Victoria tried to focus on the face before her, but the dizziness washed over like a wave. The room spun, and she slumped into the chair, unconscious.Mr. President, still facing Ethan, swallowed hard as the man stepped closer. The whole place stinks because of his urine. The darkness made it impossible to see his face clearly.“Let me go,” the President said, his voice trembling. “You wouldn’t want my security team to see you.”Ethan’s lips curled into a wicked smile. “What if I told you,” he said softly, “they’re all asleep?”The President blinked twice, his mouth falling open. “H–how…?” he stammered.Before he could finish, Ethan’s fist shot forward, landing squarely on his nose. A sharp crack echoed in the room. Blood gushed down as the President groaned, clutching his face in pain.The President staggered back, crashing against the edge of the table. Papers scattered to the floor as his groan turned into a weak gasp.Ethan shook his hand once, as if brushing off the pain of the

The guards came and dragged Don’s lifeless body away, while Victoria’s brother pulled Jack inside, the chains in his hands clinking as he dragged him across the floor.Victoria cleared her throat, her voice trembling slightly. “You shouldn’t have killed him.”Ethan smiled — a cold, humorless curve of his lips.“I could never trust a traitor like Don,” he said. “He’d buy your loyalty today and stab you tomorrow. Once a traitor, always a traitor.”She only hummed in response, her gaze unreadable. Ethan’s smile lingered, but it never reached his eyes.“Let’s go in,” Ethan said, wrapping an arm around her back as they walked inside, Sir Edward following close behind.Once they were in, Ethan turned to one of his guards. “Lock the front gate. Don’t let anyone in.”“Yes, sir,” the guard replied with a sharp salute before hurrying off.They made their way to Ethan’s room. As soon as the door shut behind them, he sank onto a chair, coughing harshly. Sir Edward handed him a glass of water, a

He placed his hands gently on Victoria’s shoulders. Her eyes searched his, desperate, exhausted from trying to make sense of everything.“Well… there was no pain,” he said quietly.Victoria’s mouth fell open. “What do you mean there was no pain?” she asked, confusion tightening her voice.He gave a short, amused chuckle. “Because there wasn’t any pain,” he said simply.She shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense. We literally saw you suffering, Ethan. You were in pain! And now you’re saying there wasn’t?”A faint smile tugged at his lips. “I thought I was in pain. That’s why I reacted like that. But now it makes sense why my master said, ‘There’s pain when you save them, but not really.’ it's like my head was messing with me.”Victoria blinked, still trying to wrap her head around it.He let out a frustrated laugh, running a hand through his hair. “I can’t believe it. All that pain… it was just in my head.”His voice cracked with disbelief, and for a moment, she couldn’t tell if he w

Chapter 158.The president’s convoy rolled to a stop in front of the media house. One of his guards stepped out first. The security detail opened the door, and the president emerged. Instantly, the paparazzi swarmed him, flashing cameras and thrusting microphones forward.He slid his hands into his pockets, eyes scanning the crowd with a mischievous glint. To him, this was only the beginning, his opening move against General Ethan. He would make sure Ethan regretted ever crossing him. No general would ever get the upper hand over the president.He scoffed.The reporters pushed closer.“Sir! You requested an urgent press briefing—what’s happening?” one shouted.“What’s your issue with General Ethan?” another pressed.The president stopped walking and slowly removed one hand from his pocket. The crowd hushed, cameras lifting higher. He glanced at his watch as though their questions bored him.“My issue with General Ethan?” he repeated, raising a brow. “I have no issue with him.”A mur

“Oh, you son of a bitch, I should have known it was you all along!” he barked.Ethan’s laugh crackled through the phone, low and mocking. The president’s grip tightened around the device.“Once a General, always a General,” Ethan taunted. “Did you think I got this far with a dull brain? Even to steal money, you still have to be smart.”The president scoffed. “I’ll deal with you. This call is being recorded, just so you know.”Ethan let out a cold, bitter laugh. “Go on—play it. Show it to the public. And then watch yourself cry. Because what I have coming for you… you won’t see it until it’s too late, my dear.”The president didn’t answer. His throat tightened, and for a moment he could only stare at the wall, unmoving. His hand drifted to the back of his neck, fingers digging into the tense muscle.“What… do you want?” he asked, his voice lower than before.“Let’s meet,” Ethan said. “I’ll send the address. And if you try anything funny, I won’t hesitate to end you.”The line clicked o