"Sir, yes, sir!"The soldiers' roar echoed like a tempest over the garrison, a unified force ready to spring into action.In waves, they piled into Jeeps and trucks, rolling out toward the city's airport, ferry docks, bus and train stations, and every highway checkpoint.That colossal move did not just turn heads—it practically spun them. However, with the brass calling it a joint exercise, the buzz it stirred up didn't cause too much of a stir.The garrison troops were just the start. Under Howard's lead, the Drunham City police station's district offices kicked into gear, blanketing the city in a tight net of control.Theater of war, police station, anti-terror squad—three forces, one mission.In just twenty minutes, Drunham City's streets transformed into a fortress. Soldiers, policies, and elite anti-terror squads swarmed every checkpoint, scrutinizing each vehicle and pedestrian with eagle-eyed precision.A stone's throw away, the amusement park's mundane conference room un
Yevhen was a bundle of nerves!On the way over, he got wind of the news—a little girl was snatched from his park in broad daylight!Normally, he would have brushed it off and told folks to let the cops deal with a missing kid. However, not today.The whole of Drunham City's military, the police force, and the special forces were on the move!The city must be on lockdown, though they were calling it some kind of military drill. However, Yevhen knew better. Seeing the big shots in the meeting room, it all clicked.The girl who was taken? She was someone important. The guy standing before him? He was the kind of important person that made someone realize just how small they were.Liam's face was an icy mask, his brows knitted in anger as he towered over the cowering Yevhen. "Listen up, Yevhen, I'm in charge now. This park's closed until my daughter's found. And you're going to round up every last employee for questioning. Got it? Everyone!""Right away, right away," Yevhen stammere
"And who's pulling the strings?" Liam asked, his voice icy, as he processed the update. "We haven't pinned down the mastermind yet," Howard responded. Liam's anger boiled over. He stared out the window and bellowed, "Dig deeper! I don't care who's involved or what forces are at play! I want answers. Someone dared to target my daughter, and they're going to face the full force of my fury!"Meanwhile, in a desolate part of Drunham City's Western Precinct, a black van raced down a muddy, rutted track before screeching to a halt in front of a weed-choked shell of an unfinished building.Bang!The doors opened and two young men in black leaped out. They scanned the area with hawk-like vigilance, ensuring no threats lurked in the shadows. Only after a silent nod to each other did they proceed.One of them strode to the van's rear and yanked open the back door, hauling out Jovie, who was trussed up like a Thanksgiving turkey.Jovie writhed and wailed, her cheeks streaked with tears, as
The sound of the growl sent chills down Jovie's spine, and she whipped around. In the weak light filtering through the top of the door, she saw the hulking form of a wild dog. Heart pounding, she scrambled back until the cold wall stopped her retreat. With nowhere left to hide, she crouched down, hugging herself tightly, shaking uncontrollably as the wild dog inched closer.Jovie's eyes, wide and shimmering with tears, were locked on the stray dog inching closer. Panic surged through her as she sobbed, "Daddy, please... I need you to save me... Why aren't you here yet? Please, big dog, don't eat me. I'm not tasty at all..."The dog, oblivious to her pleas, halted just a couple of steps away. It let out a menacing growl before lunging at her, snarling viciously, its fangs gleaming and drool reeking as it sprayed from its jaws."Ah!!"Jovie's scream, sharp with terror, pierced the gloom of the tiny room.The hulking dog, jaws agape, launched itself at Jovie. Her screams, a mix of ag
Jovie's touch was soft and tender, and the stray dog seemed to relish every gentle stroke, wagging its head and giving Jovie's hand a grateful lick. It then snuggled up against her leg, letting out soft, contented whines.The ticklish sensation of the dog's tongue made Jovie forget her fears for a moment, and she burst into laughter. In the dim light, she noticed the dog's front leg was still bleeding. Without hesitation, she ripped a ribbon from her skirt, her small hands working with surprising care as she wrapped the wound."There you go, pup. Jovie's got you," she cooed, echoing her mother's lessons. "See, I can do it just like Mom showed me. Mom, Dad will come for us, I know it."Just then, the iron gate screeched open.Two brash young men, armed with steel pipes, strutted in, oozing cockiness.The dog, once lying quietly, sprang to its feet, positioning itself protectively in front of Jovie. Its eyes glowed a fierce red as it glared at the intruders, teeth bared in a menacin
The stray dog initially put up a fight, but with its front legs injured and a heavy chain around its neck, it had no choice but to try and dodge the relentless blows.The air in the dilapidated building was thick with the dog's agonized yelps and whimpers.Jovie, crouched in a corner, watched the dog being pummeled until it collapsed, whimpering pitifully with blood oozing from its mouth. She burst into tears and ran to the dog's side, throwing her arms around it. She tugged desperately at Yaromir's pant leg, pleading, "Please, stop! You're killing him, please, no more... he's dying..."Yaromir, already seething with anger, became even more irritated by Jovie's tearful begging. He kicked her hard in the stomach, sending her sprawling. Jovie lay there, curled up in pain, sobbing as she gazed at the beaten dog.Yaromir spat toward Jovie and snarled, "Disgusting! You damn brat, you think you can tell me what to do? Feeling sorry for a mangy mutt, huh? You've gotten attached pretty qui
