Liam's words sent Thoth into a frenzy of fear. He stared at Liam, his whole body quivering uncontrollably.That was a nightmare!He could never have imagined Liam would chop off his right hand with such calculated precision!Thoth was in a panic, clutching his wounded hand and bowing down to Liam, pleading, "Sir, I'm sorry, I realize my mistake, please have mercy. I won't ever dare again. I'm begging you."Liam's expression was frigid as he locked eyes with Thoth, his voice sharp and cutting. "You still haven't told me, what's the price tag on your left hand? Or maybe you're not attached to it?"Thoth's eyes widened in horror, and he frantically shook his head, pleading, "No, no, no! I need it, please, sir! Don't take my left hand." Liam's lips curled into a slight, amused smile. "Really? Do you need it? So, how much is it worth to you?" Thoth was ashen, sweat beading on his forehead. He bowed deeply, his voice quivering with fear, "Te- ten!" However, sensing the chilling aura r
Thoth was teetering on the edge, his face ghostly white from losing too much blood.Liam looked at him with a chilling stare and said, "1.5 million dollars."Thoth's eyes bulged in shock, staring back at Liam in disbelief.What!?1.5 million dollars for a leg!!?Thoth felt like he was about to shatter, tears streaming down his face as he pleaded, "Sir! 1.5 million dollars, I don't have that kind of money. Please, I'm begging you, let me off the hook! I know I screwed up."Liam's laugh was chilling and menacing, echoing like a demon stepping out of the shadows, sending shivers down the spine. "Out of cash? So, you're saying you're giving up on your leg?"Thoth's forehead pulsed with a sharp twinge. With a face twisted in despair, he shook his head and yelled, "No! I'll take it, I'll take it. Just 1.5 million dollars, I agree!"After uttering those words, Thoth felt as if his heart was being torn apart. He only made 150 thousand dollars from the gig, and then he was down 2.25 mil
"Enough with the theatrics, let's talk numbers. 30 million dollars, that's the price tag on your life. What do you say?"The words hit Thoth like a bolt from the blue, his mind reeling with terror, his body freezing mid-bow, eyes bulging, mouth agape.What!?30 million dollars?The figure nearly knocked Thoth out cold, his face a mask of despair as he looked up at Liam, his voice trembling, "Sir, sir! You can't be serious?"However, one look into Liam's frosty eyes told Thoth all he needed to know—that was no joke.However, where in the world would he find 30 million dollars?Thoth was at the end of his rope, and with nothing left to lose, he blurted out, "Look, I just don't have 30 million dollars. You could kill me, and I still wouldn't be able to cough up that kind of cash."Even if he liquidated every asset he owned, he would be lucky to scrape together 15 million dollars.Liam's eyebrow quirked up as he leaned in, his knee supporting his weight. The dagger in his hand, ic
Out of nowhere!A squad of bodyguards in sleek black suits burst through the entrance, swiftly taking control of the hall. The woman, barely awake and undeniably alluring, succumbed to unconsciousness once more, overwhelmed by the abrupt commotion.Thoth, confronted by a sea of menacing suits, lost his composure and yelled, "Who are you? What do you want? Listen, I'm no pushover, you'd better-"Before he could get the words out, the door swung open, and in walked a figure that made Thoth's blood run cold. It was Eaden. Thoth's knees buckled, and he crashed to the floor.Eaden strode over, towering above the quivering Thoth, and said with an icy voice, "Thoth, you've got some nerve, crossing Mr. Cole. Looks like you've got the heart of a lion!"Thoth was sprawled on the ground, shaking like a leaf. He did not dare cross Eaden, the kingpin of Drunham City's shadowy corners. With a voice quaking with fear, he pleaded, "Mr. Wafer, have mercy. I lost my head for a moment, that's why I
Just then, a voice finally came through the phone—a deep, male voice that Wasyl found vaguely familiar but could not quite place."Wasyl? Looking for Thoth? Sorry to break it to you, but I've just tossed Thoth into the river for the fish to feast on. If you want to see him, you'll have to dive to the riverbed."Wasyl shot up from the bed, his face a mask of horror, and shouted, "Who in the world are you? Where's Thoth? Put him on the line!"On the other end, Eaden chuckled darkly, his voice icy, "Who am I? I'm Eaden! Wasyl, wasn't I clear enough? Thoth's fish food now, probably at the bottom of the river. So, you were looking for him?"Wasyl's body shook, his face drained of color as fear took hold. He quickly plastered on a groveling smile, "Heh? Uh, Mr. Wafer, my apologies, I didn't realize it was you. I misspoke and offended you. I'll make sure to bring a proper gift and apologize in person soon. You're a forgiving man, please don't hold this against me.""Look, Mr. Wafer, I'm
