The thug could not resist sneaking Liam a triumphant look and adding gleefully, "Look here, you punk, this here is my boss, and he's going to make you regret ever having come here tonight!"Newlin, on the other hand, felt his chest tighten upon laying eyes on Liam. He was so shocked to see Liam here that he was at an utter loss for words for a few moments. He snapped out of his stupor just in time to hear his idiotic subordinate's bold statement. The color drained from his face.Smack!Newlin slapped his subordinate immediately, fearful that he would make some other atrocious comment to infuriate Liam. He smacked him so hard that the impact whipped the thug around in an entire circle before finally coming to a stop.The thug staggered to a stop, clutching his swollen cheek and wearing a look of utter bafflement. He cried out, "Boss, what did you hit me for? It was this twat who attacked all of us, and shouldn't you be protecting us instead? What are you doing? Get him!"The next m
Liam merely shot him a steely glance and said, "You're Newlin, aren't you? Haven't you learned your lesson from the last time we met?"Newlin gulped nervously, and beads of cold sweat broke out over his forehead. He wanted nothing more than to throttle his idiotic subordinate right that instant! He would have gladly helped him if he had gotten into trouble with any other person—anyone at all but Liam!Newlin dared not irritate Liam any further, so he quickly wiped his sweat from his forehead and replied, bowing low, "No, no, Mr. Cole, of course I still remember what happened the last time we met. This was all my fault! I should've educated my subordinates better. They are stupid goons who didn't recognize you in all your greatness, and I will make sure they get punished for their idiocy! I hope you can find it within yourself to forgive us…"What are you waiting for? Do you need me to guide you like a kindergartener? Apologize to Mr. Cole right now!" he bellowed, turning to the thug
The entire gang immediately scattered without another moment's hesitation. Newlin, in particular, turned and skedaddled as fast as his legs could take him.Suddenly, Liam's cold voice rang out, shocking them in place. "What? Have you misheard me? I asked you to get on your knees and scram! I never said you could run!"For a moment there, Newlin was petrified that Liam had changed his mind about letting him go. He stood there, his face as pale as a ghost, glancing nervously at his men. After a few moments, they realized what Liam was asking of them.Then, without a moment's hesitation, they all dropped to their knees and slunk away from the pub—some of them shuffling awkwardly on their knees, others outright crawling like animals, all just to get as far away from Liam as possible before he changed his mind. This was no doubt a shocking turn of events, and all the bouncers, as well as some spectators lurking nearby, could not help staring, slack-jawed, at this strange sight.It was
Judging from her tone, Liam knew that she must have misunderstood the entire situation. Unfortunately, he was preoccupied with the wedding preparation, so he decided he would explain everything to her once he was free.Then, he got onto his scooter and drove to the Emerald Lake area. The moment he arrived, he saw Benjamin standing at the entrance, waiting for him.Upon seeing Liam, Benjamin's entire face lit up as though he was meeting the president himself. He straightened up and approached Liam. "Mr. Cole, what a pleasure it is to see you again."Liam nodded and replied, "How's everything going now? I assume it's going according to plan?"This would be his and Celena's future home, so he wanted everything to be perfect.Benjamin nodded. "Mr. Cole, you have nothing to worry about. I've already relayed your requests to the contractors, and they're working on it as we speak. They have also opted to use the best, most expensive materials for the renovation. Feel free to walk in and
"Liam?" Cheryl exclaimed incredulously, the look of disgust on her face growing more apparent as they approached. "What are you doing here? Don't you know where you are?"Wasyl was also wearing a sneer of deepest contempt as he eyed Liam. "Liam, don't tell me you're here to look at houses too?"Before Liam could even respond, Cheryl said haughtily, "What on earth are you talking about, darling? Him? View houses here? He's a useless goon that can't even afford an average house, much less a mansion here in Emerald Lake!"Who was he kidding? This was the most prestigious residential area in the entirety of Drunham City, only accessible to the wealthiest and most elite crowd, and there was no way Liam could possibly afford a house here!Liam had initially wanted to ignore them both, but their scornful tones made him pause, frowning. He turned to them with a cold look. "Why does it concern you what I'm doing here?"Wasyl scowled, for Liam's arrogant retort had infuriated him. He snappe
"You…" Cheryl stammered, feeling both angry and frightened at the same time. Her hand dangled awkwardly in the air between them, so in order to save face, she pointed a manicured finger at Liam instead. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Liam. Do you honestly think Celena would leave us? Have you forgotten how desperate she was to return to us?"She could not resist scoffing before continuing, "She always comes running as soon as my father and grandfather play nice to her. She can never stray too far from us because she's just a spineless little b*tch who's desperate for approval."Leave the Stones, you say? I've never heard anything more hilarious! Celena Stone is nothing without us!"Cheryl refused to believe that Celena would actually leave them, for the image of Celena begging to be taken back still burned in her mind. There was no way someone as cowardly as Celena would dare to turn her back on the family who raised her!She was certain that Celena had merely gotten ahead of hersel
