As Rene stood over Benjamin, the whole restaurant seemed to be holding its breath. The manager had rushed over with two security guards, but they hesitated, unsure of how to proceed as Benjamin, heir to the Leland family, lay bloodied on the floor. Meanwhile, the whispers from the other patrons swirled in the air, a mix of shock, judgment, and curiosity.Benjamin struggled to push himself up, wiping the blood from his nose. His face contorted with anger as he glared at Rene. "You think you can just kick me around? Do you even know who I am? The Lelands can ruin you. You’ll regret this, you nobody."Meeting his raging eyes, Rene didn’t flinch. He let out a small, almost amused chuckle and then spoke, his voice calm but carrying a weight that made the room quiet again. "Benjamin Leland, right? I know exactly who you are. But it looks like you have no idea who you're dealing with."Benjamin scoffed, but Rene wasn’t finished. "Let me make one thing very clear. You think throwing your famil
Ignoring the sudden quiet around them, Rene's eyes remained locked on Benjamin as he took a slow breath, allowing the weight of the silence in the room to settle. Benjamin, still clutching his nose, was struggling to maintain his composure. The tension between them crackled in the air as Rene stepped closer, his voice calm yet full of authority."Option one, apologize to my wife," Rene said, his tone cold and uncompromising. His gaze bore into Benjamin, leaving no room for negotiation. "Option two, apologize to my wife."Benjamin hesitated, glancing nervously between Rene and Maria. He wiped the blood from his nose again, the fear in his eyes clear now."I… I’m sorry," he muttered under his breath, barely audible.Rene didn’t move, his posture still intimidating. "Louder," he demanded. "And look her in the eyes when you say it."With a shaky breath, Benjamin straightened up and turned toward Maria. His voice cracked as he forced the words out. "I’m… I’m sorry, Maria. I shouldn’t have—
With his phone pressed against his ear, he paced his office, the soft click of his shoes echoing against the polished floor. He paused by the large window, staring out at the city lights twinkling below, his mind focused on a single thought, 'Kia was becoming a problem.'He needed to handle this carefully, and for that, he needed the support of a much bigger player—Carlo Rossi.With a smirk tugging at his lips, Leonardo listened to it ring. It rang a couple of times before a gruff voice answered. "Mr. Varga.""Mr. Rossi," Leonardo said smoothly, his tone dripping with casual confidence. "I trust you’re well?"There was a slight pause on the other end before Carlo responded, his voice more guarded now. "Of course I am.""I see. That is good to know since I bear bad news and don't intend to raise your blood pressure. I am considerate, unlike your son-in-law-""What is that supposed to mean."Holding back his tongue for a moment, Leonardo leaned back in his chair and then let out a soft
With a scowl, Leonardo Varga walked into the dimly lit lounge, the scent of whiskey and cigars hanging in the air. His eyes scanned the room until he spotted Benjamin Leland slouched at the bar, nursing a drink. A casual smirk curved his lips, and Leonardo strode over, his polished shoes clicking against the wooden floor."Benjamin," he greeted smoothly, sliding into the seat next to him. "Rough today?"Sighing deeply, Benjamin glanced at Leonardo through bloodshot eyes, his face still bruised and swollen from the earlier encounter. "You could say that," he muttered, swirling his drink. "I’m sure you’ve already heard about my little… incident."Leonardo chuckled lightly, signaling the bartender to bring him a drink. "I did. It’s all anyone’s talking about. You, getting humiliated by some no-name like Kia. Unbelievable."As his eyes hardened, Benjamin’s grip tightened around his glass, his knuckles turning white. "I don’t want to talk about it.""Fair enough," Leonardo said, taking
Holding back his words, Rene scratched at his eyes, struggling to rein in the flood of emotions threatening to spill over. His pulse was racing, and just as he was about to respond to Carlo’s cutting words, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, ignoring the frustrated glances from the rest of the Rossi family.Carlo’s brow furrowed in disbelief, his sharp gaze cutting through the room. "You dare ignore me? After everything I’ve said?"But Rene didn’t answer right away. Instead, he glanced at the phone screen and saw it was his father calling. He immediately felt a wave of relief—anything to pull him out of this tense situation. He met Maria’s concerned gaze, sensing her unease.“I have to take this,” Rene said, his voice low, though he knew it wouldn’t ease the tension in the room.Maria’s eyes widened slightly, and she reached out, gently grabbing his arm. “Kia, don’t... he’ll take offense if you walk off now. This isn’t-”Before she could finish, Rene leaned in, kiss
Closing the door behind him, Rene stepped into their bedroom and brought the phone to his ear."Rene," Rome’s voice came through with a mix of irritation and concern. "Are you trying to give your mother a heart attack? You promised to call her back, and you didn’t. What’s going on with you today?"Leaning against the edge of the bed, Rene sighed deeply. "Dad, I’m sorry. Too much has been happening today. I didn’t mean to worry her.""Too much?... You mean the attempted accident on you and Maria, or the little altercation with Benjamin Leland? Which one are we talking about here?""Of course, you already know... Both. It’s been a long day, Dad. Can we talk about it more tomorrow? I need to sort through all of this. Can you send someone to pick me up so we can meet up?""Of course. I’ll have someone there as soon as possible. But Rene, take care of yourself. This is serious, and I don’t like how things are escalating." Glancing toward the door as he heard the soft footsteps approachin
The soft light of dawn filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. Maria stirred in her sleep, her face peaceful and relaxed, tangled in the soft sheets. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the light. The first thing she noticed was Rene.He was lying beside her, propped up on one elbow, watching her with a gentle smile. His dark eyes softened with affection, and his fingers absentmindedly played with a strand of her hair. The warmth of his gaze made her heart swell. It was a rare sight—Rene, so unguarded, so completely hers in this quiet moment.“Morning,” Maria whispered, her voice still thick with sleep as she shifted closer to him, nuzzling against his chest. “Morning,” Rene murmured back, brushing his thumb lightly across her cheek. His voice was deeper in the early hours, rich with that sleepy warmth that made her want to stay wrapped up in bed with him forever.For a while, they just stayed like that, the world outside forgotten. The tension o
As the tension in the room thickened, Maria’s heart sank, and her fingers trembled slightly as they gripped the edge of her chair. Across the table, her grandfather narrowed his eyes at Rene, his steely gaze demanding an explanation."And why is that?" Carlo asked, his voice low and dangerous, barely masking his displeasure.Rene, calm and unbothered, leaned back in his chair, meeting the older man’s gaze without flinching. “I have to go to work,” he said, his tone casual but carrying an edge.Carlo’s brow furrowed. “Work? I wasn’t aware that work was more important than keeping the peace between families. What kind of job could possibly take priority over this?”Rene’s lips curved into a faint smile. He knew exactly how to shift the power in the room. “Mr. Gunnar expects me to be at the office all the time... I can't just excuse him because of someone like Benjamin, can I?” he said, letting the name hang in the air with just the right amount of weight.At the mention of Mr. Gunnar