Meanwhile, Liam made a phone call to Malcolm upon leaving Stone Mansion. "I want you to discharge a thousand soldiers from the garrison to be stationed at the Meadowview Hotel! Not a single soul, not even a fly, is allowed to leave the compounds without my permission!"Malcolm, who had been in the middle of tending to his mayor duties, realized the severity of the situation at hand and replied curtly, "Yes, Mr. Cole!"Then, without missing a beat, Liam hung up and made his way to the Meadowview Hotel as fast as his car could take him.The car screeched to a halt at the entrance, and the moment Liam stepped out, he caught sight of two men standing guard on either side of the hotel entrance. These men were none other than Torsten's students, who were keeping watch on their master's orders. They, too, had noticed Liam the moment he arrived, and they exchanged knowing glances.Liam made his way to the door, but the moment he got near, Torsten's men stopped him. "Sorry, sir, but this
However, before he could even get close to Liam's neck, Liam caught his hand in mid-air with lightning speed! With a fierce grip, Liam crushed the disciples' wrist, and a sickening snap echoed through the air, followed by a blood-curdling scream as the wrist grotesquely twisted at an unnatural angle. "Ahhhhhh!!!" The man's face flushed crimson as he clutched his broken hand, howling in agony, "My hand!! Ahhhhh!! My hand... Kid, you've got guts... You dare to mess with us, you're a dead man... Mr. Williams won't let this slide... Ugh..." He tried to invoke Torsten's name, hoping to intimidate Liam by mentioning his powerful ally. However, Liam was not having any of it. Cutting him off mid-threat, Liam grabbed the man by the throat, his lips curling into a detached smirk as he icily remarked, "You're all talk." Without another word, Liam hurled him across the room. The man flew from the broken doorway and slammed into the hotel's front desk with a thunderous crash, the marble cou
Once Liam had departed, the receptionist who had been grilled, along with her colleagues, could finally breathe easy. They exhaled deeply, their earlier terror subsiding.It was too much!They had planned to quit after today, but no, they decided they would resign immediately. This job was just unbearable!At the same time, the scene was quite different in the Meadowview Hotel's luxurious presidential suite, number 888.The spacious room had been cleared out by the disciples, who knew well enough to leave once Celena was delivered. Then, only Celena and Torsten remained.Celena, her wrists bound behind her, sat in a chair, her eyes wide with terror, tears streaming down as she stared at Torsten.Torsten, clad in a loose hotel robe that revealed his tanned chest, casually held a bottle of pricey whiskey in one hand and a crystal glass in the other. His face was marked by a sleazy grin as he ogled Celena with a predatory leer.Taking a swig of whiskey, Torsten clicked his tongue a
While he made his pitch, Torsten's hand crept over to stroke Celena's hand, his nose hovering near her neck, inhaling deeply, a look of rapture on his face.He breathed in her scent, not the overpowering perfume that clung to other women, but a subtle, natural fragrance that was all Celena's.Torsten was captivated by her scent. Taking in deep breaths, he murmured, "Ms. Stone, you're truly one in a million, with a natural scent like yours. I've met my share of women, but none quite like you..."Tears streamed down Celena's face, her expression one of pure terror. Overcome with fear, her body was rigid, trembling non-stop. Her hands, though bound, were balled into fists, trying to hold onto some semblance of composure. She bit her lip so hard that a trickle of blood began to form."Mr. Williams, please, I'm begging you... let me go," Celena wept, her voice breaking with despair. "I'm married, I have a husband..."Please, you've got it all wrong about me. I'm not that kind of woman.
