[You can’t judge someone just by what they show on the outside. Tonight, masks will fall, one by one.]As the main course was served, the room filled with chatter. But each word carried a subtle sting.“I heard you started a new company with your dad, Celeste?” Uncle Theo asked casually.Celeste smiled politely. “Yes, Damien and I are working on it with my father.”“Impressive. Damien seems pretty influential now, huh? Funny, last time we had dinner...”“Just a poor, useless son-in-law. Remember his parting words that night? So ridiculous!” one of Celeste’s aunts chimed in. “He said he’d stand by Celeste no matter what. Wow... guess what? He actually did, in less than a year!”Damien cut in smoothly, “I’ll take that as a compliment. I just support whatever Celeste decides. She’s the one in charge.”The room stiffened. Jealous looks were thrown their way. Then one of Celeste’s cousins muttered, “Still can’t even stand on his own though. What’s all that money for? No one knows where it

Damien pulled the crumpled paper from the car window and tossed it in the trash like it was something filthy. The rushed, slanted handwriting was nothing new. More threats. Accusations. Provocative nonsense trying to rile him up.This time, he just ignored it.“Child’s play,” he muttered, starting the car and driving off calmly.To Damien, only cowards hid behind anonymous letters. If someone had a problem with him, they should come straight to his face, look him in the eyes, and say it out loud. Not this crap.Celeste didn’t say a word the entire ride back from the Stratton villa. Her hands clutched her little purse tightly in her lap. She stared blankly out the window, never once looking at Damien, who drove in complete silence.Of course, she was still in shock.Damien—her husband—who had been in a wheelchair for nearly four years, now stood tall. Strong. Solid. Like a soldier back from battle. No… stronger, more alive. Celeste felt like she was sitting next to a stranger wearing h

Celeste was stunned. The gentle kiss Damien gave her was so sudden, it made her heart race. It was the first time she had felt such a soft touch from her husband, who was usually cold and quiet. They had been married for almost four years, and throughout that time, Celeste only knew Damien as a calm man, who didn’t ask for much and almost never complained. But during this honeymoon, something was different."Breakfast this morning could be opened with a kiss, right?" Damien whispered teasingly, his moist lips facing Celeste's face.His breath was heavy, and Celeste’s eyes widened. She could only blush, her gaze fixed on Damien’s eyes, which now seemed softer than usual.Damien smiled, satisfied with her reaction. "I’ll change clothes, then we can have breakfast together," he said as he stood up and headed toward the room.Celeste stood frozen, somehow feeling the urge to follow him. Without thinking, she walked toward the room where Damien went. The door wasn’t locked, and as she slow

Denny Cross—legendary Major, leader of an elite unit feared by both enemies and allies. The guy was tall, broad-shouldered, lean but ripped like an old wolf who’s never lost a hunt. His eyes… cold, black, and deadly.His heavy black boots pounded against the asphalt with every step. Each one felt like a death sentence closing in on Adam.Adam stumbled back a step, clutching his suitcase, trying to piece together what to say. But before he could even get a word out—Smack!Denny grabbed him by the collar, yanking him up so hard Adam could barely breathe."Tell me where my son is!" Denny roared, his breath hot and rough against Adam’s face."Major... c’mon, let’s just talk inside," Adam gasped, trying to survive both the physical and mental pressure.Denny glanced at the big suitcase Jules was dragging behind her. "You running away?" he asked coldly. "You hid my son and now you’re running like a coward?"Adam shook all over. "No! I... I’m looking for him too, Major. I swear.""He was la

The bad news spread quickly, reaching every corner of the city. Lawrence Lincoln had never felt such panic before. Everyone in the country knew who David Cross was—a name feared by many, especially those involved in the illegal business world and the mafia.At a very young age, David had successfully taken over the entire dark business network connecting major cities, all the way to Vioremontis. Everyone also knew the powerful figure behind David, the one who enabled him to succeed and feel safe in his underground dealings. His father was a high-ranking military officer. With that power and influence, David’s operations ran smoothly with little to no interference.It was no secret that the profits from those illegal businesses were used to fund covert military operations not sanctioned by the government. As a result, the law could never truly touch them. Many had fallen victim, but David and his allies continued to live comfortably and free.However, as often happens, power can crumbl