He did not stop there. He delivered several more vicious stabs to the dog, which howled in pain and let go of Yaromir's arm before collapsing into a bloody heap, twitching. After freeing himself, Yaromir nursed his wounded arm and gave the dying dog a few spiteful kicks. Then, he bellowed at a young man nearby, "Damn, get me to a hospital, now!" Once they were gone, the door to the dimly lit room slammed shut again. Jovie, tears streaming down her face, scrambled to her feet and collapsed beside the dog. She wept as she watched the dog struggle for breath in a growing pool of blood. "Please, big doggie, don't die. Just hold on, my dad will come for us... You can't die, okay? He'll save us, and I'll treat you to your favorite food..." However, as Jovie clung to the dog, her words dissolved into sobs. The dog took its last breath and lay still. Jovie's cries turned into wails of despair as she lay over the dog, her heart silently pleading for her father's rescue. Meanwhile, Yar
Yaromir, seeing Jovie's attempt to escape, stalked over with a steel pipe in hand. His fingers tightened around the cold metal, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. With a look of brutality, he raised the pipe high, ready to bring it crashing down on Jovie's legs.Bang!In the moment Jovie thought her end had come, a gunshot pierced the silence, followed by Yaromir's agonized howl.A bullet had sliced through the air, striking Yaromir's arm that wielded the steel pipe, penetrating it and spraying blood in a gruesome arc."Ah! My hand!" Yaromir dropped the pipe, clutching his wounded arm, his screams filling the air.His eyes, wide with shock, darted to the building's exterior where a fleet of military Jeeps, patrol cars with their lights flashing, and even armored riot vehicles had assembled.In a heartbeat, a swarm of heavily armed officers, patrolmen, and riot specialists leaped from the vehicles, swiftly encircling the building. Their weapons were trained on Yaromir and his acco
Celena was utterly terrified by the sudden turn of events. She stared pale-faced at the soldiers around her, not daring to move even a muscle. What was going on?All of a sudden, a man in a uniform stepped into the room. The badge on his shoulder indicated to everyone that he was a general. The heavy thumping of his boots echoed through the silent room with every step he took. All eyes were on him as he stepped onto the stage.He carried himself with great authority, and clearly, this man was not one to be messed with. He scanned the room as if searching for someone. Finally, he announced in a deep, resounding voice, "Do not fear, ladies and gentlemen. We are here on a routine check after receiving a tip-off regarding your conference. We will release you all once we have carried out our investigation, and the process will be quicker and smoother if you all cooperate. "Now, I would kindly request you get your documentation ready so that my men may confirm your identity."Everyone
Derek nodded earnestly and replied, "Of course it's true. My sources have never failed me. I wouldn't have trusted you with this information if I didn't think you'd be interested."Celena stared at him for a moment, then turned to glance in the direction of the people he had pointed. She could not help but be tempted by the offer. She considered this for a few moments, then accepted his offer. "Alright then, Mr. Duncan. I'll go with you. Thank you for inviting me."The smile on Derek's face widened. He could hardly believe his luck—Celena had agreed to go with him! Taking that first step was always the hardest, but he had done it!Unbeknownst to Celena, Derek already knew her long before their first meeting at the conference. Her name was known far and wide in Drunham City, not least because of her beauty, but because of her—in the eyes of the public—tragic marriage. Celena had earned herself a reputation as one of the most beautiful women Drunham City had ever seen, and although
The attention they received, however, was large due to Celena and her young, handsome companion, who was a man named Derek Duncan. Their attractive looks, both individually and combined, were easily the topic of discussion that night. Everyone who laid eyes on them admired both their good looks and brains, for certainly only the cream of the crop were allowed to attend this prestigious event. What made this feat even more impressive was the fact that they were both so young!Aside from her beauty, Celena's name was already known far and wide in the business world, not just because of her strong leadership but due to her association with Liam and her company's connections with many international corporations. She had started her business from scratch, but within a few short months, she had single handedly built it up to become one of the top ten grossing companies in Drunham City.There were hundreds of people gathered there tonight, and their seats had been allocated according to t
