Liam's eyes welled up with tears when he saw Celena's state. He quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around her exposed form."Honey, don't be scared. I'm here now. I've come to rescue you."However, Celena, out of her mind with fear, could not recognize him. She thought he was Cirroc, her attacker, and fought back desperately.Her voice was raspy from crying, and she screamed, "No, no, no, let me go... My husband will come after you, he'll save me... get away... don't touch me..."Liam's heart ached as he watched her struggle. Anger surged through him, but he was careful not to hold her too tightly, afraid of causing her more harm. He tried to calm her, "Celena, it's okay, it's me, Liam."Liam?Had Liam really come to save her?At the sound of his name, Celena's eyes snapped open, and she saw Liam's kind face. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she sobbed, "Liam..."Still caught in the grip of terror, she clung to Liam's hands, her body shaking uncontrollably."Don't be af
His voice, chilling like a whisper from the depths of hell, lingered in Cirroc's ears.Their eyes locked, and Cirroc froze, petrified.The murderous fury in Liam's gaze sent a wave of terror crashing through Cirroc.Liam watched Cirroc's bewildered face, then suddenly released him, slamming him to the ground. He stood up and stomped down hard on Cirroc's chest.The stomp, driven by unbridled anger and a thirst for vengeance, was brutal. The floor tiles shattered under the force."Ahhhh!"Cirroc's screams of excruciating pain echoed through the hotel, his chest bone snapping under Liam's relentless assault, blood gushing from his mouth."You... cough cough... let go..."Despite the intense pain, Cirroc, his face contorted with agony, desperately gripped Liam's foot, trying to dislodge it.However, no matter how hard he struggled, Liam's foot was unyielding, pressing down like a massive stone, suffocating him, his face turning a sickly shade of purple."I'm warning you... you'd
Smack!The slap sent Cirroc reeling, his vision swimming with stars as he gaped at Liam, too shocked to react.Liam's gaze was dark and unfathomable, his voice icy. "The Yacano family is nothing to me. Did you really think I'd be scared?"Cirroc caught one look at Liam's dead-serious face and a chill ran down his spine, his eyes wide with fright. Out of the blue, Liam cracked a frosty smile. "You know, if you hadn't brought it up, it would've slipped my mind..."Cirroc's heart lurched. He did not get what Liam was driving at, but something told him it was bad news for him.The more he dwelled on it, the more terror crept in, and he blurted out threats, trying to drown out the panic screaming inside him.Cirroc's mouth was a mess, blood dribbling down his chin. Earlier slaps had left him with a few teeth missing, and then his face was as puffed up as a balloon."Liam, listen up. Beat it while you can. Once Mr. Quain shows up, you're a goner!" he warned, his voice hoarse.He sp
A gruesome sound shattered the silence.Blood sprayed in all directions, and Cirroc's agonized screams filled the hotel, chilling to the bone."Ahhhh!"Cirroc was a twisted mass of pain, clutching his groin, his face contorted. The agony in his torso was nothing compared to that searing torment.A mere kick could bring unbearable pain, but that—that was a cruel and deliberate mutilation.Cirroc lay in a crimson pool, his face a mask of red fury, sweat pouring down his forehead. Staring at the gory flesh before him, his eyes turned wild with rage. He bared his teeth and bellowed, "How dare you... I'll kill you! I swear, I'll kill you! Ah, ah, ah..."Liam discarded the bloody dagger with a smirk of disdain, looking down at the crumpled figure of Cirroc. With a scornful sneer, he crushed the severed flesh under his boot."No... please... no... ahhhh..."Cirroc's plea was desperate but futile against Liam's merciless act. That cruel stomp extinguished Cirroc's last shred of hope, s
"Celena."Liam rushed to her, grabbing her hands to stop her from hurting herself any further.When Celena looked up and saw Liam's worried face, the face she knew so well, she could not hold back anymore. Forgetting she was bare, she flung herself into Liam's embrace and sobbed uncontrollably."Liam... it feels so gross. I feel so gross… Here, here, all where Cirroc touched me, I'm tainted… I'm so scared... "Liam's heart ached as he listened to her cries, his eyes reddening and filling with tears.He was consumed with guilt for not having protected Celena. As he listened to her, he kept whispering apologies again and again.It took a long while for Celena's tears to subside and her emotions to calm. Only then did she become aware of her nakedness in Liam's arms, her cheeks turning a deep shade of pink.Even though they had Jovie and had been married for quite some time, they had always slept separately and never shared such closeness.Sensing her embarrassment, Liam gently co
