Yafe and Reginald were not the only ones who were confused. Cheryl and all the other members of the Stone family, as well as the senior executives of the companies, could not figure it out as well. Why did Mr. Johnston and the others want to work with them?Mr. Johnston burst out laughing upon hearing their questions as if he expected that they would ask him that.He said to the crowd, "I knew you would ask. Mr. Reath has given me a message before he asked us to come.""What is it?" Reginald asked impatiently."Mr. Reath said it's out of respect for Mr. Liam Cole that he's doing all this. So, everybody, your so-called loser is your savior. Please treat him well."Mr. Johnston was about to leave with the others after he said that.The Stone family was stunned once they heard Mr. Johnston's remark. They were completely shocked.Never in a million years would they expect that Kolten was only helping them because of Liam. They did not expect that the loser, Liam, would have such inf
Echoing Yafe, Cheryl said, "Dad's right, Grandpa. We don't know what kind of relationship Liam has with Kolten. I feel we should ask and find out."The delight on Reginald's face faded a little upon hearing that. Then, he nodded and agreed, "You guys are right. We should ask. Cheryl, prepare some gifts and follow me to the hospital to visit Celena. We'll ask her and find out what's going on."Cheryl quickly walked forward to stop Reginald and said, "Grandpa, how can we make you go all the way there to visit Celena? Leave this to my father and me. Don't worry. We'll find out about everything and come back to tell you about it."Reginald thought she made sense upon hearing that. He was the head of the Stone family. How could he personally visit a younger member like Celena?"Alright, I'll leave this to both of you. You have to clarify Liam and Kolten's relationship. It seems Liam has many things that he's hiding from us."Cheryl and Yafe looked at each other and nodded. They quickly
Yafe looked at Celena seriously and asked, "It's true. Those bosses from the dozen companies came because of Liam. Celena, be honest with me, you've known it a long time that Liam knows Kolten, haven't you? Gosh, why didn't you tell us earlier?"Yafe's words were mind-blowing for Celena.Liam had a relationship with Kolten? How could that be possible? Was Kolten not the richest man in Drunham City? Liam just returned to the city not long ago. He was just a man who left the army. How could he possibly know Kolten?What was unbelievable was that Kolten would ignore the Hughes family's intentions and help the Stone family for Liam. By doing so, he would be openly going against the Hughes family Who the hell was Liam? How could Liam have such a great honor?The fact that Malcolm helped Liam earlier could be explained away as he was just giving special treatment to people who were discharged from the army. However, what did the richest man in Drunham City have to do with Liam?Cele
Yafe still could not figure out what type of relationship Liam and Kolten had. Seeing the way Shrah acted, he could not help but roll his eyes at her and barked, "What are you doing? You're an adult! Why are you still fighting with a child?"Sherah sneered, shot a fierce glare at Celena and Jovie, and said nothing else.The room was very quiet for the next few minutes. Everyone was sitting in their corner, not talking to each other.Ten minutes later, Liam returned with fruits and tea in his hands. As soon as he entered, he saw that many people were sitting in the room, staring at him with different expressions. Celena was the first to rush to him. She looked right at Liam seriously and asked, "Liam, is there something that you're hiding from me?"Liam's heart skipped a beat when he heard that, but he did not let it show on his face. He smiled calmly and asked, "Hmm? Why would you ask that? What could I be hiding from you?"Celena got a little anxious. Tears immediately welled u
Yafe's expression changed at the speed of lightning. He was all smiles and gentle earlier, but that was replaced by a frosty look. He glared at Celena and Liam and said in an icy tone, "Your grandpa asked us to come and clarify Liam's relationship with Mr. Reath. Since we already got our answer, we'll be making a move now."Yafe left the room without any hesitation while Cheryl followed closely behind him.Before Sherah left the room, she turned to sneer at Liam and said, "Liam, don't think you're safe just because you were lucky enough to resolve the business partnership issue for the company. Don't you forget that Captain Hughes' induction dinner will be happening in three days? If you get the Stone family into trouble then, we won't spare you!"Liam was opening up the box of fruits. Without even looking up, he replied calmly, "The Stone family won't get involved. I'll take care of it."Sherah sneered before turning around and left the room.Once again, peace was restored in t
Everyone in the meeting room was surprised to see what happened, and they started to feel nervous.Eaden did not sit at the head of the table, but he stood next to it with respect instead? Could that mean that a big shot who was even more powerful than Eaden would appear later?Right as everyone was nervously making guesses, Calum opened the meeting room door and walked in with a frosty air around him.As soon as set foot in the meeting room, he exuded all of the formidable might he had on the battlefield. He gave all the others such a fright that everyone kept quiet. They were all trembling, not daring to even make a tiny bit of sound. Everyone was shocked and scared when they looked at Calum. He had such a formidable bearing that they were terrified.Calum walked over to Eaden's side and scanned the room with a frosty gaze. He did not sit at the head of the table either. Instead, he stood on the other side of the seat like Eaden.In an icy tone, he said, "I am Calum Chanter. Y
Those soldiers looked fierce and serious. Oh goodness!The thought struck the middle-aged man like lightning, draining the color from his face. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his knees shook uncontrollably.Then, his legs buckled, and he crashed to the floor, a yellow stain spreading beneath him—a clear sign of his terror.He was just a regular businessman, unaccustomed to staring down the barrel of a gun, let alone dozens.As he hit the deck, the others in the meeting room caught a glimpse of the scene outside and froze, panic seizing them. Those who thought to leave with the businessman were then rooted to the spot, too scared to budge.In that tense standoff, Calum's voice cut through the silence, composed as a cucumber: "Gentlemen, why don't you take a seat and let's continue, shall we?"His words had them scurrying back to their chairs in an instant, and the door to the conference room shut with a decisive click.Silence reigned. No one dared to raise their voice against
Calum surveyed the stunned faces before him and spoke with a calm detachment, "The Hughes family hasn't crossed me, but they've crossed my boss."It hit them like a thunderclap on a clear day, shattering any last hope they clung to.The Hughes family crossed Calum's boss?His boss, no less!!Sure, having a soldier on guard duty was one thing, but Calum there could be a General, at the very least a brigadier. And his boss had to be a Lieutenant General at minimum.A Lieutenant General!?The revelation that the Hughes family offended a Lieutenant General left everyone shell-shocked, struggling to grasp the magnitude of their situation.A Lieutenant General was no small fry, even Malcolm was a big deal to them. However, a Lieutenant General? It was on another level.The Hughes family stepped in it that time—how on earth did they tick off someone so powerful?The whole thing was downright terrifying.In the thick of the tension, a voice cut through the silence. " Mr. Calum Chante
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