Torsten watched Celena's despair, his smile twisting into something grotesque, a perverse thrill rising in his chest.He caressed her cheek with a vile grin, taunting her, "Ms. Stone, you might as well stop struggling. No amount of screaming will bring anyone to your rescue. Save your strength. You'll need it to entertain me soon enough..."Through her sobs, Celena pleaded, "No... please... I'm begging you, let me go... I'm married..."She turned her head, trying to escape his vile touch, her cries filled with terror as Torsten's excitement grew with every display of her despair."So you're married? No big deal. Any woman I, Torsten, set my sights on has no chance of getting away!"With a swift motion, Torsten yanked Celena's coat from her shoulders, clutched it in his hands, and inhaled deeply, a look of rapture on his face. "Mmm, that scent is intoxicating."Celena's scream pierced the air as she thrashed wildly, her wrists raw and bleeding where the ropes dug in."You better
A twisted smirk crept across Torsten's menacing face as he watched Liam stride toward him, utterly dismissive of the threat. "Ha!" He scoffed with icy derision. "So you're Liam, the leech living off his wife, the doormat son-in-law?"Liam's gaze snapped to Celena, bound to a chair, her coat discarded at her feet. Her once smooth arms were marked with angry red lines from the ropes, some spots bleeding from the harsh bindings.Liam's eyes blazed with a fierce, crimson fury, his stare drilling into Torsten as if it could ignite the very air with the intensity of his wrath.His fists crackled ominously as he clenched them tight, and with a venomous snarl, he bellowed, "Lay a finger on my wife, and you're a dead man!!"Torsten's response was a derisive, mocking laugh, his face twisted in scorn as he looked down his nose at Liam. "Really? You're quite the cocky one, aren't you? Bold enough to storm into this hotel solo. I'll give you this—you've got guts."As they spoke, Torsten casual
As Torsten hurled insults at Celena, Liam's face turned to stone, and a wave of lethal fury washed over him. He locked his eyes onto Torsten with deadly intent. Unfazed by Torsten's taunting stare, Liam strode toward him and said with icy resolve, "I've warned before anyone who dares harm my family will face the consequences. Do you want a death wish? I'm happy to oblige!" Torsten's face twisted with rage, his eyes blazing with a thirst for violence as he bellowed back, "Bring it on! You want a death wish, kid? You got it!" With a roar, Torsten swung his fist in a feint and then launched a swift kick aimed at Liam's head—a move that had spelled the end for many before. Torsten was sure of his technique and convinced that once his foot connected, Liam would be done for it. A vicious smirk played on his lips, already savoring the victory. However, in the next breath, his smirk vanished. Celena, gripped by fear for her husband, cried out, "Watch out, honey!" Yet Liam remained
Liam did not bother with a response. With a swift punch to the chest, he sent Torsten flying across the room, the man's body slamming into the bookshelf of the presidential suite, shattering it into splinters.Torsten hit the floor hard, blood spurting from his mouth, his eyes wide with shock as he gazed up at Liam.Liam's laugh was chilling. "The Nasso Group? The martial arts school? They mean nothing to me. If they dare touch my family, they'll cease to exist."Torsten's eyes bulged, disbelief etched on his face as he screeched, "You wouldn't dare! They're the Nasso Group, the martial arts school! If you lay a finger on me, the Nasso family's second-in-command won't let you off the hook!"Liam's face was an icy mask, his presence radiating a chilling intent to kill as he strode toward Torsten without a word. With a scornful chuckle, he raised his foot and slammed it down hard onto Torsten's chest.The force of the blow shattered several of Torsten's ribs, the sound of snapping b
Meanwhile, Celena and the group were taken out of the hotel and shoved forcefully into a couple of jeeps waiting at the entrance. They were whisked away to a nearby military base. Before they could even get their bearings straight, they found themselves being tossed into holding cells. Celena, on the other hand, was taken separately to a small, dark room, illuminated only by the barest sliver of light that peeped in through a tiny window. The room was entirely empty, save for a metal bed frame. A sour stench hung in the air, and it was clear this room had been abandoned for a very long time. A soldier shoved Celena roughly into the room, and before she could realize what was happening, the soldier slammed the door shut.The soldier had pushed Celena so hard that she fell onto the ground, but upon seeing that her captor was about to leave, she leaped to her feet and sprinted over to the door. "Sir, can you tell me what I did wrong? Can you please have mercy on me? Can you at least
Tristan seemed just as baffled as they were. He returned their puzzled gazes with an equally perplexed one of his own. "I… I have no idea…"The general glanced sharply in their direction, then gestured to his soldiers and declared sternly, "Take them away!"His soldiers obliged and stepped forward to restrain the members of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, who all shrieked in alarm, "Why are you taking us away?""General, what did we do wrong? We didn't do anything illegal, so why are you arresting us?""Mr. Xander, save us! They've got this all wrong!""What's going on here? Why are they arresting only us?"Celena's entire body was shaking like a leaf. She eyed the soldiers around her and asked, stammering, "General, what did we do wrong? Why are we being captured? Where are you taking us?"Tristan, stricken with panic, shoved a soldier aside and shouted at the general, "General, I'm the president of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, and I want to know why we're being taken away. Wh
