The conference room was silent, thick with anticipation. The Minister sat at the head of the long polished table, flanked by ten dignitaries in clean-cut suits, exactly as Liera had mentioned. They sat poised and attentive, their faces unreadable but their eyes sharp.Nathan sat at the other end, directly across from Heath Grover. Heath’s stare was cold and unmoving, like a predator sizing up weak prey. Nathan shifted in his seat, adjusting his simple tie. His sleeve shirt, though neat, lacked the expensive finish of Heath’s tailored ensemble suit. His shoes were polished, but plain. It wasn’t just Heath giving him that look, several eyes along the panel had swept over Nathan with subtle judgment, noting his simplicity, his lack of presence.You don’t belong here – that was the message, loud and clear.The Minister cleared his throat then gave a firm nod and gestured toward Heath. "Mr. Grover, you may proceed."Heath stood slowly, confidence radiating from his every move. He straight

A thick silence followed.Realizing what he had just blurted out, Heath’s eyes widened slightly. He turned quickly, scanning the room. Several dignitaries had narrowed their eyes. One shook his head. Another pressed his lips into a firm line.“I mean,” Heath tried to recover, clearing his throat, “you shouldn’t say such things about us.”Nathan smiled faintly. “Words slip when the truth burns too close.”Heath’s jaw tensed. His teeth clenched hard enough that the muscle in his cheek jumped. He turned sharply to the Minister. “Mr. Minister, this is a deliberate attack on our name! He’s not even worthy of presenting here. Just a seventh-tier staff – he shouldn’t have been allowed in.”Nathan glanced at his watch. “I still have five minutes. May I finish?”Heath’s eyes flared. “No, you may not. You’ve said enough.”But one of them raised a hand. “Let the young man finish. He’s earned that right.”Another nodded. “He’s the only one who’s spoken with facts so far.”Heath’s voice rose with

The wind whispered through the nearby trees in the environment as Natalia stood a few feet from Nathan, her breath catching in her throat. His voice had been sharp, too sharp for a misunderstanding he was having.Her eyes widened, confusion flooding her face. Why would he think so vile of her?She shook her head quickly, trying to clear the rising panic in her chest.“No, Nathan. You're misunderstanding me.”But Nathan scoffed, dismissing her with a lazy wave of his hand as if she didn’t deserve to explain.“No. And I guess you didn’t come to my father’s grave earlier because you remembered it was his death anniversary,” he said bitterly. “You came with a mission.”Her brows drew together, lips parting in disbelief. “What do you mean, Nathan?”He took a step closer, his eyes cold and unreadable.“You knew I would be there. You came just to check what I’m up to. To find a reason to talk me out of the presentation I would make but I guess I didn't give you the perfect chance to carry ou

After a moment, Nathan's mind drifted to the rare herbs he was still looking for. Then he said, “I need your help with something.”Liera looked at him, her brows raised slightly in curiosity. “What is it?”He told her about the six remaining herbs he was searching for.She furrowed her brow. "They seem like ancient and rare herbs, but I'll do my best to help you find them.”Nathan nodded slowly, the corner of his lips barely lifting in gratitude. “Thank you.”As the car drove on, Nathan's thoughts drifted to his life five years ago which he could hardly recall.His brows furrowed as he pressed his palm against his temple. So much of his past was like shattered glass, fragments without shape, scattered in the wind.“How long have you known me, Liera?” he asked, turning to her, his voice soft but filled with weight.Liera looked at him again and responded. “For seven years, Nathan.”He nodded slowly. “You said I was a teenager when I created Dynasty Group.”“Yes,” she replied with pri

He strode over, yanked it open, and pulled out a long, narrow box. He dropped it on the bed with trembling fingers and sat beside it, his legs folded under him.He opened the box.Three syringes sat there, each one filled with a hard, amber-colored liquid.Velthrax. That was the name. A banned neurostimulant in liquid form once used to create super soldiers. When injected, it triggers a 90-second surge of violent rage and memory blackouts. Highly illegal in the city and dangerously addictive.He stared at them.Then, for a second, he almost shut the box. But the image of Nathan’s smug, confident smile – the way he stood before him with the dignitaries clapping for him like he was some golden boy – flashed in his mind.The sound of the minister’s applause, that brief glance of pride he gave Nathan… not him. Never him.Heath’s breath caught.“AHHHHH!” he screamed, stabbing the syringe deep into his thigh. The liquid surged into him and he tossed the needle away like poison.But it wasn’