The senators seated in the front row finally turned their attention to the commotion at the registration area. When they saw Max standing there, some of them immediately rose and walked toward him.Among them, a man with neatly combed silver hair and a perfectly tailored dark suit stepped forward ahead of the others. He was sixty-three years old, yet every movement carried the authority of someone who had once commanded on the battlefield.He was Hayam, a senator from the Business Senior Chamber International (BSCI), an elite business organization representing prominent senior executives in Morrow State.Hayam was no ordinary man. He was a former war commander who had once been Max’s direct superior in the military. Even so, he regarded Max as an equal, not only because of Max’s accomplishments in the business world but also because of the unmatched skills Max had shown during the war, which Hayam could never forget.When he reached Max, Hayam smiled broadly. “Hi, Max. How have you be

Outside the building… "Let go! Don't you know who I am?!" Sayo shouted angrily, trying to fight back. But the two security guards didn't care. They dragged him out of the hall, which was now filled with whispers and sneering glances. Sayo struggled and raged, but his efforts were in vain. Once outside, he was pushed roughly. His body stumbled and fell face-down on the asphalt. Sayo tried to get up, but he couldn't. His chest felt tight, and his breath was heavy. He couldn't accept this reality. All of this stemmed from the burning anger in his heart. Yes, he was the one who had ordered the committee not to provide a seat for Ladder Corp. The reason was simple: he wanted to teach Max a lesson because Max had refused his offer for him to marry his daughter, Sarah. Sayo had hoped that by not having a seat at such a big event, Max would be humiliated. He imagined Max would come to him, apologize, and finally agree to marry Sarah. Sayo had even prepared a scenario where he would "forg

Max walked quickly toward his private room, a minimalist space designed with a mix of dark wood and glass. Zoza arrived with Jamie, who was Max’s personal hacker. Zoza followed him, still breathing heavily, wearing an expression Max had never seen before — a mix of panic and deep fear. Inside the room, Max sat in his large chair while Zoza, his hands trembling, turned on the big screen on the wall. A few seconds later, a dark web page full of random text appeared. It was the most brutal black market on the dark web, a place where assassins gathered to offer the cruelest services. Zoza scrolled through the page quickly, his hands shaking, and pointed to the top post. There were two clear photos: one of Max and one of Aurora. Below them was a number that made Max pause for a moment...1 billion dollars. Zoza immediately panicked. “Boss, this is bad,” he said in a choked voice. “Someone has posted your photo and Aurora’s on this dark web site full of assassins. Whoever manag

At the Nexxon Villa. Sarah got out of her car, her hair neatly tied back, her eyes a mix of hope and anxiety. Her purpose for coming here was to find Max and beg him to give her father's job back. However, that hope was instantly dashed when two burly men in black suits blocked her way. "Sorry... no one is allowed in without Mr. Max's permission," one of the guards said in a deep voice. Sarah huffed in frustration. "I know Max! We've known each other for a long time! I have to see him!" she insisted, trying to push past them. The guard didn't budge and held her arm. "Whatever your reason, the order is clear. Please don't cause a scene." Sarah, growing desperate, began to raise her voice. "Let go of me! I need to talk to him! Max! Max!" she yelled. "Mr. Max isn't here right now," one of the guards said. The commotion reached Aurora's ears as she was reading a book in the living room. Curious, she immediately put her book down and walked to the front door. From the porch

Zoza and Jamie exchanged glances, then stood up almost at the same time. "I am leaving now," Zoza said briefly, already reaching for her jacket. Jamie only nodded at Max, then followed behind her. Frans also got up, closing the folder he had opened earlier. "I am going back to my office," he said, leaving without looking back. Once the door closed, the room was left with only Max and Sarah. Max did not say a single word. He only lifted his chin slightly, giving a subtle signal for Sarah to come in. Sarah stepped closer and sat in the chair across from Max. She took a deep breath, still looking wet from the rain. "It is pouring outside. I got out of my car and walked from the parking lot to this building without an umbrella. There were no security guards either. Really..." she moved her hands in frustration. "This company is not open yet," Max replied flatly. "There are no workers here yet, including security guards." Sarah fell silent. Her hand moved to fix her mes