*****Honestly, when Lila made up her mind to betray Janet, she hadn’t had the time to consider her job’s status. At that moment, her only concern had been rescuing her kidnapped family members from her cruel, selfish, and heartless boss, fully aware that, after failing to reclaim the partnership, Janet might actually kill them.But now, hearing Grace’s question…Already knowing the truth, she swallowed hard, suddenly feeling powerless, and then offered Grace a bitter smile.“I suppose so, ma’am,” she replied. But after thinking for a moment, her bitterness faded, replaced by a relieved smile.“That doesn’t necessarily mean it is a bad thing, though. At least I won’t have to work in that toxic environment anymore.”Everyone around her quickly nodded their heads, understanding that if her president could be so shameless and deceitful, the company itself must have been even worse.On the other hand, Grace’s lips curved into a faint smile after hearing Lila’s response.“I have an

*****“You…”Grace, after staring at Xavier in a daze for a moment, finally stuttered, pointing at him in bewilderment.But in the following second, her lips twitched, and she heaved a deep sigh.“The way you always turn serious topics into jokes never fails to amuse me,” she muttered, shaking her head in exasperation.Meanwhile, Xavier—He couldn’t help but freeze, staring at Grace in an utter daze.Just now, her reaction to his response had made him think she had believed his words since she already had her doubt, but…“You don’t believe me again?” he asked, his gaze sharp and unwavering.Grace instantly rolled her eyes.“Wouldn’t I be a little too gullible if I were to believe something like that? Even if you were close to the Blackwood family, I doubt they could have convinced the Harrison family to hand over such a massive project to my Sky Group,” she said seriously.‘This…’Xavier’s lips twitched once, twice… Then, he had no idea whether to laugh or cry.“Besides…”

*****‘Did I say something wrong?’‘Why did she suddenly switch on like that?’Walking out of Grace’s office, Xavier became filled with many unanswered questions, unable to shake off the abrupt shift in her demeanor from his mind.He had only been trying to help her because from the little he had gathered in the short time he had known Grace, neither she nor her parents could stand up to her extended family. And with the way things had ended today, he could already tell she was about to be pressured into something she wouldn’t like.That was why he had suggested going with her. It wasn’t just to support her—it was also an opportunity to meet her parents. But…‘Could it be because I have been getting too involved in her business beyond our initial deal?’A multitude of thoughts continued echoing through Xavier’s mind as he walked forward, too lost in them to notice the way the employees’ eyes lit up the moment they laid their sight on him.In the following second—“Are you hea

***** Currently, in a dimly lit opening between three towering buildings, where the last remnants of the setting sun cast long, dying rays, five men stood in a semi-circle. Dressed in black from head to toe, their faces hidden beneath cold, expressionless masks, they exuded nothing but violence—a suffocating aura of hostility and murderous intent, showing that they were not there to negotiate. At the center of their encirclement stood an elderly man draped in a simple gray robe, his aged face lined with wisdom and defiance. Beside him, a breathtakingly beautiful young woman—no older than twenty-five—clung to his sleeve, her hands trembling, her face drained of color. Although her grandfather's presence should have been comforting, fear clutched her tightly like a vice because she could already sense that the five people surrounding them weren’t there for games—they were there to rob them, an experience entirely new to her. The old man, on the other hand, did not waver.

***** At this instant, the atmosphere in the opening was deathly silent, all eyes fixated on Xavier’s nonchalant and languid posture. No one had felt his presence, and for this reason, although the expressions of the figures clad in all black were concealed by the masks covering their faces, one could tell that they appeared a bit tensed and rigid at this moment, judging by their mere posture. Even the elderly man and his granddaughter found themselves awkwardly staring at Xavier, uncertain about how to react or what expression to wear at his abrupt appearance and request. And just like that, time slowly crawled forward like a sluggish snail, with no one making a move until finally… “We are members of the Nightforce Mercenary Guild. State your identity!” the leader of the masked figures commanded, his voice calculating and austere. ‘Mem... members of Night… Nightforce Mercenary Guild?’ It was the old man who reacted, his eyes suddenly widening in shock, his jaw sla