The rest of the crowd was petrified, huddled in the shadows, too scared to even breathe too loudly lest they draw Liam's wrath upon themselves.However, Billie was not like the rest. Even from her hiding spot, she was on her phone, her voice shrill with panic as she called her dad."Dad, please! You've got to come now! He's going to kill me! Dad, hurry!"Billie's body shook with fear, her excess weight jiggling as she watched Samara lying motionless on the floor. Her eyes locked on Liam, terror-stricken, as she tried to bury herself further into the crowd.The group, trembling in the corner, watched as Billie frantically tried to blend in with them while Liam, radiating deadly intent, advanced on them. The primal urge to survive kicked in and the person beside Billie shoved her away, hurling insults."Ah! Billie, stay away, don't you dare get me killed!""Damn, Billie, move it and get out of here! Leave us out of it! Liam, it's Billie and Samara who messed with Celena, not us!"
"Billie!""Dad... Dad, you're here at last. I'm so scared, it hurts so much… Dad, please help me, I'm terrified!"Billie was sprawled on the floor, tears streaming down her face. When she caught sight of Quim, her sobs grew louder, filled with the same desperate hope a traveler in the desert feels upon finding an oasis. She pleaded with him, her voice thick with the hope of survival.Quim's heart twisted at the sight of his daughter, so battered and bruised. A red-hot anger flared within him, making him want to tear Liam apart. That fool Liam hurt his little girl, his treasure, whom he had always handled with the utmost care. His blood boiled at the thought.He was a man of stature. His peers greeted him with nods and respect. Then, Liam had the gall to strike his daughter, to strike at his very honor!Quim's eyes blazed with fury as he locked his gaze on Liam, who stood smugly in the center of the room. "Bring it on! Show this punk what happens when you mess with my daughter!" he
Out of nowhere, the suited enforcers stepped aside, clearing a path. Eaden walked through, calm as a cucumber, stopping at the private room's entrance. He gave Quim a look that could kill, the dark threat in his eyes unmistakable. He said in an even tone, "Quim, you think you can just waltz into Drunham City and turn it on its head? Who do you think you are, going after Mr. Cole like that? You want to throw down, you gotta get past me, Eaden, first!" His words were calm. However, they carried a force that swept through the room like a tidal wave.Eaden's entrance made Quim's face fall.They sent a clear threat that Quim could not ignore. His eyes blazed with anger and a fierce fire as he snapped, "Mr. Wafer, that punk hurt my daughter and killed some of my men! There's no way I'm letting him off the hook today. I don't care what he means to you. Today, I'm dealing with him! Don't think your presence here changes anything, Mr. Wafer. Even if the king himself showed up, I'd make him
Especially after Liam pulled off that jaw-dropping hit on the Walker family that had the whole city talking.Then, Quim's got the nerve to step up to Liam, like he got a death wish or something, itching for an early grave!Then Eaden, with a chill in his eyes, gave Quim a look that could freeze fire. He sneered at Quim's cocky stance, thinking he could take on Liam like he was just some regular Joe."Quim, since we're all Drunham City folks, I'll throw you a bone. Tell your crew to drop their guns, and you better square things with Mr. Cole. Don't put up a pointless fight. To Mr. Cole, we're all just ants under his shoe!"Hearing that, Quim's face turned stormy, veins popping on his forehead. He roared at Eaden, "Don't think I'm soft just because I show you respect, Mr. Wafer! I've been around, and I don't scare easy! I've made up my mind about the kid, and if you're set on shielding him, then let's see if you can keep him safe!"Quim barked orders at his men, "Get the members on
Quim was in full-blown panic mode.He shot Eaden with a look filled with suspicion and confusion. "Was it you?""Did you conspire with Howard against me?"It was not just a question, Quim was convinced of it.The timing was too perfect.Eaden just chuckled at Quim's accusation and shot back, "Still thinking of taking down Mr. Cole, are you?""You really don't get it, do you? I couldn't possibly pull strings with Mr. Mosier. This was all Mr. Cole's idea."That revelation hit Quim like a ton of bricks. It was him! He spun around to see Liam, then lounging on the couch, leisurely enjoying his wine. Before him, Samara, Yanely, and the others stood in line, bowing deeply, their faces ashen and bodies shaking, too scared to even lift their heads.They were petrified, regretting why they ever agreed to come to tonight's party with Samara, why they had taken part in shaming Celena.They had never seen anything like that before. They thought they were just going to a party to give Cele
"Quim, you've got some guts, attacking someone right under my nose!"Howard stormed into the room, livid, and marched straight up to Quim, delivering a stinging slap to his face. Still seething, he swung back his hand and landed another slap on the other cheek.Those slaps knocked Quim for a loop!He was seething inside but did not dare fight back; not even a single word of defiance passed his lips.After giving Quim a piece of his mind, Howard strode over to Liam with a swift pace that caught everyone's attention. He bowed with deep respect and reported, "Mr. Cole, I'm here as ordered. We've shut down Quim's operations, and everyone involved is in custody!" Howard shot Quim a warning look before asking, "Any other orders? I'm on it." Quim, who had been ready to go down fighting, suddenly felt his knees buckle. He collapsed to the ground, his face a mask of terror and hopelessness. It was all over for him. Quim was seized by a terror so profound it felt like the sky itself wa
Ignoring her wounds, Billie crawled over to Liam, apologizing just as fervently as Quim while spilling all of Samara's dirty secrets."Mr. Cole! I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have let myself be swayed, to go along with them in tormenting your wife! Please, spare my dad and me! I was wrong to underestimate you and wrong to harm Celena! It was all Samara's doing, she's the one who brought us here, and told us to pick on your wife! She was about to rip off Celena's clothes just now... to throw..."Liam's eyes turned to ice, his piercing gaze fixed on Billie as he asked in a chilling tone, "Rip off the clothes... and throw what?""Samara vowed to strip Celena bare and toss her out for all to see, to reveal the famed beauty of Drunham City! Mr. Cole, it was all Samara's doing!" True friends, huh? Those were only true when it did not cost them anything. However, Billie, desperate for a lifeline, threw Samara under the bus!Already roughed up by Liam, Samara quivered on the floor. Billie's
Tucker's nerves were shot, his heart pounding against his chest. Unlike Quim, he knew when he was out of his depth. He had walked in with his head low, ready to show just how much he understood his place.Tucker marched up to Liam, bowed deeply with a look of utmost respect, and pleaded earnestly, "Mr. Cole, I've come to understand the situation, and it's clear my daughter has blundered. If you feel you must discipline her, I won't stand in your way. All I ask is that you spare her life. I won't cover for her mistakes. If it takes everything the Fabish family has to make it right with Ms. Stone, so be it. Please, just let her live."With each word, Tucker's tears streamed down his face as he begged for forgiveness.Samara, witnessing her father's deep bow and heartfelt apology to save her, was overwhelmed with tears and remorse, sobbing uncontrollably."Daddy... I'm so sorry... I was wrong to be so headstrong... I realize my mistake..."Liam observed the touching scene with a stee
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