# Chapter 551: "I'm not, but you are!" Leia snapped furiously. "You're wrong—I'm the smart one who calls: A Homecoming Without a Hero
Hello everyone, it's me again! How are you all doing? Today, I’m going to walk with you through one of the most emotionally charged chapters of "The Untouchable Ex Wife"—a chapter that begins with playful bickering and ends with a cold, painful knot of dread in the stomach. So hold on tight, because this story is about to take an unexpected, heart-stopping turn.
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The tense yet strangely warm atmosphere inside the Stuart manor was shattered by Xavier’s teasing sneer.
"Out lovestruck fools!" Xavier proclaimed, pointing dramatically at Owen and Quinton, who had the good sense to take a step back and watch the spectacle unfold.
Leia’s temper flared immediately. "I'm not, but you are!" she snapped furiously, her eyes throwing daggers at him. "You're wrong—I'm the smart one who calls it like it is! I’d never be as foolishly lovesick as you!"
"Me? Lovesick? You're the one who’s hopelessly romantic, Leia!"
"Hah! You’re confusing yourself with me, Xavier!"
Their argument spiraled into childish accusations, each refusing to back down. Honestly, to anyone watching, it looked less like a real quarrel and more like a lovers’ spat—sharp words wrapped in affection, passion wearing a mask of irritation. Owen and Quinton exchanged knowing glances, both silently agreeing that the scene was, strangely, rather sweet.
But the moment was broken by a servant, breathless and beaming, who rushed into the room.
"They're back! They're home!"
All the tension evaporated as Leia and Xavier stopped dead in their tracks. For one heartbeat, they simply stared at each other. Then, almost in perfect unison, they turned and bolted toward the entrance—each determined to beat the other to the door.
"I knew Stefan could do it!" Xavier crowed, already ahead, refusing to lose this race. "He could even find a mythical item. What a guy! Nobody else could pull that off!"
As Stefan’s number-one fan, Xavier reached the doorway first, his chest puffed with pride, an expectant grin already stretching across his face. He could picture the triumphant homecoming: Stefan striding in, cool and composed, the precious dragon’s saliva in hand, and Renee’s life about to be saved.
Except... only two figures walked toward him.
One was Elijah.
And the other was a stranger.
Xavier’s grin faltered. He glanced past them, scanning the garden path, waiting for Stefan to emerge from behind the foliage. But no one came.
"Mr. Stuart!" Elijah’s voice cracked with emotion. When Xavier saw his face, his stomach twisted violently. Elijah looked utterly exhausted—haggard, pale, and clearly shaken. Anyone with half an eye could tell that their journey had not gone smoothly. In fact, it looked like something terrible had happened.
"Where's Stefan?" Xavier asked, his voice dangerously calm at first. "I... I don’t see him."
His eyes darted back to the strange man standing nervously beside Elijah.
"This is Neil," Elijah introduced him, forcing composure into his voice. "He was our guide when we went to Dragos. It was because of him that we obtained the dragon’s saliva."
Neil was a timid young man, visibly overwhelmed by the modern grandeur of Beach City. Clutched tightly in his arms was a box—small, ordinary-looking, yet carrying impossible weight. He held it as though his entire existence depended on it.
"Hello, everyone," Neil said, his voice uncertain but earnest. "The dragon’s saliva is with me. Mr. Hunt urged me to give it to you all..."
He paused, looking down at the box. This tiny container wasn't just medicine; it was the hope of two very different worlds. For him, it meant the prosperity of his clan and the future of his village. For Renee, it meant life itself.
Taking a deep breath, Neil continued firmly, "But hear me out—the dragon’s saliva determines my clan’s prosperity and future. I can only give you a bit, and then I'll take the rest back to my village."
"I don't care about that!" Xavier’s voice cut through the air with razor-sharp edge. "I want to know where Stefan is! Why didn’t he come back with you?"
Neil’s grip on the box tightened, and his eyes dropped to the ground. He looked utterly reluctant to speak.
Elijah stepped into the manor, weariness heavy on his shoulders. "We don’t have time to argue, Mr. Stuart. We’ve got to get the dragon’s saliva to Dr. Wagner, immediately. If we delay, Dr. Wagner won’t be able to come up with an antidote for Ms. Everheart. And if that happens..." Elijah’s voice broke slightly. "Mr. Hunt’s efforts would be in vain."
"His... efforts?" Xavier repeated, the words feeling wrong in his mouth. A dark, creeping sensation slithered up his spine. Slowly, pieces began to click together—Elijah’s grief-stricken face, Neil’s reluctant silence, and the absence of the one man who should have been walking through those doors in triumph.
Suddenly, Xavier lunged forward with terrifying urgency. He grabbed Elijah’s collar, yanking the exhausted man toward him.
"What the hell happened to Stefan?" he demanded, voice raw with fear and fury. "Tell me! Now!"
The room fell into a suffocating silence. Elijah’s eyes glistened, but no answer came.
And in that frozen moment, Xavier realized that whatever Stefan had done to get the dragon’s saliva... he might never return.
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## Reader's Impressions & Star Rating
Whew. What a rollercoaster! This chapter brilliantly balances two very different energies—the bright, teasing humor between Xavier and Leia at the start, and the gut-wrenching dread that sweeps in the moment Elijah and Neil appear without Stefan. The tonal shift is brutally effective. It takes the reader from a warm smile to a chilled spine in just a few paragraphs. Xavier's desperate grip on Elijah's collar felt so real, so visceral; you could almost feel the fear clawing at his chest. Leia may think she is the smart one, but in this chapter, everyone’s heart knows the same terrible truth: something definitely went wrong. I am completely on edge, and I love the way this story lets the emotions breathe before cutting us off on this agonizing cliffhanger.
**Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4.8 / 5 Stars**
## Next Chapter Prediction
Get ready, because the next chapter is likely to pull back the curtain on Stefan’s fate. Given Elijah’s exhausted grief and Neil’s reluctance to speak, I predict that Stefan made a devastating sacrifice to secure the dragon’s saliva—perhaps striking a terrible bargain with the dragon, sustaining a grave injury, or even remaining behind as a prisoner in Dragos. Xavier’s rage and fear will probably explode into action, and he may refuse to let Stefan’s sacrifice be the end of the story. Meanwhile, Renee’s life still hangs in the balance, which means they may have to choose between saving her and finding Stefan... if there is still time to do either.
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