Liam, a nobody? How on earth could he have the clout to get Eaden of Drunham City, the notorious Mr. Wafer, to work for him?Who was Eaden, anyway?He's the kingpin of Drunham's underground, not someone who would associate with a nobody like Liam!No way, not a chance!Cheryl scoffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she eyed Wasyl's earnest expression. "Honey, you're reading too much into this. How could he be involved? He's nothing but a leftover from the Cole family, a rejected son-in-law from the Stone family, just a clueless ex-soldier! There's no way he's connected, you're just imagining things."Wasyl, puffing on his cigarette, his brow furrowed, ignored Cheryl's mocking. Lost in thought, he insisted, "It can't be. I thought I was overthinking it too, but when you look at it, something's off."He rose from the bed and paced the room, his face set in a grim line. "Just think about it. Liam, the cast-off from the Cole family seven years back, a stray nobody, how could he p
"Yes! That's what I've been thinking! I think there must be more to this than what meets the eye," Wasyl replied, nodding solemnly. His brows were furrowed in deep thought, as though contemplating something important.Cheryl could not help chuckling at how comical Wasyl looked, losing his sleep over something like this. She smiled and shook her head. "You're overthinking this, my love. How can Liam possibly have another identity? He's nothing more than a good-for-nothing who's leaching off my family for everything. If there was more to this, we would've found out by now. Come on, don't waste your time thinking about this. Why don't we do something else? Something I know you'd be interested in."With that, she inched behind Wasyl, then reached out and snaked her arm along Wasyl's taut, chest, her rosy lips hovering just inches next to his ear, blowing gently to tickle his skin. "Come on, my love. Stop thinking about Liam. I know what you'd much rather be doing."Cheryl's teasing succ
Although it was still early, the morning market was already packed full of people, most white-collar workers who were there to buy their breakfast before heading off to work. Liam and Jovie arrived at a bakery famous for their bagels. There was already a line, and Liam joined the end of the queue, playing with Jovie while they awaited their turn. Jovie clung onto Liam's leg, watching in awe as the pastry chefs kneaded dough in the store window, with rows and rows of fresh, fluffy bagels laid out for display. She gulped, staring at the bagels, then exclaimed, "Dad! It smells so good! I'm going to have so many of these!"Before Liam could even reply, however, a scuffle rang out from behind them, which was followed closely behind by people's cries of outrage. "Hey, who do you think you are? Line up!""How uncivilized are you? Stop pushing!""Everyone here is in a rush, too, but that doesn't mean you can cut queues and be rude! This is unacceptable.""Youngsters nowadays are gett
Meanwhile, Celena and the group were taken out of the hotel and shoved forcefully into a couple of jeeps waiting at the entrance. They were whisked away to a nearby military base. Before they could even get their bearings straight, they found themselves being tossed into holding cells. Celena, on the other hand, was taken separately to a small, dark room, illuminated only by the barest sliver of light that peeped in through a tiny window. The room was entirely empty, save for a metal bed frame. A sour stench hung in the air, and it was clear this room had been abandoned for a very long time. A soldier shoved Celena roughly into the room, and before she could realize what was happening, the soldier slammed the door shut.The soldier had pushed Celena so hard that she fell onto the ground, but upon seeing that her captor was about to leave, she leaped to her feet and sprinted over to the door. "Sir, can you tell me what I did wrong? Can you please have mercy on me? Can you at least
Tristan seemed just as baffled as they were. He returned their puzzled gazes with an equally perplexed one of his own. "I… I have no idea…"The general glanced sharply in their direction, then gestured to his soldiers and declared sternly, "Take them away!"His soldiers obliged and stepped forward to restrain the members of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, who all shrieked in alarm, "Why are you taking us away?""General, what did we do wrong? We didn't do anything illegal, so why are you arresting us?""Mr. Xander, save us! They've got this all wrong!""What's going on here? Why are they arresting only us?"Celena's entire body was shaking like a leaf. She eyed the soldiers around her and asked, stammering, "General, what did we do wrong? Why are we being captured? Where are you taking us?"Tristan, stricken with panic, shoved a soldier aside and shouted at the general, "General, I'm the president of the Drunham City Connoisseurs, and I want to know why we're being taken away. Wh
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