Chapter 1: The Cold Sword of Siren.ltd

In the towering skyline of Verden City, there stood a building of steel and mirrored glass—tall enough to kiss the clouds and proud enough to cast shadows over its rivals. This was the heart of Siren.ltd, the pharmaceutical empire that had shaped generations of medicine, innovation, and wealth. Within its polished walls and silent corridors, walked a man who inspired both awe and fear—Levi Lancaster.

He was called many names by the press and business world, but one stuck more than the rest: The Cold Sword.

It wasn’t just a title. It was a truth. He spoke only when needed, never more. He didn’t smile for the cameras. He didn’t entertain pointless praise. He was known for cutting through meetings with the precision of a scalpel, his comments sharp and efficient. And unlike the businessmen who surrounded themselves with warmth and flattery, Levi walked through the world like a winter wind—silent, swift, and icy.

But beneath the cold, he was undeniably brilliant.

At just twenty-six, Levi had already been invited to global conferences as a keynote speaker. He had rewritten drug patents, developed new delivery systems, and helped lead Siren.ltd to its peak earnings three years in a row. His green eyes, the same shade as his mother's, stared into problems until they surrendered. He wore gold-rimmed glasses that gave him a certain untouchable elegance—an heir sculpted in marble.

His father, Dr. Adrien Lancaster, was a legend in medical circles. A man who had made breakthroughs in rare disease treatments and had once been nominated for a Nobel Prize in medicine. His mother, Celene, was once the face of the nation’s most adored fashion campaigns. Even now, she walked into events like she owned the light that followed her.

Levi had their brilliance—but none of their warmth.

He didn’t need it, or so he believed.

His sister, Lisa Lancaster, was the only one who could pull a real reaction from him. She was his twin—same age, same blood, same birthday—but everything else about them was different.

While Levi was cold and calculating, Lisa was warm and watchful. She smiled at the nurses in elevators and asked her patients how they were really doing. At twenty-six, she was already the Dean of Colourful Mindset, the city’s top mental health hospital. People trusted her with their deepest wounds, their secrets, their regrets.

Levi didn’t understand emotions. Lisa made a career out of understanding nothing else.

Despite their differences, they were close in a quiet way. Not the kind of twins who held hands and giggled in childhood. But the kind who could sit in the same room for hours without speaking, and still feel heard.

---

It was a Tuesday morning when Levi stood on the 42nd floor of Siren.ltd, overlooking the city through floor-length windows. His assistant had just updated him on a small dip in shares after a delay in product shipment. Levi didn’t blink. Instead, he picked up a pen and began drafting a new schedule to fix the logistics, his mind already ten steps ahead.

“Do you ever rest?” Lisa’s voice came from behind him.

He didn’t turn. “You say that every week.”

“And your answer never changes.”

Levi finally turned. Lisa walked in, wearing a soft lavender blouse and holding a folder marked CONFIDENTIAL. Her eyes held a knowing look. “Dad wants us home for dinner tonight. He says Mom cooked.”

Levi adjusted his glasses. “I have work.”

“I figured you’d say that. So I told them you'd come.” She smirked.

“You shouldn’t lie.”

“I didn’t. I bribed your assistant to clear your evening. You’re free.”

He sighed. “You’re exhausting.”

She smiled sweetly. “And you’re impossible.”

---

That night, the Lancaster house glowed with warmth and old memories. Celene had made her famous rosemary chicken. Adrien was sipping tea by the fire, reading the latest medical journal, but he lit up when Levi walked in.

“Son,” he said, standing. “Finally took a break from conquering the world?”

Levi only offered a faint nod, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes. Maybe comfort. Maybe reluctance.

Lisa watched quietly. She had always known Levi was brilliant, but she also knew he was lonely. Behind the success, behind the silence—was still a boy who had grown up being told to be perfect.

To win. To build. To become steel.

And Levi had done exactly that.

But Lisa sometimes wondered what it would take for her brother to become human again.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***