Celena was utterly terrified by the sudden turn of events. She stared pale-faced at the soldiers around her, not daring to move even a muscle. What was going on?All of a sudden, a man in a uniform stepped into the room. The badge on his shoulder indicated to everyone that he was a general. The heavy thumping of his boots echoed through the silent room with every step he took. All eyes were on him as he stepped onto the stage.He carried himself with great authority, and clearly, this man was not one to be messed with. He scanned the room as if searching for someone. Finally, he announced in a deep, resounding voice, "Do not fear, ladies and gentlemen. We are here on a routine check after receiving a tip-off regarding your conference. We will release you all once we have carried out our investigation, and the process will be quicker and smoother if you all cooperate. "Now, I would kindly request you get your documentation ready so that my men may confirm your identity."Everyone
Derek nodded earnestly and replied, "Of course it's true. My sources have never failed me. I wouldn't have trusted you with this information if I didn't think you'd be interested."Celena stared at him for a moment, then turned to glance in the direction of the people he had pointed. She could not help but be tempted by the offer. She considered this for a few moments, then accepted his offer. "Alright then, Mr. Duncan. I'll go with you. Thank you for inviting me."The smile on Derek's face widened. He could hardly believe his luck—Celena had agreed to go with him! Taking that first step was always the hardest, but he had done it!Unbeknownst to Celena, Derek already knew her long before their first meeting at the conference. Her name was known far and wide in Drunham City, not least because of her beauty, but because of her—in the eyes of the public—tragic marriage. Celena had earned herself a reputation as one of the most beautiful women Drunham City had ever seen, and although
The attention they received, however, was large due to Celena and her young, handsome companion, who was a man named Derek Duncan. Their attractive looks, both individually and combined, were easily the topic of discussion that night. Everyone who laid eyes on them admired both their good looks and brains, for certainly only the cream of the crop were allowed to attend this prestigious event. What made this feat even more impressive was the fact that they were both so young!Aside from her beauty, Celena's name was already known far and wide in the business world, not just because of her strong leadership but due to her association with Liam and her company's connections with many international corporations. She had started her business from scratch, but within a few short months, she had single handedly built it up to become one of the top ten grossing companies in Drunham City.There were hundreds of people gathered there tonight, and their seats had been allocated according to t
The moment Clifford left, Kastor turned to Liam with a wide grin, all hint of his hostility now gone. "Mr. Cole, thank God I arrived just in time."He raised his brows as he said this, and Liam took this to mean he was trying to claim credit. Truth be told, he would have been able to handle things on his own even without Kastor's help, but he decided this was a detail Kastor did not need to know. Instead, he returned Kastor's smile graciously. Kastor, like a child, burst into laughter at this. No further words were exchanged, but they understood the message nonetheless.Jeffrey also grinned. "Kastor, what brings you here all of a sudden?"Kastor replied, "Ah, you might not know this, Mr. Stein, but I actually own this very restaurant that you're sitting in right now. One of my employees called me for help, citing that a brawl was about to break out, so I rushed over immediately. I had no idea it would turn out to be you and Mr. Cole!""Ah, what a pleasant surprise, then!" Jeffrey
Clifford scowled upon hearing this. He cracked his knuckles menacingly as he stared at Kastor through narrowed eyes.Kastor did not seem at all intimidated by this. Instead, he brushed past him and approached Liam, smiling. "Mr. Cole, I apologize for the delay. I rushed over as soon as I heard the news, but I was late anyway. I'm so sorry for the wait."Liam's expression eased up slightly. He tugged the corners of his mouth into a strained smile but did not reply. Clifford's expression turned even more sour when he sensed Kastor's tone. He asked sharply, "What is the meaning of this, Kastor? Are you intent on making me your enemy?"Clifford's reputation was known far and wide, and many feared him, but Kastor was not one of them. He shot Clifford a look of utmost disdain and replied, smirking, "Yes, Clifford, that's exactly what I'm going to do. So what if we will be enemies from now on? What are you going to do about it?"He was confident that Clifford would not dare to retaliate
One of the muscle-bound goons stowed his submachine gun and drew a hefty machete, nearly a foot long, from his side. He advanced on Liam with deliberate steps.Calum and Cirocco were poised for a fight, ready to jump in at Liam's command and wipe out the roomful of petty thugs.However, Liam had other plans. He remained seated, an unfazed smirk playing on his lips, watching the approaching thug with the machete.The thug, mistaking Liam's calm for fear, grinned viciously and raised his machete, aiming for Liam's arm.However, in a flash, the scene changed.A figure hurtled through the air, and with a resounding crash, the thug was sent flying into the wine rack. The rack toppled, bottles shattering, their contents spilling and perfuming the air with the scent of alcohol.The thug hit the ground, blood spurting from his mouth, his eyes wide with shock. He lay there, lifeless, staring at Liam, dead before he hit the floor.The room plunged into a deathly hush.Corie clapped a h
Corie was also shaken, her fists clenched tight under the table as she watched Liam with wide, fearful eyes, barely managing to whisper, "Liam!"Liam stood there, steady as ice, without a trace of fear. "Don't worry, I've got this," he assured.Corie, seeing Liam's calm dismissal of the threat and recalling his proven strength, felt her fear ebb away.She could not explain it, but she had an unwavering faith in Liam.Across from them, Clifford lounged back, his legs thrown carelessly over the table, his gaze dripping with disdain. "You don't know who you're messing with, do you?" he sneered. "Karpos works for me, Clifford. And yet, you've got the gall to attack my men in broad daylight? You're in over your head!"Jeffrey was about to chime in, but one look at Liam's icy demeanor and he thought better of it, choosing instead to watch the scene unfold in silence.He was curious to see just how Liam would handle that.Liam chuckled, a sound as cold as the winter wind, and fixed Cli