disbelief, but beneath it lay a raw edge of fear. He stared at Leander as though seeing a ghost, his eyes bulging, his mind racing in turmoil.
That name–Leander Ashcroft–was his childhood nightmare.
Nine years ago, Rodrick had been 15. At that time, Ethan and Tycen were still little kids, not even ten, far from being the figures they were now. Though Rodrick came from only a second- rate family, among the third generation of Highcliffe’s youth, he stood at the head of the pack.
In those days, he had been drunk on his own pride, convinced he was the foremost of his peers, looking down on everyone else.
That was until the day he met ten–year–old Leander.
He remembered clearly how the conflict started—with Ethan, who was only nine then.
Ethan had just begun to make progress in martial arts, but hadn’t yet reached the rank of Martial Practitioner. Rodrick, being older, had already achieved that strength. That day, he completely suppressed Ethan, even landing a punch square on his face.
Back then, the families‘ elders rarely intervened in disputes between the younger generation. Seeing himself overpower a child of one of the top families made him swell with arrogance. But then another boy showed up–Leander.
He would never forget it. On that field in West Meadow, Leander came alone, saying he was there to stand up for his younger brother. One by one, he took down Rodrick’s entire squad. In front of countless witnesses, he beat Rodrick to the ground, his boot pressing half of Rodrick’s face into the dirt.
In the end, Rodrick had been forced to kneel and beg for mercy. Only then had Leander let him go. But from that day on, the name Leander was burned into him, etched deeper than bone.
Even now, as the head of the Wave Alliance, one of the most influential young elites of Highcliffe, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ethan, Daphne, Tycen, and Eira, Rodrick still couldn’t erase the memory of being 15 years old and kneeling to a ten–year–old boy. Leander’s name was an unshakable shadow, and time had only made it sharper.
“Oh? So, you still remember me.” Leander’s faint smile curved with mockery, his presence no different from the boy who had trampled him into the ground back in West Meadow.
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‘Remember this face. My name is Leander Ashcroft. If you hold a grudge and want revenge, you can come find me anytime p>
That same easy, almost playful tone had once crushed all of Rodrick’s pride, shattering his confidence and dignity into pieces.
Afterward, Rodrick had collapsed into despair, hiding away in the Wave Residence for months, too ashamed to step outside. Only when rumors spread that Leander had fallen ill and died did he breathe again, daring to reemerge. He built himself back up, founding the Wave Alliance and rising to power in Highcliffe.
But now, the nightmare he thought buried in the past stood before him, alive and undeniable. How could he not tremble? How could he not fear?
“No… Impossible!” He shook his head violently. His voice cracked into a near–hysterical scream, his composure unraveling. “You can’t be Leander! You died nine years ago. You can’t be him- it’s impossible p>
Faces around the bar shifted in unison, every expression filled with dread.
Up until now, Leander’s calm strength had been unsettling, but many still believed he was bluffing–just a paper tiger putting on a show. They had never believed anyone could truly stand unafraid before the president of the Wave Alliance.
But Rodrick’s reaction—the collapse in his voice, the raw fear—was undeniable. After only a few words, the man who ruled Highcliffe’s underworld looked broken. The entire bar shivered with
unease.
“Who is he really? Why does Rodrick look so terrified of him?” Aurora’s expression shifted again and again, her bright eyes fixed tightly on Leander as though she could see straight through him.
Aurora had only known Rodrick for less than five days, but her ability to read people was sharp. She knew Rodrick was a man of deep scheming, someone who rarely revealed emotion, his years at the helm of the Wave Alliance forging in him the poise of a leader who could stay calm in any crisis.
Yet now, at the mere sight of Leander, he had lost all composure, muttering like a madman. The sight shattered everything she thought she understood about him.
Zeke and the rest of the Wave Alliance men stood frozen in place, utterly at a loss. And Nathan and his friends exchanged helpless glances, none of them knowing what to say. For more chapters visit (.)net
“Nine years, and you’re still this afraid of me.” Leander’s lips curved into a faint smile as he stepped forward and patted Rodrick on the shoulder.
Rodrick jolted as if struck by lightning, stumbling back several steps to widen the distance
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between them. His eyes brimmed with fear and dread. “Leander… why? Why are you here p>
He nearly screamed in collapse. “Nine years ago, the Ashcroft family announced your death from illness. That was news accepted across all of Highcliffe’s upper circles. How could you not be dead p>
His words carried more than panic–they carried information. At once, the onlookers caught on to the key point.
“The Ashcroft family? Is he referring to the Ashcroft family of Highcliffe? He’s one of them p>
In a blink, the crowd’s gazes toward Leander shifted again. What had been doubt and curiosity now turned into reverence.
Even Aurora’s eyes trembled with shock. She had suspected Leander might be connected to the Ashcrofts, but hadn’t dared confirm it. Now Rodrick had spoken it aloud. Judging from the fear he showed, Leander’s status in that family was no small thing.
He might even be of the senior branch. Yet by all public record, Gareth had only one son- Ethan. So, what role did Leander play in this?
While she wrestled with the question, Leander spoke. “That so–called death was nothing but a smokescreen the Ashcroft family released to cover the truth. As you can see, I’m very much alive p>
He stepped forward, cold light flashing in his eyes. “Rodrick, since returning to Highcliffe, I’ve heard about this Wave Alliance you built–how it dominates the city, how nearly 80% of the elite families‘ children have joined. Quite the force you’ve built. But now that I’ve seen it for myself, it looks rather unimpressive p>
At that, he pointed toward Zeke, his face full of scorn. “Earlier, some tattooed trash came to provoke me. I left him half–dead. Then, your so–called vice president here tried to have me thrown in a cell.
“Sending your dogs to bite at me–you really are bold p>
The room fell silent.
For Leander to call Zeke–a vice president of the Wave Alliance–a mere dog, and for Zeke himself to only clench his fists, too afraid to reply, sent a shiver through everyone.
Rodrick’s fear only deepened under Leander’s gaze. Nine years ago, on that field in West Meadow, he had been trampled until there was nothing left of his pride. Now, even as president of the Wave Alliance, he felt no courage to resist.
His voice came weak, his head bowed as he took a step back. “I’m sorry, Mr. Leander. You… You may go p>
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The words rang like thunder. The president and vice president of the Wave Alliance had both come in person, and still, they could do nothing but bow their heads before Leander.
“Hmph.” Leander let out a snort, then waved at Nathan and the others. “Come on. Let’s go somewhere else p>
Nathan, Livia, and the rest snapped out of their daze, ready to follow. But just then, a voice boomed from the doorway, powerful enough to shake the walls of the bar.
“Rodrick might let you walk away, but I, Tycen O’Brien, won’t p>
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