Maverick was scheduled to arrive in Drunham City in three days, but when he got the call from the Green Dragon Warriors saying Liam wanted a meeting, he changed his plans.He dropped everything, hopped on his private jet, and touched down in Drunham City, checking into a swanky house.After dinner at six, Liam exchanged a few words with Celena before leaving the villa to meet Maverick at his place.Four armed-to-the-teeth bodyguards stood guard at the mansion's entrance. As Liam approached, they straightened up, bowed respectfully, and chorused, "Good evening, Mr. Cole!"Liam gave a curt nod and walked into the grand house, styled like something from a bygone era. Inside, more bodyguards in sharp black suits and earpieces scanned the area with eagle eyes."King Pendragon!"Liam had barely stepped through the gate when Maverick sprang to her feet and hurried out of the house, her face lit up with excitement and awe. He walked up to him and gave a deep bow, saying with utmost res
Liam wore a small, knowing smile and said, "Well, it's my wife.""Oh, right, right, King Pendragon's wife, I..." Maverick's words trailed off as something clicked in his head. He froze, eyes wide as saucers, and stammered out, "Wait, did you just say... your wife?"Maverick's jaw dropped in utter disbelief as Liam gave a subtle nod. "Oh my God, King Pendragon, you're married? This is huge! Wait, does that mean I get to work with your wife?"When did the wedding bells ring for you, King Pendragon? There wasn't even a whisper about it. You know, if word got out, there'd be a whole parade of folks from our country lining up to celebrate with you!"And who's the lucky lady? She must be something special to catch your eye. Princess Ana from our neck of the woods has had the biggest crush on you since day one. She's gonna be crushed knowing you're off the market!"Oh shoot, where are my manners? Congratulations, King Pendragon! I'm sending all the good vibes for you and your wife to hav
In no time at all, they pulled up in front of a sleek commercial high-rise. Gazing up at the imposing building, Celena had a hunch about what was coming, though neither was completely sure.Liam found a parking spot and led Celena upstairs without delay. He ushered her into a vast, empty office space and, with a wave of his hand, announced, "Honey, this is the spot for our new company's headquarters."He then gestured to a particular office and added, "And that one's yours."Celena's eyes widened in astonishment as she took in the deserted office area and the room Liam was pointing to. "Hubby, is this really our new company?" she asked, her voice tinged with wonder.With a grin, Liam nodded. "That's right, you're so sharp! You caught on immediately, but you haven't quite hit the mark."What?Was she wrong?A puzzled frown creased Celena's face as she peered at Liam, confused. "What do you mean?" she asked.Taking her hand gently, Liam led her further into the office space. He l
Cindy glanced at the crowd, then at the freshly arrived Celena, who just stepped out of the car. With a hint of hesitation in her voice, she whispered, "Ms. Stone, do you think we'll get to see Mr. Black? The whole town's been buzzing about it. Every big shot and blue blood in Drunham City has been lining up for a chance to meet him, but nobody's cracked it yet. What about us?"Cradling the documents she prepared, Celena eyed the throng gathered at the Sunflower Hotel's entrance. She was not sure what to expect either. Taking a deep breath, she offered Cindy a reassuring smile. "Cindy, don't worry about the rest. If we don't even have the guts to give it a shot, what's the point? Even if we strike out, at least we gave it our all."Cindy drew in a deep breath, her fists tightening as she steeled herself. "Got it! Ms. Stone, I'm on board."While they talked, Celena gave the papers and Cindy's gift box a once-over. Everything looked good. They then made their way to the hotel.Just t
Cindy glared at Cheryl, her eyes rolling so hard they could have touched the sky.Spoiled rich girls like Cheryl, prancing around like they're the queen of the world, were revolting!Cheryl and Yafe were both taken aback when they heard that, staring at Celena with shock written all over their faces. They blurted out together, "What are you talking about? Celena, you've got your own company?"Yafe caught on in a flash, his face twisting with rage as he glared daggers at Celena and hissed, "Well, look at you, Celena! That explains the new attitude, thinking you can just walk away from the Stone family. You've been busy setting up your gig, trying to poach our clients, right?"So, you're here to cozy up to Mr. Black for a deal too, I see. Pfft! Take a good look at yourself. You start a little company, and so what? For a major deal like this, who's going to gamble on a greenhorn outfit like yours?"Cheryl's face darkened as she fixed Celena with a piercing stare, her laughter sharp a
Cheryl was beside herself with rage, stamping her foot and pointing after Celena. "Dad, can you believe her? Celena's got some nerve, treating us with such disdain!"Yafe's face was a storm of emotions, his skin shifting from pale to red in his anger. He glared at Celena's back, his eyes burning with fury. After a moment of thought, he spoke with an icy edge, "That's enough! Remember, we're in public, and everything we do reflects on the Stone family. Let's focus on meeting with Mr. Black about the partnership. The rest can wait."As for Celena, let her try her luck. I'm curious to see who would risk partnering with a newbie, with a company that's barely off the ground, like some tiny backyard operation. She'll learn the hard way that it's not as easy as she thinks."Yafe's fist tightened as he spoke, his eyes narrowing into slits as he watched Celena's back with a malicious gaze. "I can't wait to see her fall flat on her face. She'll come crawling back to me eventually."Cheryl ca
Ever since Celena came back to the Stone family, she threw herself into the family business, tirelessly working her fingers to the bone. She always put the Stone family first, often at the expense of her relationship with Liam.Celena felt the sting of the Stone family's cold treatment, especially with Yafe and Cheryl's biting words still echoing in her ears, sparking a fire of anger within her. However, she knew better than to let her temper show, that would only egg them on. The best way to handle their kind was to simply ignore them.Seeing Cindy stand up for her, though, warmed Celena's heart. She could not help but smile at Cindy's feisty demeanor. "Let it go," Celena advised gently. "We're here to see Mr. Black about a potential partnership, not to get into a spat that could spoil his impression of us."Cindy's fury cooled a bit with Celena's words, and her eyes shone with even greater respect. She gazed at Celena with the wide-eyed admiration of a true fan. "Wow, Ms. Stone, y
With those words, Yafe and his entourage strutted past, slicing through the crowd like they owned the place, and handed their golden tickets to the bouncers.The bouncers barely glanced at the invites before stepping aside, ushering Yafe and the others through.The onlookers could not hide their envy as they watched the select few disappear inside.Cheryl soaked up the attention, standing at the doorway with her nose in the air, as regal and proud as any showy peacock.When grumbles rose from the crowd, questioning their right to enter, Cheryl did not miss a beat. "Why do we get to go in? Simple. We've got the golden invites, and you don't. Better luck next time," she taunted.With a final, defiant look at Celena, Cheryl spun on her heel and vanished into the hotel's embrace.Her words stung the crowd, leaving them simmering with resentment as they watched helplessly.Then Cheryl and Yafe were inside, living it up, while the rest could not even get past the front door.Cindy, f
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