Soon after, Gerard approached and asked, “Any thoughts on tomorrow's competition?"

Lilah responded with a casual shrug, “Not really. I'm just going to give it my best shot."

That was typical of her. She always remained calm and composed before any competition.

Gerard gave a nod of approval. "No matter what happens, I'll be there for you."

Lilah felt a sudden wave of guilt.

Despite being buried in his own work, Gerard had rearranged his schedule to support her, delegating his responsibilities to his assistants and catching up through evening video calls.

This arrangement probably wasn't popular with his office team.

“If I take the lead in the league, I'm thinking about opening a branch in Eleywood," said Lilah with conviction. "We could set up the office and maybe hire a few deputy leaders to help manage it."

"You should discuss this with the three elderly men. They're clearly supportive of you," Gerard said, pulling her into a hug, his expression gentle but determined.

The next morning, Xavier woke her up early. He had arrived to support her, dressed in full gear, dramatic sunglasses, and a fan sign in hand.

Lilah felt both amused and embarrassed.

“Lilah, you don't have to thank me. We're family, right? Family members back each other up, and I'm always here for you," Xavier said, smiling.

The competition began shortly afterward.

Lilah entered with Jerrold, Gerard, and Xavier at her side, receiving an unenthusiastic response from the crowd.

Most observers were there to watch Barth, who had recently improved significantly in martial arts.

With only a few years of martial arts experience and a break from training, Lilah wasn't the focus of much attention.

“Just ignore them, Lilah. They're ignorant," Xavier whispered under his breath with a hint of irritation.

Lilah glanced around calmly. “It's all good."

At the moment, her thoughts were solely on what she would eat once the competition was over.

She was tired of her own cooking.

“Mommy, remember I'm here to support you too," Jerrold said, noticing the somber look on Lilah's face and trying to cheer her up.

Lilah gave a gentle laugh and ruffled her son's hair affectionately.

The arena was massive, surrounded by stands packed with enthusiastic fans. The best seats were in the first two rows, close to the action.

The three elderly men occupied the front row seats, while the four deputy leaders took their places in the second row.