Luis gave Wasyl a once-over before his gaze landed on the ornate brocade box. His eyes flashed with disdain and anger as he snapped, "Abbott family, Butler family, Lewis family, do you think Mr. Lynch is someone you can manipulate with your little schemes? Guards, take him away and look into his background!"Before Wasyl could react, a bodyguard lunged forward, landing a punch that sent him sprawling to the ground. The gift box tumbled out of his hands, coming to rest by Cheryl's trembling feet."Ahh! I didn't... I was just..." Wasyl tried to scramble up to explain, but another punch slammed him back down, pinning him to the floor.Wasyl did not dare to fight back. Tears streamed down his face as he begged, "Please, no more! I won't go in... Just let me go. I won't ever try something like this again... I'm begging you, have mercy!"Cheryl stood frozen in shock, her legs shaking so much she could barely stand. Yafe and his companions stood frozen, their minds racing. Meanwhile, Luis
Malcolm was not just turning down gifts. He was cutting out all the gift-bearing family and businesses. It was only Celena who had come empty-handed. That was the Stone family's big break, and they were determined to grab it with both hands. Suddenly, Liam cut in, "Oh? She's with the Stone family? Funny, that's not what you said yesterday!" Liam's brow furrowed as he glared icy at them. "What's this? Now you're acknowledging her as your daughter again?" "Liam! Keep your mouth shut; this is our family matter, and it's none of your business!" Yafe panicked that Liam might spill more."Seriously, Liam, who do you think you are? Our family hasn't even accepted you as the Stone family's son-in-law! Who gave you the right to boss everyone around?" Walter's face contorted with rage as he barked. He was desperate to prevent Liam from blurting out anything inappropriate that might jeopardize their chance to partner with the Max Group.Luis noticed something was off with the group's deme
Liam let out a weary sigh after listening to Celena, his voice tinged with resignation. "Celena, do you trust me?""Yes!"With a firm nod, Celena stepped closer and clasped Liam's hand. "I trust you completely!""Will you let me handle this, then?"Their hands locked together.He then turned, his gaze as sharp as a blade slicing through the air as he faced the onlookers. His voice cut through the tension. "We're not affiliated with Stone Group. They're nothing to us! They disowned my wife Celena seven years ago, and that was the end of it."His declaration sent shockwaves through the crowd, leaving Yafe and his group reeling.Cheryl's face was a mask of confusion as she looked at Celena, but inside, she breathed a sigh of relief. The last thing she wanted was for Celena to acknowledge her past and return to the Stone family. She would rather lose the deal than have Celena reclaim her place.However, the green-eyed monster whispered in her ear, reminding her how Celena had dazzl
As soon as Liam finished, Cheryl burst out, "Me, apologize to that tramp, Celena? As if! Why should I? There's no way I'm agreeing to that!"Liam ignored Cheryl's raging tantrum and gave Luis a knowing look. With Celena in tow, they made their way through the crowd and out of there.Cheryl glared after them, seething, then spun to face Luis and demanded, "Why her, Mr. Garrie? Celena's got nothing, no company, no clout! Why pick someone so clueless?"Luis turned to Cheryl with a frosty stare, clearly annoyed, and retorted, "The choice belongs to Max Group and Mr. Lynch. Who are you to question it?"With that, he turned to the onlookers and declared, "The open audition for this partnership is settled. Celena's the one."After finishing his piece, Luis, followed by his bodyguards, spun on his heel and strode away.The elite crowd of tycoons and business moguls at the entrance could only stand by, watching Luis leave, their hands reluctantly clutching the ungiven gifts. As they left,
Liam kept those details from Celena. She did not need to shoulder such burdens.He was determined to restore Celena's confidence, piece by piece."However, what if Grandpa does come to me, pleading? He's not young anymore. It breaks my heart to think of him straining himself at his age. I'm really worried about his health… "That was Celena for him, always too kind for her own good. Even after all the hurt Reginald had caused her, she was still caring for him, fretting over his well-being."However, Celena, do you really want to spend your life under the scornful looks of others? Don't you want to go back to being a Stone? Isn't that what you've dreamed about for the last seven years?" Liam pressed."I do!" Celena's reply came swift and determined, but then her face fell, tangled in doubt. "It's just...""There is no way about it. Trust me, I've got this!" Liam cut in, knowing her tendency to overthink.Celena took a deep breath, calmed herself, and nodded. "Alright, I'll trust
"Grandpa! Liam's got some nerve! He's demanding that our whole Stone family roll out the red carpet, go to Celena, and beg her to return to the Stone family!" Cheryl fumed. She paused, stealing a glance at Reginald. Noticing his face turning stormy, she quickly lowered her voice, saying, "And he wants me... to apologize to Celena and that little kid, and he even said... he even said...""What else? Out with it!" Reginald was fuming, his eyes blazing with anger as he slammed his cane onto the blue floor with a resounding thud!Cheryl jumped, a shiver running down her spine, but a surge of glee bubbled within her. She kept up her outraged facade, whispering, "He said you, Grandpa, should personally go and ask..."Boom!That was the last straw. The Stone family's members in the hall went off like a bomb! They bellowed with fury."Are you kidding me? Our family's elder is supposed to go and ask himself?""Liam stepped out of line, just a washed-up soldier, a nobody. He has the gall t
"However..."Sherah looked hesitant, and she tried to explain further, but the sharp tap of Reginald's cane on the floor cut her off.Reginald's expression turned stormy as he slammed his cane down hard, declaring, "That's enough! The decision is made! Walter is correct. Celena is your daughter, and you two are the right ones to go!"With that, Reginald rose angrily and strode out of the hall.No sooner had Reginald departed than Walter and his family looked on with barely concealed glee. "Yafe, Celena is your girl, and you're her dad. She'll listen to you. If you pull off this deal, you'll be the family's hero, and your place as head of the Stone family will be undisputed."Teresa's smile was bright as she added, "Exactly, Yafe. Dad's got faith in you, and so do we. You're going to clinch that partnership!"Hayden Stone's family could not hide their delight as they added, "Yafe, we'll be here waiting to celebrate your success!"The hall emptied as everyone dispersed to their re
Yafe walked in silence, looking indifferent. The opulent mansion before him did nothing to stir his interest as he made his way to the grand entrance.However, his emotions were a raging storm inside. He could not believe that his daughter, the one he had always dismissed, lived in a place ten times more luxurious than the Stone Mansion. The task given to him by Reginald then seemed daunting.Just then, Calum stepped out from the villa's gate, confronting the trio with a frosty demeanor. "Hold it right there! How did you get in?"Yafe was momentarily stunned by Calum's piercing presence and the deadly intent in his eyes. He stuttered, "I... I'm here for my daughter, Celena! I... came to bring her home!"Calum's eyes narrowed, his imposing demeanor briefly faltering before he doubled down, eyeing Yafe with renewed force. He glanced at Sherah and Qemal, who were peering around behind him, and retorted, "Oh? From the Stone family, are you?"Qemal quickly moved forward, all smiles. "E
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