Everyone knew that any medicine from Medicinal Haven was priceless, but Philip never expected it to work such miracles. After swallowing the pill, it didn't take long before he felt a warm sensation spreading through his body. The violent coughing he'd been suffering from suddenly stopped, and the tightness in his chest felt like it was loosening. He was filled with a sense of vitality he hadn't felt in years.

"This feeling" Philip sighed, half-amused, "I guess I'm not dying anytime soon."

Tiffany shook her head, exasperated. "Come on! You shouldn't be so pessimistic. Can't you think more positively? I'm hoping you stick around for a long time."

Philip chuckled. "Alright. I'll try."

To ensure the old illness wouldn't flare up again and to extend Philip's life, Tiffany handed him a small bottle containing three more pills. She was careful not to give him too many—after all, the medicines from Medicinal Haven were notoriously hard to come by.

Even with just three pills, Philip looked stunned. His eyes widened as he asked, "Where on earth did you get these? It must have taken forever! How much did you have to pay?"

"Nothing too crazy. I know one of the bodyguards at Medicinal Haven. He did me a favor and gave me a discount," Tiffany lied smoothly. "Sorry, Jeremy," she thought. "I had no choice but to bring you into this."

Philip looked skeptical but eventually nodded, deciding not to push further. After all, Tiffany was from the Kelley family; it wasn't too far-fetched for her to know a bodyguard from Medicinal Haven. "Well, you'd better buy more next time. I'll cover the cost," Philip said, sighing.

"No need. I'm all set," Tiffany quickly changed the subject. "By the way, there's something I don't quite understand. Why is the head of Whispering Winds the leader of the four families?"

"Ah, that's a long story," Philip said, sitting up straighter. He began to explain the history of Traron City's most powerful families: "About a century ago, there was only one noble family in Traron City. Before the old patriarch passed away, he gave away his entire fortune to a few of his most loyal and trusted servants—men who had stood by him throughout his life. These men were kind-hearted and didn't let their newfound wealth change their principles. They continued to live by the idea of helping those in need. To ensure their descendants would carry on their mission, they appointed a leader to oversee everything. That's how it's been passed down to this day. But now, a hundred years later, so much has changed."

Tiffany nodded, beginning to piece things together. "So, does the leader still hold any real power?" she wondered. "What good is a title if no one respects it? It's just for show if people don't acknowledge it."

Philip nodded thoughtfully. "That's why Whispering Winds holds the untold secrets of the four prominent families. They're all afraid of each other's hidden moves. They'll definitely fall in line."

There's always a bigger fish, Tiffany thought, rubbing her temples. It was a lot to take in at once, and her head was spinning from all the information. The idea that she was now taking on a role completely unrelated to her felt like Philip had thrown her into a trap. Whenever she showed any signs of reluctance, Philip would give her that wise, fatherly look and say, "Trust me. You'll understand why this is necessary. And this position, it really has to be you."

One day, "Fine," Tiffany sighed, knowing there was no point in arguing further. The only condition she set was that Philip needed to take care of his health, and when the day came for him to truly retire, she would step in.

08:30 Mon, Oct 14 Chapter 178

Philip, looking relieved, agreed.

Over the next couple of days, Philip took Tiffany around Whispering Winds, helping her get acquainted with everything. The people there now knew she was Philip's successor, the next leader. Although some were wary of her, they couldn't do anything about it. There was skepticism, but deep down, the group remained unified. When Philip told them to keep quiet about it, not a single word leaked beyond the estate. This isn't exactly the backstabbing drama I expected, Tiffany mused.

Philip explained, "The people here are trustworthy. As long as you can earn their respect, they'll become your strongest allies."

"Hmm," Tiffany mentally noted that down.

Later, when they returned to Richard's estate, Philip deliberately sent her away while he spent an hour chatting with Richard in the study. Tiffany suspected Philip was smoothing things over on her behalf, prepping Richard so that when she eventually faced pushback, he'd help out of respect for Philip.

Even if Philip hadn't asked, Richard would have supported Tiffany anyway. What surprised him, though, was just how much Philip seemed to favor Tiffany. Not only had she been chosen as Philip's successor, but Philip had also personally requested Richard to help smooth her path, making things easier for her.

When Philip and Richard emerged from their talk after an hour, Philip looked visibly relieved, with a wide smile on his face. He glanced at Tiffany with an even softer, more affectionate gaze.

Five days flew by, and it was time for Tiffany to head back to Lovell City. Before she left, Philip made a decision: He chose to stay behind in Traron City. He said he wanted to return to his roots and didn't expect Tiffany to visit often, just occasionally drop by when she had time.

Tiffany agreed. She left three pills behind, which would last Philip three months. When she returned, she'd bring more, so there was no need to worry for now.

On the evening before her departure, Tiffany and Richard walked Philip home after a few drinks, leaving him in a slightly tipsy but happy state. [The FindNovel.net advertisement has been removed]

After that, instead of taking the car back to the estate, Tiffany and Richard decided to stroll through the quiet streets. It was late, and a light drizzle had begun to fall, the street lamps casting a warm glow as their shadows stretched long behind them.

As they walked, Tiffany let out a sigh.

"What's on your mind?" Richard asked.

"I just feel like I'm carrying someone else's burden. It's a little overwhelming, and I worry I won't be able to handle it," she looked up at the rain softly falling. "I also worry Philip's just trying to tie up loose ends like he's preparing to let go."

"He's not going anywhere yet," Richard reassured her. At least, not anytime soon, he thought.

Tiffany nodded. "I hope you're right."

The two of them walked side by side; the only sounds breaking the stillness were their footsteps and the quiet hum of the car following them at a distance. Suddenly, Tiffany stopped in her tracks. "Wait do you hear something?"

Richard paused as well. "Sounds like someone's calling for help."

"Let's go check it out."

Without hesitation, Tiffany led the way, following the faint voice. The quiet night revealed a weak cry for help coming from near a trash bin on a darkened corner. If it weren't for her sharp hearing, they probably would have walked right past without noticing a thing.

As they approached, they found an elderly man, around seventy, collapsed on the ground. He had been stabbed in the abdomen and was barely clinging to consciousness.

Tiffany crouched beside him, gently shaking his shoulder. "Stay with me. Hey, don't fall asleep."

The old man's eyes fluttered open, and when he saw Tiffany's face, he became visibly emotional. His chest heaved, tears welling up in his cloudy eyes. [The FindNovel.net advertisement has been removed]