As Elijah stepped through the restaurant doors, the warm lighting revealed everything at once.His eyes scanned the room quickly — and then locked onto the sight that froze his heart and ignited his rage.There, near the center of the restaurant, stood Sierra and Betty — surrounded by three men, all of them standing too close, too relaxed, too smug.Bastards.His jaw clenched.His eyes darkened.Without a word, Elijah rushed forward, his steps quick and silent — like a storm brewing in human form.Sierra, about to say something to one of the men, caught a sudden movement from the corner of her eye. She turned—“Elijah.”His name escaped her lips like a breath of relief.Elijah stepped straight into the center of the circle, his presence sharp like a blade slicing through the tension.Sierra immediately stepped into him, arms around his torso, her forehead resting against his chest. She said nothing, but the slight tremble in her body said everything.Elijah gently touched the corner o

Outside the restaurant, the distant rumble of an old, worn-down engine echoed through the lot.Heads turned as a dusty, beat-up Jeep came to a slow, growling stop near the entrance.Its paint was chipped, the bumper dented, the windows lightly tinted — but its presence was heavy. Dangerous.The doors creaked open.First to step out was Phantom Reiss.He wore a black tactical vest over a tattered grey shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing forearms littered with old scars and faded tattoos. His black cargo pants were dusty, and his boots hit the ground with an echo of authority. His beard was scruffy, and his eyes cold and calculating beneath a weather-worn cap pulled low over his brow.He didn’t smile. He didn’t speak.He simply looked up at the building — sensing the tension like it was hanging in the air.Behind him, four men climbed down from the Jeep — each one rough, broad, and expressionless. All of them carried metal pipes, some resting across their shouldersBut

The man shook his head violently, sobbing now, his pride long gone.“N-No, sir! I-I mean—Phantom—I was just—please, I was just using the name! I’m sorry!”“Using my name?” Phantom growled, pressing down harder.“Y-Yes! Just to scare people, I swear! I didn’t mean—please—please!”Phantom’s eyes narrowed, the disgust in his voice thick.“You and your friends walk around abusing women, throwing my name like a toy, and now you beg?”The man cried louder, face red with shame and pain, while the others beside him trembled, too scared to move.Everyone in the restaurant was frozen. Without another word, Phantom lifted his boot from the bleeding man’s hand, leaving him sobbing and curled up on the floor.He stepped forward, now standing over the second man — the one Elijah had dropped earlier with a brutal kick to the groin. The man was barely able to kneel, shaking visibly as Phantom’s shadow loomed over him.Phantom didn’t speak.He simply gripped the metal rod in his hand — long, dark, and

Sierra gave a small sigh as she kept her eyes on the road ahead."I'm not staying permanently, Betty," she said softly."We’re not a thing… we’re not married. I’m just staying for a while to help him out. He’s done a lot for me — more than anyone ever has. It’s just my way of being there for him too."Betty nodded slowly, not arguing.She could tell Sierra meant every word, but she also saw what Sierra was refusing to say out loud.Soon, the black Audi Q8 and Elijah’s Prado pulled into the quiet estate driveway. The compound lights flickered on gently as the gates closed behind them.They parked side by side.Betty was the first to step out, stretching a little before walking toward the door.Sierra got down, adjusting her bag. Just as she was closing the car door, Elijah stepped down from his Prado, circled around, and casually leaned against the front of her Audi, facing her.Then, without a word, he reached forward and held her hands, gently drawing her in between his legs as he le

Sierra’s heart gave a nervous flutter. She swallowed gently, fingers tightening slightly around her phone as she slowly nodded.“Yes… I’ve reached him.”Her voice was soft, almost cautious.Elijah, still laying back, sat up a little straighter, his expression shifting to one of casual curiosity — though beneath it, he was watching her every move.“Oh really?” he said, raising a brow.“So that means… you told him about Chris? That he impersonated him?”Sierra nodded again, keeping her gaze low.“I did. But not everything… I didn’t go into full detail.”Elijah nodded thoughtfully, leaning forward just a bit, his elbows resting on his knees now.“Mmh. What about his identity? Do you know now? His face or anything?”At that, Sierra froze.Her lips parted slightly, her mind racing.She couldn’t tell Elijah that FlibbityBoo had shown her photos of a handsome young man, or that he had confessed love, offering vacations, saying things that made her heart stir.What if Elijah thought she was e