Ethan stood near the entrance of the ballroom, his posture composed as he scanned the room. The air was thick with power, old money, and the unspoken tension between the two warring factions.High-ranking members of the Jade Society were gathered in their finest suits and gowns, mingling with the elites of the Obsidian Order. It was a rare sight—two powerful, secretive organizations that had spent decades undermining each other now standing side by side, exchanging pleasantries over champagne.But beneath the surface, everyone knew what this night truly was. A test beyond the spectacle. A leash around Ethan’s neck.He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing on the woman standing a few feet away.Clandestine Wood.Ethan found it strange that he had only recently learned the name of the old woman who gave his life meaning. To the public, she was the second richest woman in the world, a ghost who rarely showed her face, a woman who held power in places no one could trace. But even Ethan knew that

The wedding was set for the following year.The engagement party had been a success—on the surface, at least. The truce was intact. The demands had been negotiated. The power struggle had played out in polite, measured words instead of bloodshed.But Ethan felt no victory.Now, standing by the floor-to-ceiling window of his penthouse, he looked out at the sprawling city below. The skyline stretched endlessly, glowing under the moon’s quiet light. Yet, for all its vastness, he felt trapped.A pawn in a game too large for him to control.His reflection stared back at him in the glass, jaw tense, mind restless.Clandestine Woods.The real power behind the Jade Society. The woman who moved the pieces while he played the role of the grandmaster.His leadership? A front.His decisions? Guided.His life? Not his own.A soft rustle behind him. Then, warmth.Anna’s arms wrapped around his torso from behind, her bare skin pressing into his. He could feel her breasts against his back, the heat o

Ethan barely slept. The weight of the message he had received the night before pressed against his mind like an unshakable force. By morning, he wasn’t interested in breakfast or morning greetings. He needed answers. That was why he found himself knocking on Elena’s door before anyone else was even awake.She opened it, her hair still slightly disheveled, but her sharp eyes locked onto him immediately. "You look like hell.""I need you to do something for me. And it has to stay between us."She raised a brow but stepped aside, letting him in. "What is it?"Ethan hesitated for a second, then said, "Look into the past leaders of the Jade Society. See what you can find."Elena frowned. "Why?"He sighed. "On the night I saved you, I'd been returning from a gala. And at the gala, this asshole Felix challenged me and said something that’s been bothering me ever since. He claimed he'd seen leaders rise and fall over decades in the Society. But here’s the thing—Clandestine has been the only l

Through a phone call with Elena, Ethan got to learn that the prestigious Blackwell University served as the front for the Obsidian Order headquarters. It was a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, its name etched in gold across the main hall.Ethan drove through the iron gates, his presence turning a few heads as he stepped out of a limited-edition Lamborghini. The campus buzzed with activity, students in tailored uniforms walking across the pristine courtyard, completely unaware of the dark power that lurked beneath their feet.He was a stranger in enemy territory, yet he carried himself with the same effortless authority that had defined his rule over the Jade Society. But he wasn’t here to make a statement—he was here for answers.Waiting at the entrance was Isabella, his fiancée. Dressed immaculately, she exuded an air of elegance, yet her eyes were gentle and welcoming despite Ethan's unexpected visit."To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked, her smooth voice laced with some hi

“Say what now?” Ethan blinked, staring at her.Chloe’s older sister smirked, calm and unbothered, her eyes showing she was nothing like her sister. She reached under the counter, pulled out a near-empty bottle of whiskey. “Yeah. Serves her right. She was a brat. Always thought the world owed her a fairy tale.”Ethan raised a brow. “Oh, really?”She caught his expression and laughed. “Don’t look at me like that. I know my family are terrible people, trust me.”Ethan tilted his head, amused. “Is that why you ran overseas?”“You bet.”Ethan chuckled. “You’re not exactly what I expected,” he said, still trying to wrap his head around it.“I get that a lot.” She poured him another shot. “Name’s Joy, by the way.”He raised his glass. “Joy. That fits. So . . . what’s your story?”She leaned on the bar, arms crossed, eyes steady. “Hmm, my story?” she said, then smiled. “Nothing interesting, to be honest.”“I get the feeling I might find it interesting.”She laughed. “Doubt it,” she said, then