Prime Hospital, Los Angeles.Charles Kingston pushed through the glass doors with the kind of stride that said the world still bent for him.Behind him, his girlfriend limped pitifully, her face twisted with pain—yet all she carried was a single scratch on her arm.A long line snaked past the reception desk.Charles didn't join it. He cut in front of the nearest man without a second thought.“Hey,” the man protested. Charles kept walking.At the desk Charles leaned in, voice sharp as a knife. “Nurse. Get me the best doctor you have. Now.”The receptionist, a young woman—already irritated from seeing them cut the line—glanced once at the woman clinging desperately to Charles.Her arm bore nothing more than a shallow scratch, blood already dried into thin red lines. Yet the woman sobbed like her life was slipping away.Even a five-year-old wouldn’t cry this hard over something so small, the nurse thought. But the woman pressed harder into Charles, wailing:“Darling, what’s happening to

“Logan — your ego’s getting too big. How about we settle this tonight, at your place?” a rough voice called from one of the governors.Logan swung his head toward the speaker. “You old fool. I thought you were long gone. Last I heard, you only had the courage to hit a young woman.”“Man or woman — anyone with an ego that big needs a lesson,” Samuel said, laugh dry as old wood.“Little Logan — we’ve tangled a hundred times. You’ve never beaten me. But that pride of yours… looks like it’s begging for a lesson.”Logan’s face burned red, fury fighting to cover the crack of fear.He carried the weight of a powerful army, his strength known across the states — yet Samuel was different.Samuel was a legend, a man whose very name made soldiers uneasy. And deep down, Logan knew it.Logan’s warning came out low and clipped. “Stay out of things that don’t concern you. You’re too old to start trouble.”“Too old?” Samuel barked. “Old’s never stopped me. Trouble keeps me alive.” “Jericho Kane was

“Little Logan,” Keaton said, lips twisting into a sneer. “Watch your mouth. I’m not a rebel leader. I’m the leader of the people. And Alfred Kingston? He’s the leader of the elite.”Keaton continued. “So who do you think the king will back? The leader of the people or the leader of the elite?”“You’re just the leader of a rebellion,” Logan spat. “A terrorist. You’ll never be recognized as governor.”“Talking to stupid men takes patience—especially the most stupid men in this country.” Keaton rolled his eyes like the insult bored him.“Since when do I need your approval to be governor of Los Angeles? Don’t make yourself sound important.”Bella laughed, sharp and strutting. “I’ve been saying it for months—he’s the most useless fool in the whole country. Finally people see it.”Logan stood straighter; the old military posture returned like armor. He’d been the second most powerful commander in the nation once—he would not be humiliated.“Do any of you want to die?”Keaton let out a low

“Alex, do you know Charles Kingston?” Josephine asked, her face bright with a mix of hope and happiness.Before Alex could respond, Charles cut in quickly. “Jo, this man once treated my little sister, Jasmine Kingston. That’s how we know each other.”Alex’s eyes narrowed.“Charles Kingston,” he said slowly. “I don’t know what scam you’re running, but you’d better stay the hell away from Josephine.”“Alex! What are you doing?” Josephine snapped, startled by his sudden hostility.“Believe me, Josephine,” Alex’s voice low and hard. “This man is up to no good.”Charles reached for Josephine, his face drawn with exhaustion and quiet despair.“Josephine, I told you—no one believes me,” he said, voice breaking. “Everyone hates me for things I didn’t even do. Please… just let me go, before they turn on you too. Ever since I was born with the Kingston name, I’ve been treated like a criminal for sins I never committed.”“No! I always believe in you,” Josephine clutched his hand tightly.“Alex,

“I don’t have time for this,” Alex snapped. “Every second I see you, I remember Charles—and it makes me want to break your damn face.”“Wait, wait,” Logan said quickly, blood still trickling from his nose. “It’ll take just a second. You’ll want to see this.”He slipped a ring off his finger. In a blink, a small picnic table unfolded on the ground—two chairs, a bottle of old wine, two glasses, even a box of ice that hadn’t melted.Alex froze, eyes wide. “What the hell…?”Logan smiled, proud of the reaction. People always looked stunned when he did this.“Everything in the world is strange and marvelous to well-open eyes. See? Wine’s cold, chairs are ready in second.” He wiped his nose, poured the wine with the care of a sommelier, and pushed one glass toward Alex.Alex stared at the table, then at him. “How did you—” His voice caught between disbelief and curiosity.Logan chuckled, reading him easily.‘Men are all the same. Doesn’t matter how broken their hearts are. Give them somethin