The finger pointed squarely at the crown jewel of Emerald Lake—King Mansion, the most lavish suite in the complex. Wasyl had been eyeing the mansion for a while and finally turned to the saleswoman with a decisive air. "This place has style. How much? I'm interested in buying it."Cheryl, who had secretly coveted the same mansion, mistook Wasyl's intentions, thinking he was trying to win her over. A blush crept across her cheeks as she snuggled up to his arm, her voice a playful purr. "Honey, you're too sweet. How did you know I had my heart set on this place?"With that, she wrapped her arms around Wasyl and planted a sweet kiss on his cheek. Then, with a triumphant glance over her shoulder at Liam, she taunted, "See that, Liam? My man can afford to buy me a mansion here. What can you do? Better watch your step and show some respect next time you're in his presence."Liam, however, just gave them a half-smile and responded with a nonchalant shrug. "This place? Afraid it's off the
"Ah..."Wasyl's face fell with disappointment as he sighed softly.He had hoped to snag the contact info of that enigmatic billionaire.Cheryl looked just as let down, but then a spark lit up in her eyes, and she perked up with a sudden idea.That enigmatic billionaire had snapped up the prime King Mansion there, so he was bound to make it his home.If they managed to live there too, they would surely bump into the mysterious magnate.The thought sent a thrill through Cheryl, her excitement plain for all to see.Wasyl caught on to the same idea and locked eyes with Cheryl; both their faces lit up with anticipation.To live there would mean rubbing elbows with the mysterious billionaire!Liam caught the drift of their thoughts in an instant, a knowing smile playing on his lips. He chimed in, "What's this? You two are hankering for the billionaire's digits?"At his words, Wasyl and Cheryl's expressions soured.Cheryl, with a sneer, shot back, "Liam, nobody would mistake you fo
Liam saw Sunniva was up and wasted no time, saying. "Ms. Bristow, we've got gang trouble at the hotel. It's not safe. We're bailing to a new place," he said.Without skipping a beat, Liam and Sunniva were out of there, speeding off to another hotel in the car.Little did they know, as soon as they left, a convoy of black SUVs pulled up ominously at the hotel's grand entrance.The streets surrounding the hotel suddenly buzzed with the arrival of several new cars. Their occupants spilled out, pacing the perimeter with a clear intent to surveil.From the lineup of rugged SUVs at the hotel's entrance, a squad of men clad in black, brandishing weapons burst forth. They stormed the hotel, their presence ominous and unchallenged.The receptionists, staff, and patrons were petrified, cowering in corners, none daring to confront the intruders.The men made a beeline for Liam's last known location, only to find the room deserted.The ringleader cursed under his breath, "Damn it! He's slip
Each victim was marked with a triangle tattoo, a calling card that did not go unnoticed. Someone had snapped a picture of it before the hotel staff even showed up and had split.Liam passed the photo to Cirocco and Calum, and it hit them like a ton of bricks. Calum scrunched up his face and said, "Sir, this is Alpha's tag. They're big-time hitmen around Rasford City."They're known for their love of curved blades, and that triangle is their signature."Cirocco had been doing some digging too and came back with chilling news about Noel. "Sir, we got the why. Someone's put a three million dollar price tag on your head, right there on the hit list!""Moreover, the bounty was so colossal that it had all the shadowy players in Rasford City licking their chops. A coalition of forces was now banding together, plotting a takedown that had you in their crosshairs."Cirocco's face was a mask of ice as he spoke, and Calum's features were twisted in a scowl.Liam chuckled darkly, the quint
The new plan was a hit; every assassin in the room was on board.One of them, posing as a bellhop, stood at Liam's door, ready to knock.However, he never saw it coming. Before his knuckles could rap on the door, it burst open from the inside.Wham!The would-be knocker was sent flying, slamming into the corridor wall with a thunderous crash.The others barely had time to register what happened when Liam burst out, a quintuple-edged dagger in hand.He was a shadow among them, his blade a flash of silver that danced across their wrists, disarming them of their scimitars.In moments, the hallway was a cacophony of clattering blades and piercing screams that filled the hotel.The leader, clutching his bleeding wrist, stared at Liam in horror, leaning casually against the doorframe. Liam's dagger dripped crimson. He watched the fallen assassins with an unfeeling smirk."You think you can play assassins, skulking around in the dark?" Liam's voice dripped with scorn. With a casual f