Liam watched Celena, sensing she was onto something. Despite the flutter of panic within, he kept his composure and said, "What is it? Whatever you want to ask, go ahead."He flashed a reassuring smile and swiftly steered the conversation elsewhere. "Honey, you're not yourself right now. You need to rest. Forget the office today. I'll call in sick for you, alright?"However, Celena's eyes remained fixed on Liam, her question earnest and grave. "Tell me, who are you, really? Are you truly just a regular guy who's served his time in the military, or is there more to it?"How could a former soldier have such impressive skills?How could a former soldier track her down so swiftly?As she pieced together the recent events, all roads lead to Liam, each coincidence too perfect to ignore.Liam's expression froze for a moment, and he inhaled deeply. Though his heart raced, his voice remained steady. "Honey, what are you talking about? I'm just me. Who else would I be?"With that, Liam se
Nearby, there was a gruesome sight of flesh crushed, the room a chaotic mess, reeking of blood."Sir!" Waylon cried out, rushing Cirroc to the nearest hospital.Thanks to Waylon's quick actions, Cirroc did not bleed to death.His life hung by a thread, and he was in for a series of surgeries due to the grave injuries.Waylon stood outside the operating room, his face dark with fury, a barely contained rage emanating from him, his hands balled into fists at his sides.He had warned him time and again about the dangers of underestimating Liam, but Cirroc, ever headstrong and impulsive, had not listened to anyone's counsel. Then, they were all paying the price.Cirroc, the golden boy of the Yacano family, groomed from birth to take the reins one day, was then broken. That was no small matter. It shook the very foundations of the Yacano dynasty.For Xerxes, the news was a gut punch.The family would hear about it soon enough, that was certain.Waylon's brow was a battlefield of wo
Once Xerxes had hung up, Waylon wiped the sweat from his brow and exhaled a deep, weary sigh.He turned and made his way back to the operating room's entrance while on the phone, swiftly executing Xerxes' commands.Within the walls of the Yacano family's old house, Xerxes, fury coursing through his veins, flung his cell phone across the room after ending the call."Who is it? Who dares to injure my son? Whoever you are, if I find you, you'll wish you were never born!"With teeth gritted in anger, Xerxes snatched up the landline and barked orders into the receiver."Get someone to bring Dr. Doyle here to tend to the young master's wounds. And I want a name! Find out who did this to my son!!"...Simultaneously, on the highway leading to Drunham City, a sleek stretch of Lincoln glided toward its destination. Inside, a man in a bespoke black suit cradled a crystal glass, his gaze dark and stormy as he watched the landscape blur by.The tranquility was shattered by the shrill ring
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
With that command, he strode into the restaurant."At once, my lord!"His men obediently echoed, herding Wilson and the others toward the private room where Liam and his party awaited.Karpos strutted ahead, his arrogance restored. Despite a hasty bandage job, his appearance was ragged.As Karpos led Clifford and his entourage into the restaurant, the owner and the servers shuddered in fear, their bodies quaking.Clifford shot the restaurant owner a frosty look that sent him scurrying over with a forced, fearful smile. "Lord Clifford, I had no idea you'd arrived. I'm so sorry for not greeting you at the door," he stammered out an apology.However, Clifford just gave him another icy stare and strode past, following Karpos up the stairs to the private room.The owner, too scared to utter another word, followed them up, his heart pounding.They reached the private room in no time. With a commanding gesture from Clifford, a dozen muscular men in combat gear stormed in.Liam and hi
How could someone from Biskeland throw away their pride like that, groveling for mercy? It was downright embarrassing. They were the ones who started it all, picking on her. Why should she be the one to grovel?The more Corie thought about it, the more her disdain for Wilson grew. "Wilson, if you're so eager to leave, then go. I'm not budging. This mess started with me, and I don't care how tough those guys are—I'm staying right here with Liam to face whatever comes," Corie declared, her voice icy. She grabbed a nearby chair and sat down with a defiant thud."Corie, you!" Wilson started, but she turned her head away, dismissing him with a cold shoulder that only served to stoke his anger. "Fine! Have it your way! However, you'll regret it when Clifford and his goons show up!" he snapped. With that, Wilson stormed out of the room, his entourage trailing behind him in a rush.Corie watched Wilson and his crew scatter like scared rabbits, and with a sneer of contempt, she spat out, "