Nevaeh turned to glance at Lyle and added, "You better think long and hard about this, Lyle. You're a cop, and not one of Raidon's lap dogs. Are you sure you want to side with these corrupt troublemakers?"This infuriated Lyle greatly. He was already feeling incredibly humiliated at the hands of Raidon, but he had no way of letting his anger show, for fear of offending Raidon. This scrawny, nameless twat, on the other hand, he could bully for all he liked. He would not live down the humiliation of being threatened by a gawky adolescent like this!Lyle shot Liam a dirty look and scoffed. Then, ignoring Liam's warnings, he proceeded to handcuff Liam without another word. It was not until Liam was safely bound that Lyle finally said, sneering, "I'd very much like to see what you have going against me! What makes you think I'll be at your beck and call? What makes you think I'd get on my knees to beg you for mercy?" Then, he yanked Liam roughly and dragged him to the police car. Nevaeh
"Now, you will sit quietly and answer all my questions. Tell me, in detail, how you beat up the victim, Raidon Brin, and his men!" one of Lyle's partners settled into his seat, flipped open a notebook, and prepared to jot down Liam's confession.Liam snickered at this. He turned to the officer who had questioned him and asked, his tone frosty, "Is this how you cops do things around here? You just assume I was the one who attacked him first? Haven't you considered the possibility that I was provoked?"Lyle felt his blood boil at this. He leaped to his feet and snarled, "Liam Cole! You better give us all the information right now! We are the police, and we are trying to do our jobs here! This isn't a game!"You better come clean with the truth right now and apologize to Mr. Brin. You will be able to walk out of here a free man once you earn his forgiveness. If you do not, however, you will be charged with assault. You will spend a few nights in prison, and this will also go on your pe
Liam did not seem the slightest bit fazed. Instead, he glanced at the clock hanging on the wall and said coolly, "Officer Davis, two minutes have already passed."The more calm Liam behaved, the more Lyle's panic grew. For some reason, a bad feeling arose in his gut. Liam was but a civilian. What ordinary citizen could remain so calm despite being arrested?Lyle could not help but speculate about Liam's true identity. All of a sudden, one of his subordinates entered the room and murmured in his ear, "Captain Davis, Mr. Brin has been waiting outside for a long time now, and he's beginning to lose his patience. He wants you to hurry up."Lyle swallowed his fear and replied, sounding irritated, "Alright, alright, I know!"He pushed all his speculations aside and said to his partner, "Let's not waste any more time on him! Let him sign the papers!"His partner—the policeman who had attempted to interrogate Liam earlier—approached Liam with the interrogation notes and a drafted admiss
Lyle immediately plastered a smile on his face, bowing as low as he could go. "Of course, Captain Goggins. I shall leave this rascal in your hands. My men and I will leave you in peace now."With that, he hastily gathered up his things and dragged his whining partner out of the room.Kemuel settled himself into the chair and eyed Liam coldly. "You were the one who beat up Raidon?"Liam nodded calmly. He did not even attempt to hide it. "That's right. Guilty as charged."Kemuel scowled at this. He could not believe Liam's audacity—how dare he look so calm and unbothered as if he had done nothing wrong?"Very well then. Since you admit your guilt so outwardly, this simplifies everything," he said. Then, he shot his two subordinates a meaningful look. The two of them approached, preparing to take Liam with them.They had taken just two steps forward when Liam's aura crackled menacingly, holding them off. "You are Captain Goggins, aren't you? I was brought here by your men, and I wil
This made Liam sneer. "Well, in that case, I'd very much like to see what you have in store for me, Captain."Kemuel scowled at this. Liam's audacity made his blood boil, and he shot his subordinates a meaningful look. The two of them understood immediately. Then, swiftly, as if they had done this thousands of times before, they grabbed hold of Liam's arm from each side. One of them bound Liam's arms behind him, whilst the other prepared to break his wrists.Just as they were about to strike, Liam shifted his weight and sprung into the air without warning, leaping straight out from between their arms. With a somersault, he twisted around and grabbed hold of one of them by the wrists. Before the man could even realize what was happening, he found himself being flung across the room. With a deafening thump, he crashed into the opposite wall, then landed on the ground in a crumpled heap. He spat out a mouthful of blood.His partner was momentarily stunned. The next moment, he snapped o
Kemuel had assumed Liam was just an ordinary citizen who knew a thing or two about combat but did not expect to be facing such a competent opponent!He rubbed his chest where Liam's foot had struck him, sneering. "Well, well. I have to admit I underestimated you back there, you punk. Impressive for someone your age, but you'll have to be out of your mind to fight me. Sticks and stones won't break your bones, but what about a bullet?"With that, he drew out his pistol, pulled the safety, and aimed it straight at Liam, still smirking. "You assaulted my men and attempted to do the same to me. With the threat of imminent danger, I have the grounds to shoot you right on the spot!" Liam did not seem at all fazed by this, as though he was used to having guns being shoved in his face. There was not even the slightest flicker of fear on his face, and much to Kemuel's surprise, he slowly ambled toward him. "You want to shoot me? Go on then!"For some reason, the sight of Liam slowly making
Liam did not reply. Instead, he kept watching Kemuel with a gaze so intense he felt as if Liam was trying to see right through to the depths of his soul. It made him feel like he was being suffocated, bit by bit. Just as he thought he would combust from the intense heat of Liam's gaze, Liam finally spoke. "It does not matter who I am. You do not have the right to demand such information from me. You may stay here as long as you like, but if you wish to live, you better get out of my sight right now!"Then, he proceeded to dismantle Kemuel's pistol so swiftly that by the time Kemuel snapped out of his stupor, he was staring down at the deconstructed bits of his gun. Liam added curtly, "If you do not believe me, I invite you to try."Then, he placed his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. He looked so at ease it was as if he had come home from a stroll outside. He seemed determined to ignore Kemuel, who stared at him in utter disbelief. As stunned as Kemuel was, he dared not qu
His assistant explained nervously, "Mr. Brin, something terrible has happened. Mr. Mosier just phoned and said he wants you to be at the station within half an hour. He said that if you don't show up within half an hour, you can pack your things and get out…"A shudder went down Sergey's spine. His heart lurched into his throat, and he asked, sounding anxious, "Is that true? Is that really what Mr. Mosier said?""Yes, sir! You better come back quick, Mr. Brin. Mr. Mosier is probably already on his way!" his assistant replied, sounding equally skittish. "Alright. Send a car for me immediately." With that, he hung up, reached for his clothes, and began to hastily put them on. His mistress looked extremely miffed at being interrupted halfway, but she knew better than to question him. By the time Sergey tottered down the stairs, his assistant was already waiting for him at the gate. They got into the car and sped off toward the police station.Sergey wiped the sweat from his forehea
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