Noel was a name that turned heads in Rasford City, especially since the Noel family ran a successful pharmaceutical business. In any place, those in the medicine game hold sway, and Noel was no stranger to the city's shadowy bigwigs. After all, nobody was immune to getting sick!Noel was quickly taken to the hospital for emergency care. Meanwhile, the assassin he had hired had pinpointed the hotel where Liam and Sunniva were hiding out.Sunniva was still visibly shaken when they reached the hotel. Too frightened to be alone, she could only gaze at Liam with watery eyes, silently pleading to stay in his room.Liam, left with little choice, let Sunniva take his room while he made do with the couch in the living room.After the night's earlier ordeal, combined with the alcohol and the drug slipped into her drink, Sunniva washed up and promptly fell asleep in Liam's bed.Liam, however, remained on the living room sofa, poring over the mysterious Arcane Manuscript.Out of nowhere,
"Thud!"Then, without missing a beat, Liam grabbed Noel by the throat and landed another punch on him. He struck him squarely on the chin, dislocating it and forcing a couple more of his teeth to fly out. "Ahhh!" Noel shrieked. His face was swelling up to twice its usual size, and he could not help letting out a cry of agony. Liam did not stop there, though. His fists rained down all over Noel without ceasing, his every punch striking where it hurt the most. "F*ck! You're going to pay for this!" Noel grunted. He would make this twat pay! What gave him the right to attack him? He was an heir of the great Noel bloodline, and he would make this cocky, self-righteous prat pay!Liam scoffed, then swung his fist and struck Noel squarely in his abdomen.Noel spat out a mouthful of blood, unable to utter another word from the sheer pain, but this did not stop Liam. The next moment, he grabbed Noel by the hair and bashed his head against the wall behind him.A sickening crunch alerted
The words had barely left her mouth when Noel lost his patience, swung Sunniva around and slapped her hard across the cheek. "D*mn it, you f*cking sl*t! What the f*ck are you shouting for? Let me tell you this—no one will come to save you, not even if you cry yourself hoarse!"The slap came so abruptly that Sunniva was momentarily stunned. Her cheek soon swelled up, and a bright red mark in the shape of Noel's palm began to take shape. Noel had hit her so hard that the back of her head struck the wall behind her, and all she could feel was an intense, throbbing pain that reverberated through her skull. Blood seeped out of the cut on the back of her head, and she could feel the warm liquid trickle down her neck. She suddenly felt strangely faint and stopped resisting. Noel seized the opportunity to strip her naked, grinning. "Ms. Bristow, I suggest you stop wasting your energy. You're mine tonight, and there's no running now!"He had long since heard of Sunniva's beauty, and he was
"Mr. Noel? What is the meaning of this?" Sunniva shrieked in alarm. Noel was wiping his face with a towel when she spoke, and upon hearing her voice, he slowly moved toward her. "Ms. Bristow, do I really need to spell this out for you? You're a gorgeous woman, and I admire you very much. There's nothing to be afraid of, darling. We're all adults here, so there's no need to be shy. I promise that I'll make this the most memorable night you've ever had. "Ms. Bristow, do you know how many women would die to be in your position? Women everywhere bend over backwards to keep me happy, and most of them are willing to please me just to get my business. If you still want this partnership, you better be a good girl and keep me satisfied. If not…"Noel trailed off, for at this point, he had already reached the bed and was just inches away from Sunniva. His flesh quivered with his every move, and he was so tall that he loomed over Sunniva's tiny body like a beast eyeing its prey. "You… you
Noel was not used to being rejected so outwardly. Sunniva's indifference infuriated him greatly. He scoffed, then brought his hand up to his nose and took a deep breath as if trying to catch a whiff of any scent that Sunniva had left on his skin. He sneered. "Ms. Bristow, it seems you are intent on challenging me?"Sunniva replied curtly, "So what if I am?""Very well then! You like to do things the hard way, eh? Let me make this clear—the moment you step out the door, the partnership will be called off! I will no longer do business with Bristow Group!"The audacity!With a smug grin, Noel cast Sunniva one last look before returning to his seat. He watched her coolly and made no move to stop her from leaving again, for he knew he had her cornered. Sunniva stood rooted to the spot, her brows furrowed in deep concentration. Noel knew he had Sunniva caught in a dead-end situation. He smirked and raised his glass to his lips. "How about this, Ms. Bristow? Just one last drink with
A glimmer of annoyance flashed through Noel's eyes, but he continued to reach toward Sunniva, grinning. "Ms. Bristow, I really, really admire you…"Sunniva froze. The next moment, she leaped to her feet, still holding her wine glass, and ducked out of Noel's reach. She replied, raising his glass in an attempt to disguise her nervousness, "Mr. Noel, I greatly admire your success as a businessman as well. Cheers to our partnership!"Noel's arm hovered in mid-air, looking awkward and forlorn as it dangled out of reach of its target. A strained silence fell over them. The tension lasted only a few minutes, though, because Noel soon regained his composure and drew his arm back. He clinked his glass against Sunniva's as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened. The two of them had been drinking for quite some time now, and Noel was growing more and more inebriated by the minute. He was a pale man, and so the alcohol gave him an unnatural flush that made him look as though he was