Chapter 785 The Young Master Of Phoenix City (Part One)


    Harper and herpanions were only in Phoenix City for a brief amount of time. Simr to the way


    they entered the city in secret, they silently left, as if they were just mere passers-by who had a cursory


    nce at the city.


    Meanwhile, Diana felt that it was so unreal that she had actually entered the city and came out of it in


    one piece. It was so surreal that she felt like she was stepping on cotton while they were on their way


    out.


    "Master, we dide out of the Labyrinth Swamp alive! Not only that, we also managed to pass


    through Phoenix City! I can''t believe it!" Diana eximed while pinching her face. She was beyond


    ecstatic that it seemed like she couldn''t feel the pain from her pinch.


    Upon hearing her words, Harper pinched one of Diana''s legs really hard. This time, the pain was so


    harsh that tears almost came out from Diana''s eyes. "Do you believe it now?" Harper asked.


    Harper loosened her grip on Diana''s leg after seeing that Diana was slowly nodding her head. Harper''s


    pinch hurt so bad that Diana started to gently rub her leg to ease the pain. In fact, tears were finally


    welled up in her eyes.


    Then, Harper climbed on top of her horse and got ready for their journey to the Birch Pass. But before


    she rode away, she turned around and looked at the gate tower. Almost instantly, she saw a familiar


    figure. Even if she couldn''t see the person clearly because she was too far away, she immediately


    recognized him.


    Standing beside Daphne was a handsome man. She trembled a little and muttered, "Darren, why are


    you here?"


    At that point in time, Harper happened to meet Darren''s eyes while she looked back at the gate tower.


    She noticed that Darren''s lips were moving as if he was saying something to her. But even thoughThis content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org.


    Daphne was standing right next to him, she wasn''t able to hear or recognize what he was saying.


    However, Harper nodded her head evidently, like she understood his words. Without wasting another


    second, she then galloped into the distance.


    "Darren, I didn''t mean to hide it from you. Harper told me not to bother anyone..." Daphne''s voice


    trailed away as if she was too afraid or embarrassed since she did something wrong. The truth of the


    matter was that nothing in Phoenix City could be hidden from Darren. He didn''t show up because he


    was well aware that Harper didn''t want him to.


    "Did she enter the city from the Labyrinth Swamp?" Darren gently asked. His voice was so soft and


    charming that it was so easy to make people disregard any precaution that they had.


    Daphne opened her mouth but she didn''t respond to his question right away. She was considering


    whether she should betray Harper and tell her brother the truth orpletely hide it from him. After


    weighing her decision for a few seconds, she ultimately decided to tell Darren the truth. "Yes, she was


    forced by Lance and the Holy Maiden to enter the Labyrinth Swamp. She had no other choice but to


    get out of the swamp through our Phoenix City. Right now, she''s headed for the Birch Pass. She told


    me not to tell you because she didn''t want you to worry about her.


    Instantly, there was worry in Darren''s eyes when he said, "Did she... get hurt?"


    Daphne sighed. "Don''t worry. That monster is fine. All of herpanions were injured, but she wasn''t.


    She doesn''t have any wounds except for a few bruises on her hands. She traveled across the


    Labyrinth Swamp and was unharmed. I''m almost sure that she''s the only one who can do that."


    Darren was not pleased that Daphne called Harper monster. "She is not a monster!" he eximed.


    "Okay, fine, she isn''t. She''s a goddess." While rolling her eyes, she added, "I don''t know what''s wrong


    with her. How could she choose Matthew over you? You''re such a great man. What''s so good about


    her husband anyway? You''re so much better than him!"


    Darren didn''t respond. He always believed that Harper did it for a reason. In the beginning, it might


    have been because she was forced to marry him. But Darren thought it wasn''t necessary for Harper to


    stay with Matthew any longer. As a matter of fact, Darren didn''t want to think about it any further. If it


    wasn''t for Daphne, he wouldn''t have started to think about it again.


    "You know you talk too much. By the way, I heard that you''re getting quite close with Rufus. I was


    informed that you had some people tied him up and delivered him to our mansion. I was too busy back


    then so I didn''t ask you about this. Why didn''t you tell me about your rtionship with him? Why did


    you bother to kidnap him in our city?" Darren''s voice was still very gentle while his eyes were full of


    concern. But even then, it made Daphne a little uneasy.


    "Darren, Rufus and I... We... we''re just friends!" Daphne stammered. "Yes, that''s right. We''re just


    friends."


    "Well, if the two of you are indeed just friends, you can invite him toe over. But why did you kidnap


    him?" Darren asked while they made their way downstairs.


    The expression on Daphne''s face changed, but she quickly turned it back. "He doesn''t know how to


    appreciate a nice gesture, so I used some unconventional ways."


    "What do you mean? Are you telling me that he doesn''t like you?"


    Daphne gave him a stern look. "Humph! He doesn''t like me? No, I don''t like him. He''s such an idiot! I''ve


    forgotten about him already!"


    Darren looked at her from the side of his eyes. Daphne looked much calmer than before and it seemed


    like she didn''t feel embarrassed at the question anymore. "Do you really not like him?" he asked.


    Daphne snorted and said, "I''m not that stupid or worse, desperate. I don''t like someone who doesn''t


    like me. Harper once said that we can like whoever we want. It''s our choice after all. But we can''t force


    anyone to like us back. What''s more, it doesn''t mean that I have to be with someone, simply because I


    like him."


    "You don''t have to be with someone even if you like him..." Darren murmured. He was a little surprised.


    "That''s right. Who says that I have to be with Rufus because I like him? Yes, I like him. But he doesn''t


    like me and I would never force him to be with me. In the future, I will try harder to pursue the one I truly


    love. Besides, Harper said that having a crush on someone is too shallow. That feeling is very different


    from love. She wants me to find someone I love who loves me back. And we can spend our lives


    together." Daphne''s voice suddenly became gentle when she continued, "Darren, you like Harper,


    right?"