Natalia stepped back into the house, her heels clicking lightly against the tiled floor. But just as she turned toward the living room, she stopped dead in her tracks.There, on the rug, her mother and sister were knee-deep in the boxes of gifts Heath had brought. Bright fabrics, designer perfumes, expensive wines, and golden-wrapped boxes filled the space. Laughter echoed between them.“Oh my goodness, Joyce, look at this one!” Thelma gasped, holding up a shimmering scarf. “This fabric alone could buy a whole shop.”Joyce giggled, running her hands over a crystal vase. “Mother, he even brought imported wine and chocolates! He’s such a gentleman.”Thelma turned, smiling dreamily. “I told you. It would be amazing if we could have a relationship with the Grover family. Heath is a gem.”“True, Mother,” Joyce agreed, clutching one of the gift boxes to her chest. “The Grovers are a big deal. Heath’s so thoughtful too. I mean, who visits a friend’s family with this much? He did all this to

Gregg’s palms were slick with sweat. The icy air from the air conditioner blew directly at him, yet his shirt clung to his skin as though he stood under the hot sun. He sat stiffly on the edge of the chair before the Italian man he secretly worked for, Ricci. Ricci’s broad mahogany desk stared at the ashtray filled with half-burnt cigarettes. The pungent smell of tobacco clung to the air like a curse.Ricci leaned back in his chair, a massive cigar perched between his fingers, smoke swirling slowly around his head like a misty crown. His piercing eyes, cold and unblinking, bored into Gregg.The silence stretched, heavy, suffocating. Gregg’s throat tightened as Ricci took another long drag, exhaled slowly, and said nothing.“Si… Sinore Ricci,” Gregg finally stammered, his voice cracking under pressure. “I—uh—I’m sorry I’m showing up now, sir. I should have come earlier but—”Ricci’s hand shot up, halting him mid-sentence. His voice, low and calm but deadly, sliced through the air.“It

Gregg left Suite 28 with the air of a man who has been dragged through a storm. He paused just outside the hotel’s glass doors and let out a long, heavy breath, the kind that seemed to try and suck the night back into the room. The exterior lights of Marlowe Suites reflected off his cheekbone; the bruise there shone like a bruise should: angry and unfair. He touched it with the back of his hand as if to prove the pain was real.A few hotel staff and late guests glanced his way; some eyes lingered in astonishment. Gregg’s shirt clung to him, darkened where sweat had soaked through, and his hair was plastered at his temple. His face carried the imprint of Ricci’s temper: red, sore, embarrassed. He straightened his jacket as though that could press his dignity back into place, then forced his legs down the steps to the street.Jimmy, his personal assistant, hurried across the drive, keys in hand, and opened the back door of the waiting car. He looked at Gregg’s face and did that sharp, s

Nathan swung his legs off the bed, his bare feet brushing the cold tiles as his brows drew together. He ran a hand down his face, trying to push away the last traces of sleep.“What’s the problem?” he asked, his tone calm but heavy, the grogginess quickly replaced by alertness.Liera’s voice came through the receiver again, low and hurried. Nathan didn’t interrupt. He just listened quietly and intently, the muscles in his jaw tightening the longer she spoke. The room was dim, only the faint blue light from his phone illuminating his expression.When she finished, he sighed deeply and said simply, “I’ll be at the company by morning.”There was a pause, a faint exhale from her end, then the line went dead.Nathan set the phone down, leaned back, and inhaled, the sound of his breath loud in the silent room. He stared at the ceiling for a few seconds, his mind already spinning through possible scenarios. By nine a.m., Nathan was striding into Dynasty Group. The morning bustle filled the

The superior gulped, lowering his gaze in hesitation. His fingers hovered over the keyboard for a beat too long. “The last three days, you said?”“Yes,” Nathan said.The superior’s jaw flexed. “Alright.” He clicked through files, pulling up video feeds that flickered to life across the monitors.“I think a theft happened recently." The superior gulped again, avoiding her gaze. As the footage rolled, the dull hum of the screens filled the room. The superior’s voice was quick, oddly defensive. “As you can see, nothing unusual. No unauthorized entries. The system logs no forced access either.” He scrolled again, faster this time. “See? No one has entered the safe room after your last visit, Ms. Liera.”Liera crossed her arms, watching the screen intently. “Someone must have,” she murmured. “A theft like this doesn’t just happen. Someone entered that room and stole some documents.”The superior chuckled softly, too softly, and too sure of himself. “Impossible, ma’am. That would have been