"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
"So he's the one who bought the priciest King Mansion. What's he doing back here today?""Come on, it's clear as day. He's here to buy another house. Who just hangs out at a sales office for fun?"The murmurs in the room grew louder. A few of the sales associates who had seen Liam before quickly went to notify Benjamin.Cheryl and Wasyl, who had been eavesdropping on the buzz and chuckling to themselves, suddenly stiffened, their faces a picture of disbelief as they stared at Liam.Cheryl, in particular, looked utterly astounded, her voice shaking as she asked, "Liam, did you... did you really buy King Mansion?"Liam was the picture of calm. He casually fished out a set of keys from his pocket, gave them a twirl on his fingertip, and asked with a grin, "What's the matter? Don't believe me? How about I take you there to see for yourselves?"Cheryl's jaw dropped as he smoothly produced the keys.How on earth?How could Liam, a down-on-his-luck former foot soldier, possibly afford
The Solomons were big shots in Drunham City, real estate moguls with their fingers in every pie, just like the fancy villas at Emerald Lake showed.Wasyl had been itching to rub elbows with the Solomons for ages but never got the shot.Sure, the Abbotts were not quite in the Solomon league, but they were not nobodies either. Wasyl was sure that once he dropped his name, Benjamin would recognize him.However, what he had not counted on was...Benjamin barely glanced at the outstretched hand before him, his eyes icy as he frowned and dismissed the gesture. "The heir to Abbott Group? Sorry, it doesn't ring a bell. I'm in the middle of hosting a VIP. If you're looking to buy, feel free to ask any of our staff your questions."With that, Benjamin brushed off Wasyl without a second thought.He then swiftly turned back to Liam, his face transforming into a picture of reverence. With a welcoming wave, he ushered Liam forward. "Mr. Cole, please, let's make ourselves comfortable in the VIP
As if!"Benjamin's not just anybody. Who could possibly get him to play along in their little drama and bow to them?"Wasyl's thoughts were a tangled mess. He caught the murmurs of the crowd in the sales office, and his expression soured. Then, he stormed out of the lobby.Cheryl, feeling wronged and on the verge of defending herself, was cut off as Wasyl walked away.She shot a look toward the lounge, then at Wasyl's back, huffed in irritation, and chased after him.Once they were back in the car, Wasyl still looked terrible, his face a mix of shock and disbelief.Cheryl, frowning, seemed lost in thought.Finally, Wasyl broke the silence. "This won't do. We need to dig into this Liam situation."Cheryl quickly agreed, "Absolutely, there's something fishy about Liam. We've got to get to the bottom of it. I need to rush back and fill in my dad and grandpa. This whole thing is just too bizarre."Wasyl's head was spinning with thoughts as he nodded and drove back to the Stones' p
She was determined to have Celena secure three of the finest villas at Emerald Lake, one for herself, one for Cheryl, and another for Qemal.That way, the entire family would settle into the lap of luxury in Drunham City's most prestigious villa community.Yafe shot her a piercing look, his thoughts suddenly crystal clear, and he said with an icy edge, "It all makes sense now. Celena's bold talk about ditching the Stone family... she knew something."That mansion, ringing in at a cool 150 million, outvalued the entire Stone fortune!Hayden inhaled sharply, "Dad, something's way off here. Liam's been down and out. Where'd he get that kind of cash?""We've got to dig into this, figure out the real story," Walter chimed in, nodding vigorously.Out of nowhere, a voice cut through the buzz of The Stone family, "What if Liam's mansion money is the old Cole family fortune?""That's got to be it! Why else would he show up here as a son-in-law if he wasn't hiding something bigger?""Tha
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