WHAM!Dylan’s fist slammed into Jayden’s stomach with a sickening thud, sending a jolt of pain that arched his spine and made his ribs rattle like a dying drum. Jayden's eyes bulged from the force, and his mouth opened in a soundless gasp before the air burst out of his lungs.The pain was blinding.The second blow came swiftly, almost before Jayden could recover.WHAM!This time, it was lower—deeper—into his gut. His body convulsed as he doubled over, coughing violently. Blood sprayed from his mouth, dark and thick, splattering onto the cold marble floor with a wet splat. His arms twitched, but the two enforcers holding him by each side didn’t even flinch. They kept him upright like a broken marionette, limp and bleeding.Jayden’s vision blurred. His body screamed. The sounds around him dulled. All he could hear was his own heartbeat, pounding like war drums in his ears.Then—WHAM!A third punch, right into his ribs.The sharp crack echoed in the chamber like a gunshot.Jayden g

The night was quiet.Elder Mason sat at the back of a black Toyota Century—a sleek, silent beast of a car with a luxurious leather interior and tinted windows. The vehicle rolled smoothly between two black jeeps, forming a tight convoy as they drove through the dark outskirts of the Neovalle City.He leaned back, holding a sleek silver phone to his ear. His voice was calm, cold, and laced with satisfaction.“Tariq,” he said.“Yes, Elder Mason?” came the voice on the other end.“It’s done. Jayden Cole is out of the picture.”“Completely?”“Four days ago,” Elder Mason began, adjusting the gold ring on his finger, “we picked him up under charges from the Orion family hierarchy. At first, he thought it was a misunderstanding…”He chuckled dryly.“But when we were done with him, he knew the truth. We beat him till his ribs cracked. We made him bleed. Then we stripped him of everything—his title, his dignity, his future. We kicked him out of the company like trash.”There was silence for a