The moment Clifford left, Kastor turned to Liam with a wide grin, all hint of his hostility now gone. "Mr. Cole, thank God I arrived just in time."He raised his brows as he said this, and Liam took this to mean he was trying to claim credit. Truth be told, he would have been able to handle things on his own even without Kastor's help, but he decided this was a detail Kastor did not need to know. Instead, he returned Kastor's smile graciously. Kastor, like a child, burst into laughter at this. No further words were exchanged, but they understood the message nonetheless.Jeffrey also grinned. "Kastor, what brings you here all of a sudden?"Kastor replied, "Ah, you might not know this, Mr. Stein, but I actually own this very restaurant that you're sitting in right now. One of my employees called me for help, citing that a brawl was about to break out, so I rushed over immediately. I had no idea it would turn out to be you and Mr. Cole!""Ah, what a pleasant surprise, then!" Jeffrey
Clifford scowled upon hearing this. He cracked his knuckles menacingly as he stared at Kastor through narrowed eyes.Kastor did not seem at all intimidated by this. Instead, he brushed past him and approached Liam, smiling. "Mr. Cole, I apologize for the delay. I rushed over as soon as I heard the news, but I was late anyway. I'm so sorry for the wait."Liam's expression eased up slightly. He tugged the corners of his mouth into a strained smile but did not reply. Clifford's expression turned even more sour when he sensed Kastor's tone. He asked sharply, "What is the meaning of this, Kastor? Are you intent on making me your enemy?"Clifford's reputation was known far and wide, and many feared him, but Kastor was not one of them. He shot Clifford a look of utmost disdain and replied, smirking, "Yes, Clifford, that's exactly what I'm going to do. So what if we will be enemies from now on? What are you going to do about it?"He was confident that Clifford would not dare to retaliate
One of the muscle-bound goons stowed his submachine gun and drew a hefty machete, nearly a foot long, from his side. He advanced on Liam with deliberate steps.Calum and Cirocco were poised for a fight, ready to jump in at Liam's command and wipe out the roomful of petty thugs.However, Liam had other plans. He remained seated, an unfazed smirk playing on his lips, watching the approaching thug with the machete.The thug, mistaking Liam's calm for fear, grinned viciously and raised his machete, aiming for Liam's arm.However, in a flash, the scene changed.A figure hurtled through the air, and with a resounding crash, the thug was sent flying into the wine rack. The rack toppled, bottles shattering, their contents spilling and perfuming the air with the scent of alcohol.The thug hit the ground, blood spurting from his mouth, his eyes wide with shock. He lay there, lifeless, staring at Liam, dead before he hit the floor.The room plunged into a deathly hush.Corie clapped a h
Corie was also shaken, her fists clenched tight under the table as she watched Liam with wide, fearful eyes, barely managing to whisper, "Liam!"Liam stood there, steady as ice, without a trace of fear. "Don't worry, I've got this," he assured.Corie, seeing Liam's calm dismissal of the threat and recalling his proven strength, felt her fear ebb away.She could not explain it, but she had an unwavering faith in Liam.Across from them, Clifford lounged back, his legs thrown carelessly over the table, his gaze dripping with disdain. "You don't know who you're messing with, do you?" he sneered. "Karpos works for me, Clifford. And yet, you've got the gall to attack my men in broad daylight? You're in over your head!"Jeffrey was about to chime in, but one look at Liam's icy demeanor and he thought better of it, choosing instead to watch the scene unfold in silence.He was curious to see just how Liam would handle that.Liam chuckled, a sound as cold as the winter wind, and fixed Cli
With that command, he strode into the restaurant."At once, my lord!"His men obediently echoed, herding Wilson and the others toward the private room where Liam and his party awaited.Karpos strutted ahead, his arrogance restored. Despite a hasty bandage job, his appearance was ragged.As Karpos led Clifford and his entourage into the restaurant, the owner and the servers shuddered in fear, their bodies quaking.Clifford shot the restaurant owner a frosty look that sent him scurrying over with a forced, fearful smile. "Lord Clifford, I had no idea you'd arrived. I'm so sorry for not greeting you at the door," he stammered out an apology.However, Clifford just gave him another icy stare and strode past, following Karpos up the stairs to the private room.The owner, too scared to utter another word, followed them up, his heart pounding.They reached the private room in no time. With a commanding gesture from Clifford, a dozen muscular men in combat gear stormed in.Liam and hi
How could someone from Biskeland throw away their pride like that, groveling for mercy? It was downright embarrassing. They were the ones who started it all, picking on her. Why should she be the one to grovel?The more Corie thought about it, the more her disdain for Wilson grew. "Wilson, if you're so eager to leave, then go. I'm not budging. This mess started with me, and I don't care how tough those guys are—I'm staying right here with Liam to face whatever comes," Corie declared, her voice icy. She grabbed a nearby chair and sat down with a defiant thud."Corie, you!" Wilson started, but she turned her head away, dismissing him with a cold shoulder that only served to stoke his anger. "Fine! Have it your way! However, you'll regret it when Clifford and his goons show up!" he snapped. With that, Wilson stormed out of the room, his entourage trailing behind him in a rush.Corie watched Wilson and his crew scatter like scared rabbits, and with a sneer of contempt, she spat out, "