The one in the lead, a towering figure with a bushy beard, was lugging a sack of cash. He shoved his way through the onlookers, marched up to Cheryl's office door, and kicked it wide open. He roared, "Ms. Cheryl Stone, Mr. Adams has a message for you: don't think you can do whatever you please just because you're rolling in dough. We're not for sale, especially not to a conniving woman like you. The boss of this operation is Ms. Celena Stone, and she's the only one we'll take orders from! You can kiss your dreams of bribing us to mess with Ms. Celena Stone goodbye!"With that, he tossed the bag of money at Cheryl's feet, where it landed with a thud. The group of factory workers glared at Cheryl and her staff with fury in their eyes, spat on the floor, and swaggered off.Cheryl and her family looked mortified, their anxiety fueled by the botched deal they had with Hayes.No sooner had the workers left than the company staff who was watching the spectacle burst into a frenzy of gossip
Cheryl didn't waste a second. She was already on the phone, sending someone to tail Celena and Hayes at the factory.At the factory, Hayes got the heads-up from Celena just thirty minutes before. He called a full stop to the day's work, ordering everyone to the front gates to roll out the red carpet for Celena.Hayes stood there with the management team and his secretary, all eager anticipation, as they waited for Celena to show.Celena battled through bus after bus to make it to the factory on time.Hayes caught sight of her from afar and plastered on his most ingratiating smile. He hustled over and bowed deeply before her. "Ms. Celena Stone, so glad you could make it! I'm truly sorry for any disrespect I showed you yesterday. Please, let's put it behind us. We're all ears for your guidance from here on out!"The workers behind her raised their voices together, "We're all in with you, Ms. Celena Stone!"Celena was taken aback. Hayes, who was so hard to deal with just yesterday,
Celena was no one's fool. The same man who looked at her with barely concealed contempt yesterday was now offering apologies with a bowed head. Without someone's intervention, such a sudden shift in attitude seemed impossible.And then there was last night. After waking from her sleep, she realized Liam slipped out secretly, which planted a seed of dread in her thoughts.Could it be that Liam's nocturnal escapade was to seek out Mr. Adams?Hayes's expression turned to stone when he heard her, momentarily caught off guard, but he quickly recovered, his smile returning as he hastily explained, "No, no one came to me! You're reading too much into it. I just had a change of heart. I realized Mr. Yafe Stone and his crew aren't exactly the best company. I figured I'd be better off throwing in my lot with you."Celena could read between the lines, but Hayes was holding back. However, she didn't press him, instead following him into the factory.Meanwhile, Cheryl made arrangements with a
Liam saw how his wife had to wake up early to take the bus every morning, and he felt sorry. He long planned to buy a car for Celena. It was just that too many things happened lately, so the plan kept getting postponed.When Liam carried Jovie into the big Mercedes-Benz showroom of the car dealership, the eight saleswomen were standing in a circle, chatting with each other. None of them noticed Liam.Liam did not either. He simply looked around with Jovie in his arms, and he took a fancy to a car. It would cost more than a hundred thousand dollars, which was not considered expensive.He walked around the car to take a look and was very happy with it. Just as he was about to open the door to give it a try, he suddenly heard a disdainful voice. "What are you doing? Who let you in? This is a very expensive car. How could you just try it as you wish? Can you afford to pay if you damage it?"Then, a young woman in a black uniform and heels walked over in an alluring manner. Her tone w
Liam looked at the saleswoman with a frosty gaze and asked icily, "What's your name?"The woman leaned against the car next to her, showcasing her curvy figure. She sneered and asked, "Since you want to know my name, I'll let you. I'm Linda Lawson. I've told you my name, so hurry and get out of here now. Don't dirty this place. The sight of poor losers like you just annoys me. You can't even afford to buy the car, yet you came to the window shop."Upon saying that, Linda straightened her body and returned to her seat, swaying her hips seductively as she walked off. She did not care at all that Liam had an incredibly frosty expression.After Liam brought Jovie out of the dealership, he made a call and gave some commands. Then, he looked down and gently comforted Jovie, "Don't be scared, Jovie. Let's go next door to have a look. Let's buy a pretty car for Mom, alright?"Jovie nodded her head. She hugged Liam tightly as she was frightened earlier.With Jovie in his arms, Liam walke
