Chapter 346


    The seven sisters had made a pact not to interfere in each other''s work and personal life. After all, with


    seven of them, it would be hard to avoid conflict when it was time for them to make their own choices in


    life and individual careers.


    As such, they stopped keeping in touch after they grew up and carved out lives of their own. The only


    times they gathered were during the holidays like New Year''s, when they would drop by the orphanage


    to pay Joseph a visit.


    However, they all knew the real reason why they hardly ever kept in touch, and it was one that they did


    not wish to dive into—Kingsley.


    Every time the girls got together, they couldn''t help thinking about their brother, who had gone missing


    and left their hearts broken since. It would be like ripping the bandaid off a still-fresh wound and


    provoking the painful memories that they had buried in the recesses of their minds.


    That said, it wasn''t as if they cut each other offpletely. Serena, for example, was rarely at home


    given the nature of her work, and she saw no point in buying a house on her own, so she moved in with


    Reene instead.


    As for Victoria, she was constantly worried about Courtney, who was in college, and she would call the


    latter every once in a while to catch up and wire her money for her allowance. But seeing as Victoria''s


    line of work did not coincide with Reene''s they hardly spoke, and with Reene''spany getting busier


    these days, she simply could not catch a break long enough to give any of her siblings a call.


    Consequently, she did not tell them about Kingsley''s return.


    Even now, Victoria was still oblivious to the fact that her brother hade back to Cleapolis safe and


    sound, and she did not know that he had a surprise for her too.


    After a long pause, she finally sighed and said, "Forget about it. Do you need pocket money over there,


    Courtney? I could transfer you some if you''d like."


    "No, thanks, Victoria," Courtney answered. "I found a part-time job near the school that pays really well.


    I can get by."


    "But I insist—"


    Victoria was cut off when a loud knock came from the office door. The next second, Leoric came


    bustling into the room, looking out-of-breath as he rasped, "Jeanne, I have important news!"


    Upon seeing how overwhelmed and excited he looked, Victoria raised a brow and said into the phone,


    "Hey, Courtney, I need to hang up now. It seems like there''s something that simply demands my


    attention."


    "Okay. Bye, Victoria!"


    Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org.


    After hanging up on the call, Victoria turned to look at Leoric questioningly as she sat up and asked,


    "Leoric, aren''t you supposed to be in the urban vige? What are you doing here in Jeanne D''Arc? Did


    something happen?"


    "Jeanne, I went to Diosna City today, and I—"


    Leoric did not get to finish his sentence, for the office door mmed open once more, and this time, a


    man with a side-part hurried into the room. He was just as out-of-breath as Leoric had been as he


    gasped, "Jeanne—something—happened! There''s been groundbreaking news!"


    He was the mostpetent among all of Victoria''s men, and he went by the name Rupert. He was


    easily one of the strongest and most reliable figures in the entire Jeanne Gang.


    Victoria frowned when she saw how anxious he looked. "What are you talking about? Pull yourself


    together and use your words, Rupert."


    Rupert swallowed and caught his breath. "Word has it that Xanxus has fallen."


    "W-What?" She stood up at once and demanded, "What do you mean by ''Xanxus has fallen''?" She


    knew very well what he meant by that; she just couldn''t believe it and had to make him repeat it.


    "He''s dead! Someone slit his throat! Apparently, he died pretty gruesomely." Rupert nched as he


    added, "And most of his men were wiped out too. The ones who survived have all been caught and


    thrown behind bars. There''s not a single one of them left! Not even those rats down at Sunshine


    Casino were spared. Anyone who protested was rounded up and taken down to the detention center."


    Victoria staggered backward and asked with wide-eyed wonder, "H-How is that possible? I don''t know


    anyone who could have done this! How powerful must the person be to bring Xanxus to his downfall?!"