Amanda, still trying to process the sudden change, stepped in. “Your manager and Tina tried to humiliate us. They snatched a dress from me after I picked it, saying someone else claimed it. Then Cassandra—who arrived late—insulted me and offered to buy it just to spite us.”Chris added quietly, “I came here for Amanda. We weren’t looking for trouble. But your staff decided otherwise.”Linda’s lips pressed into a thin line. Her fists clenched.“Tina said the man looked too broke to afford the dress,” the manager said quickly, trying to deflect blame.That was the final straw.Linda’s face darkened. She stood up slowly, and with fire blazing in her eyes, she turned toward the store manager who was now visibly shaking.“Shut up,” Linda hissed. Her eyes blazed. “Do you have any idea who this man is?! He could erase your existence with a single phone call. He nearly crushed my entire family’s legacy without lifting a finger!”Tina, who had been inching toward the fitting rooms, froze like

Eva’s chest tightened. The hatred in Eric’s eyes was deep—far deeper than she’d anticipated. She shifted her gaze to Eddie, who was watching her with an eerie calmness. Turning her attention to Eddie, she glared. “Where is my mother? You promised that you’d let her go if I came here.” Eddie laughed—a slow, menacing laugh that echoed around the room. “I said a lot of things, sweetheart,” he said, standing up. “But I never promised anything. You're not in a position to make demands.” “You said if I came, you’d let her go,” Eva pressed, her voice trembling with rage. Eddie’s laughter was like nails on a chalkboard. “Ah, Eva… You still believe in promises? How adorable. I said a lot of things,” he replied, sipping his wine. “But now that you’re here, the game has changed. I’m in control.” Eva’s eyes blazed with fury. “You bastard.” her heart sank. She had walked into a trap. But she wasn’t going to back down. Eddie took another sip of his wine. “But I must say—you’re more stunning

Eva bit down on her lip until it bled, her hands reaching shakily for her bra strap. Her mind screamed at her to stop, but the threat against her mother loomed like a guillotine.Her fingers fumbled with the bra clasp.Eric zoomed in. Sean chuckled with vile amusement. Even the guards looked pleased.And just as Eva slipped the first strap off her shoulder—BANG! BANG! BANG!Gunshots.Everyone froze.BANG! BANG! BANG!--- againThe sudden, thunderous sound of gunshots exploded from outside the room.Everyone jerked in shock.“Wh-what the hell was that?!” Eddie bellowed, spinning toward the door. “Go, find out what that commotion is about!” he barked at his guards.The guards reached for their weapons, but before they could react, the door exploded open with a thunderous crack.Then—CRASH!The door burst open with a violent kick, splinters flying everywhere.Chris stood in the doorway like a vengeful storm, eyes ablaze with fury. Behind him, Ethan entered with a raised pistol, barrel

Eddie shook his head, trying to clear the stars from his vision, but the shock was written all over his face. His pride, his sense of invincibility, was cracking under the sheer force of Chris’s will. The others watched in silence, too afraid to make a sound.“You enjoy watching others suffer?” Chris said, kneeling beside him. “Let me show you what suffering truly looks like.”Without another word, Chris drove his fist into Eddie’s gut, then again, and again. Each punch was precise, driven by fury, fueled by the image of Eva’s tear-streaked face, and her trembling hands. Eddie coughed blood, eyes wide in agony, and tried to crawl backward.Eddie, now groaning from the beating he had taken, managed to push himself upright, still arrogant despite the blood dripping from his face. “You think this will break me?” he spat, his voice trembling with pain but still laced with defiance. “I don’t care what you do. My family will come for you. You’re not getting away with this. You’ll regret it.

The night outside was a blur of distant sirens and flickering street lamps as Chris strode through the polished, sterile hallways of the hospital. His boots echoed with each step, his expression unreadable beneath the weight of everything that had just happened. His knuckles were bruised and still slightly bloodied, but he didn’t feel the pain—not yet. His only focus was Eva. And Kate.He passed the reception desk with barely a glance, flashing his ID when the nurse tried to stop him. “Room 209?” he asked.“Yes, but—”He was already gone, pushing through the swinging door into the wing where the scent of antiseptic clung heavily to the air. His chest felt tight. Not from exhaustion, not even from what he'd just done—but from the thought of Eva sitting beside her unconscious mother, probably crying, probably blaming herself. And she shouldn’t have to.When Chris reached the room, the door was slightly ajar. Soft light spilled from inside, golden and dim, casting gentle shadows along th