Cheryl shot Celena a bitter look before she unwillingly trailed after Reginald and the rest.Before long, the crowd had cleared out, leaving Celena by herself in the grand hall. Her nerves finally eased. She exhaled deeply and shuffled back to her little courtyard, exhausted.The moment she stepped inside, she caught sight of Liam and Jovie roughhousing on the couch, Jovie perched on Liam's neck, laughing with pure joy. The tender scene of father and daughter together touched Celena deeply.Celena knew exactly how she felt about Liam. It was not so much love as it was gratitude. She was thankful for their sweet daughter, Jovie, and for Liam being her beacon of hope when she was at her lowest.However, it was not the deep, passionate love of fairy tales. It was simply gratitude.With a firm tone, Celena looked Liam in the eyes and asked, "Liam, did you arrange for Mr. Fabish to bring Samara to the office to apologize to me? Was that what you're doing?"Liam's face was a mask of co
"We've got to come up with a solid plan. There's no way we're letting Celena keep that smug look on her face!" Celena and Wasyl exchanged a look, their faces dark with malice. Wasyl's mirthless chuckle cut through the tension, hinting he had something up his sleeve.Cheryl leaned in, eager. "Wasyl, you've got a plan, don't you? Spill it!" "Remember the Hughes family from Roselle City?" Wasyl's smirk was laced with slyness, almost as if he could already see Liam's downfall. Cheryl went pale at the mention. "The Hughes... you mean that Hughes family?" Wasyl nodded. "Liam ruined your engagement party with Patrick, and he even landed Hughes' eldest in the hospital. The Hughes have been quiet, but word is their heir's been itching for payback." Wasyl's expression soured as he spoke of Cheryl's past engagement. She was his girl, and with their families eyeing a union, it stung to think she had once been set to marry another guy. Sure, they all played it calm with their modern ways
Wasyl's smile was cryptic as he revealed, "That's old news. He's a senior captain now, in charge of a thousand soldiers. His standing in Northern Biskeland is quite significant. There's a buzz that he's on track to become a general before he hits thirty."Cheryl gasped, her eyes lighting up with glee as she blurted out, "Are you saying Trevyn's back in town to take Liam down and settle the score for Patrick?""Yep, that's part of it. He's also here to celebrate Mr. Hughes's big birthday bash! And sure, Liam might get some perks for serving in the war zone, but does he really stand a chance against Trevyn, the big shot in Northern Biskeland?"Wasyl could not help but feel a rush of satisfaction at the thought of Liam, that washed-up loser, going head-to-head with Trevyn. Liam's cockiness was nothing compared to the clout of the Hughes family's second son, the senior captain in Northern Biskeland.Cheryl grinned wickedly. "I'm just dying to see Liam get what's coming to him when he f
Liam darted forward with lightning speed, kicking the bodyguard's chest and sending him flying back several meters. The man slammed into a display window with a thud, blood spilling from his mouth as his eyes rolled back. He slumped to the ground, unconscious, amidst the shards of broken glass. The once noisy mall fell eerily silent, the crowd of eager onlookers stunned into stillness. People who had snapped out of their shock started snapping pictures with their phones, capturing the fallen bodyguard and Liam as he scooped Jovie into his arms. Liam cradled Jovie, examining the bump on her forehead with concern. He brushed her hair back and tenderly blew on the bruise, his whole being exuding a fierce protectiveness that seemed to chill the air. Jovie clung to Liam, her sobs breaking through the quiet, "Daddy, it hurts... Daddy, it hurts right here..." Liam's voice was soft but filled with pain as he comforted her, "Daddy's here, sweetheart. Daddy's got you. It'll stop hurtin
The team leader eyed Liam with a menacing look. "Sir, I'm going to need you to move aside now! If not, we're going to have to get physical!"No sooner had he spoken than two towering bodyguards stepped up, brandishing their stun guns with a threatening air, their eyes locked on Liam.The bodyguards' aggressive move sparked outrage among the mall's shoppers. They began pointing and shouting at the bodyguards and the sunglass-clad celebrity at the center of it all."This is outrageous! What kind of celebrity acts like this? Her bodyguards injured a little kid and didn't even apologize, and now they're getting all aggressive and making threats?""Exactly! It's like there's no law anymore. Look at the bump on that poor child's forehead, and they don't even care. I can't believe anyone actually likes these people!""They're just bullies with connections. You can tell a lot about someone by the company they keep. And that woman in the middle, looking all annoyed like we're in her way, a
A few of the most worked-up fans pushed their way to the front, hurling insults at the onlookers."What's with you people? Stop dragging our Barbie's name through the mud. She's innocent!""Yeah, you're just a bunch of jealous hags who can't stand how gorgeous and sweet-voiced our Barbie is. You're trying to tarnish her reputation on purpose! Why don't you old, ugly witches just stay home and spare us the sight of you?""Seriously, these haters are the worst, spewing their venom because they can't handle how amazing Barbie is. It's sickening how they try to drag her down!"As the fanatical fans' tirades escalated, more and more of them confronted the mall-goers, the clash intensifying by the minute. Barbie sensed the chaos spiraling out of control. She shoved a bodyguard aside and jabbed a finger at Liam, her voice sharp with fury."Move it! I've got a grand opening to attend. Be smart and step aside, now!"Liam stood his ground, unfazed by Barbie's demand. As the shouting match
"Hey, look at this dude. He did not keep an eye on his kid, letting her run wild in the mall. The kid takes a tumble, and he's got the nerve to blame our Barbie!""What a lowlife, exploiting Barbie's star power to grab some limelight for himself. Totally revolting!"The rants of those unhinged fans left onlookers dumbfounded and filled Liam with revulsion. Confronted with those zealots who would not spare a thought of their own, he was a mix of sickened and seething.They took their idol's words as gospel, ignoring any sense of right or wrong, just mindlessly adoring, never pausing to consider the fallout from their rash words and deeds.However, the real culprits were the idols themselves, flush with resources and clout, wielding their societal sway. Instead of fostering a positive image and contributing to the greater good, they rode the wave of their fanbase, acting like they ruled the world, online and off, doing as they pleased.Celebs like Barbie, who ran wild on the strengt
The manager was sweating bullets on the inside. Barbie was a well-known diva in the industry, a real piece of work. It was just some overeager fan causing a scene, and the security could easily handle it. Yet there he was, summoned to deal with it personally.However, Liam did not just walk away as the manager had expected. Instead, he posed a question."You're the manager of this place?"The manager spun around, baffled, and eyed Liam with a mix of surprise and confusion. "Yeah, I run this mall. What's it to you?""Well, since you're in charge, here's the deal: your mall is done working with her. No more events, no more collabs, nothing with this lady, got it?"The crowd gasped. The guy was talking like he owned the place!The manager was taken aback and then sneered at Liam with a mix of amusement and scorn. "Are you for real? You think you're some big shot who can just cancel deals with Ms. Barbie Yack? Who do you think you are, acting like you own the joint?"Barbie hersel
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