That was the reason that particular dealership was so successful. Regardless of the kind of cars their customers bought, they would give their customers a small ceremony and shower them with blessings.The commotion attracted the attention of the staff at the Mercedes-Benz dealership next door.The women, who were gossiping together earlier, craned their necks at the door and started discussing it."I wonder who's the lucky salesperson next door. A car is sold so early in the morning. Also, it looks like the customer paid in full.""Let me have a look. Look, guys! The customer is coming out!""He must be an heir of a wealthy family since he's able to buy the car on a whim. Gosh, why didn't he come to our dealership? It would have been great if I was the one who sold the car."At that moment, Linda casually came over, moving her hips as she walked. She followed everybody's gaze and saw the latest BMW 7 Series driving out of the dealership next door.Someone with a sharp eye saw L
At that moment, one of the saleswomen said softly, "Linda, you were the one who drove that man out earlier. Do you want to-"Her words made everyone turn to look at Linda. In an instant, Linda felt so embarrassed that she wanted to curl up into a ball and disappear.She looked at the brand-new BMW 7 Series, gritted her teeth, and cleared her throat. She straightened her uniform and quickly walked over to stop Liam, who was about to get into the car."Did you buy this car?"Liam wanted to pick Celena up with Jovie in the new car. After he was stopped by Linda, he frowned and looked at her while feeling upset. He asked in return, "Is that a problem with that?"Linda could not believe it at all. She immediately exclaimed, "That's impossible! I refuse to believe it! How could a loser in cheap clothes like you afford such an expensive car? Did you rent it instead?"Liam sneered and surveyed Linda. With a disdainful tone, he said, "Are you saying that this car is very expensive?"Lind
Liam glanced at his watch, smiled a little, and said, "No need. It's almost time.""It's almost time?" Amos was dazed and confused. He did not understand what Liam meant at all.Right as Amos was still trying to wrap his head around it, more than ten Mercedes-Benzes arrived at the dealership. They formed a line from the entrance to the end of the streets.Then, the doors opened, and out came dozens of men in black suits. They were all waiting respectfully for the person in the Lincoln that was at the forefront.Apart from Liam, everybody was stunned by the situation.The staff of the Mercedes-Benz dealership even fought with each other to rush forward. Respect and delight were written all over their faces.It seemed like a huge customer arrived.The manager of the Mercedes-Benz dealership rushed out in such a hurry that he knocked over a chair in his path.Suddenly, there were men in black suits standing in an orderly fashion in front of all the car dealerships along the entire
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
"Thank you, Uncle Leonardo." With that, Liam and Cirocco left the manor. They returned to the hotel to meet up with Calum and Sunniva. Liam and Cirocco were waiting in the hotel's presidential suite, going over their plans for the upcoming days, when Calum burst in, looking flustered. Liam was the first to notice how strangely nervous Calum seemed. "What's wrong? Did something happen?"Calum explained hastily, "Sir, Ms. Bristow was just taken away by a group of locals. She claimed that they were the businessmen we were here to meet. Since you weren't back yet, she decided to go meet them herself. She wants me to inform you that they have gone to the Saint Louisiana Hotel and that you can meet them there."Liam furrowed his brows at this. Calum asked, "Sir, are you going to check on them?"Liam considered this a moment, then grabbed his phone and stood up. "I think I should. You and Cirocco should stay here and go over our plans. I'll pop by the Saint Louisiana Hotel. If Jeffre
"Unfortunately, I cannot reveal to you the identities of the remaining five yet, but don't you worry—when the time comes, you will find out soon enough."Just remember, Liam, you are not alone! No matter what happens, the six of us will be here to help you the best we can!" Leonardo said, squeezing Liam's shoulder in reassurance. His expression was solemn, but there was a spark in his eyes. Liam was even more stunned to hear this. What was going on? Had his grandfather planned this for over twenty years ago? Did he somehow know that Liam would come searching for him?"Uncle Leonardo, what's going on here? Is Grandpa still alive?" Liam asked nervously.Leonardo's face fell, and he shook his head gravely. "Truth be told, I am just as confused as you are. I've been trying to track your grandfather down for years, but the last I heard, he was still being kept on Wraith Island. I haven't heard any news about him since, but I refuse to believe your grandfather would die on Wraith Island