At first, when Celena heard Liam's knock, she wanted to rise to greet him, but her nerves had her limbs locked in place.By the time she managed to sit up, Liam had already entered. His tall silhouette filled the doorway, and Celena's heart raced, her cheeks burning as she shyly met his gaze.Liam, reeking of the day's celebrations, stood at the edge of the bed. He had been in high spirits, toasting with everyone on his wedding day, never turning down a drink.Despite the alcohol, he noticed the blush on Celena's face, his eyes softening with affection.Seeing her pink cheeks, Liam worried she might be sick. He quickly approached, touched her forehead, and asked with concern, "Celena, what's the matter? Your face is so red. Are you feeling alright?"Her whole body tensed, and she recoiled slightly, her blush deepening. She bit her lip gently and murmured so softly it was barely audible, "I... I'm okay..."Liam nodded, gave a reassuring hum, and fetched a glass of water from the n
Bathed in soft light, Celena was a vision in her black pajamas, her skin luminous, her cheeks flushed, each gesture radiating an irresistible charm.Liam could not help but gulp, then decisively took her hand, guiding her toward the bed.Without a word of protest, Celena let him lead her, arriving meekly at the bedside.Her heart raced as they drew closer. They had barely sat down when Celena abruptly stood up without waiting for Liam to speak.However, her nerves got the best of her, and she nearly took a tumble. Quick as a flash, Liam caught Celena in his arms, and they both collapsed onto the bed strewn with rose petals. Celena found herself sprawled across Liam in a compromising position, her mind reeling, her cheeks flaming red. "Liam, you... we..." she stammered, pushing feebly against his chest, trying to get up. However, her nerves betrayed her, and her attempts were futile. Liam, affected by her squirming, let out a low grunt, his breath quickening. Celena froze, too s
"Honey, don't stress about it. There's no rule that says we have to consummate our marriage tonight. Just relax and sleep."While he spoke, Liam adjusted the quilt over Celena, discreetly covering the tempting sight of her pajamas.Even the most honorable man, lying next to his wife and beholding her alluring form, could not help but entertain certain thoughts.Liam let out a silent sigh; his wife was irresistibly alluring, and it was pure agony."Ah!? Could it possibly be..."Was something amiss?Celena's delicate hands clutched the blanket tightly, half-hiding her face, leaving only her captivating eyes visible, watching Liam intently.Why did not Liam want her...Was she not beautiful enough, not desirable enough?As Liam closed his eyes once more, ready to drift off, Celena felt a sudden, inexplicable wave of hurt.Was their marriage just a matter of convenience because of Jovie?As the Commander-in-chief of Pendragon, he wielded enormous power and surely was not short o
By now, if Liam could still resist, he would not be a regular guy."Babe."With a soft call, Liam gently took Celena's arm, and with a swift move, he was on top...Soon, it was the following morning.Liam's internal clock was like clockwork. As he opened his eyes, he looked down to see Celena nestled in his arms, a soft smile gracing her lips.Celena was sleeping soundly, her face snuggled into Liam's chest like a contented kitten, rubbing gently, lost in a peaceful slumber.Watching Celena's enchanting face in sleep and her clingy gestures filled Liam with an overwhelming sense of joy.Just then, the phone on the nightstand buzzed to life.With a gentle motion, Liam slipped his arm away and checked the message. It was from Calum.[Sir, there's trouble in Athenapolis. The king calls for you urgently!]The message was brief, but it turned Liam's expression stern. Without a second thought, he sprang into action, quickly getting dressed and freshened up.In under three minutes,
Rumors had been swirling that Prince Faber was on his way back. "We can't just sit around and wait for doom...""Exactly, if Prince Faber even thinks about stripping you of your command, sir, we'll...""Enough!"Liam cut Albert off mid-sentence with a sharp rebuke, his voice icy, "What have I always taught you? Remember the uniform you wear and the duty it represents!"In an instant, a hush fell over the group, their heads bowed in shame, eyes fixed on their shoes.Taking a deep breath, Liam surveyed the few before him and added, "I don't want to hear such talk from you again."With that, he turned on his heel and climbed into the vehicle.Calum and the others exchanged glances, a silent understanding passing between them as they too, got into the remaining vehicles.Before long, they reached the military airfield at Drunham City garrison.They boarded the helicopter, and with a swift ascent, they were airborne, heading straight for Athenapolis.Liam sat with a grave look on
A chill flickered in Liam's gaze as he reminded them softly, "Remember what I said."Though it went against their pride, Calum and the others surrendered their weapons to the major general.Liam, too, relinquished his weapons, surrendering them to the major general. That included the military dagger he always carried and the ornate Green Dragon blade that hung at his waist—all of it was handed over. Only after everyone's arms were surrendered did the major general salute Liam once more. "Sir, your vehicle is ready. Please, board the car," he said with due formality. Liam followed the major general's gesture and saw the military sedan already waiting at the curb. His eyes narrowed, a frosty gaze sweeping over the car and then back to the major general before he strode toward the vehicle. "Sir." As Liam walked past, the major general called out, stopping him. He leaned in close and whispered, "Sir, Elder Norton instructed me to pass on a message: follow the king's instructions
As the man approached, he carried the unmistakable presence of someone who's long held power. Close on his heels was another man, similarly attired.The two emerged in succession, and Liam gave a respectful nod to the first man, addressing him as 'Your Majesty.'The man in black, his demeanor composed and a subtle smile playing on his lips, gestured slightly with his hand, "Stand, King Pendragon. You're now the most influential name in all of Biskeland."While they talked, the king moved toward the chessboard arranged in the center of the hall and signaled Liam to join him."We haven't played chess in ages. Let's have a match."Liam acknowledged with a small nod and advanced to sit across from the king, legs crossed.As the king took his seat, the man in the gray suit maintained a respectful distance, standing three paces behind him.That was the powerhouse of Biskeland, the mightiest force to be reckoned with! His true strength was a mystery, rumored to have exceeded even that
Liam chuckled at the king's words and cut to the chase, "So, what's your game plan, Your Majesty?"The king looked up at Liam with a booming laugh. "Hahaha, my boy, you haven't changed a bit—always in a rush. I haven't even laid out my whole plan..."Liam's eyes stayed glued to the chessboard, his expression serious as he watched the game unfold. "Your Majesty, we soldiers live to serve our country. We're not schooled in the art of politics. If you have a strategy, please lay it out for us. We're ready to follow your lead."The king's hand, poised with a black piece, hesitated—whether from Liam's words or the unfolding game, it was hard to tell. He spoke, "Given the current state of affairs, this move is quite the gamble, and I must say, quite unexpected!"Liam, it's been ages since our last game of chess. You've really sharpened your skills."The king paused, eyeing the chessboard before casually tossing his black pieces back into the box. "Enough, we'll leave it at that," he dec
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