The ballroom felt eerily silent after the last mocking voice had died down. Chandeliers glittered above, casting golden light across polished marble floors that reflected the smug expressions of the so-called elites who had just torn into Javier Everhart with their words.Their jeers still lingered in the air.“He looks like he can’t even afford a drink here.”“Valeria must be embarrassed walking around with him.”“Is he her driver?”They thought themselves clever, measuring worth by the brand of a watch or the logo stitched onto a suit. Javier let them speak, let their arrogance hang heavy in the air. A darker, calculating part of him even wanted to see how far they would go.Beside him, Valeria stiffened with every insult, her fingers twitching against his arm as though ready to lash out in his defense. But Javier gave the faintest shake of his head. This was his battle to fight.A man in a tailored navy suit, his silver hair slicked back with meticulous precision, stepped forward.

The atmosphere inside the Solano Group’s ballroom was heavy with murmurs and uneasy glances. The lavish chandeliers cast warm light across the polished marble floor, but the tension was thick enough to drown out the clinking of champagne glasses. Javier Everhart stood near the center, his tall frame straight and his expression carved in stone.Only an hour ago, the same people now shifting uncomfortably had laughed at him—loud, mocking laughter that rang in his ears like an insult carved into his very name.“Look at his suit. Off-the-rack, for sure.”“Valeria really married down. I heard he doesn’t even have a proper car—probably drives something from last decade.”“The Everhart name? Never heard

Javier Everhart walked into the lavish hotel lobby, his hand loosely holding Valeria Solano’s. She was radiant in a sleek black gown, her dark hair swept to one side. But as their heels and polished shoes clicked across the marble floor, murmurs began. Not the admiring kind—no, these were sharp whispers laced with contempt.“Who invited him?”“I swear, the Solano girl could’ve done better.”“Look at his suit—probably rented. Doesn’t even fit him right.”Javier heard every word. His jaw didn’t tighten, his pace didn’t falter. The comments slid into his ears like knives, but he didn’t give them the satisfaction of a reaction.They entered the ballroom where the city’s so-called elites gathered, clinking glasses of champagne, flashing rehearsed smiles. The lighting was golden, the air thick with perfume and arrogance.“Valeria, darling!” A woman with diamond earrings approached, her painted smile faltering as her gaze flickered to Javier. “And… your friend.”“My husband,” Valeria correct

The ballroom had long emptied, but the echoes of humiliation still lingered in the gilded walls. Valeria stood gracefully at Javier’s side, her hand intertwined with his. The grand reveal of his name—Javier Everhart, heir to a colossal empire—still hung like smoke in the air, choking those who had dared to ridicule him.But even as the last guests left, there were shadows that refused to disperse. They came back, not in groups but one by one. Predators who, stripped of their arrogance, now crawled like desperate supplicants.The first was Donovan Harland, his jowls quivering as he wiped sweat from his brow. He approached Javier with a forced smile, voice cracking under the weight of fear.“Mr. Everhart… Javier… I—I believe we may have gotten off on the wrong foot earlier. A silly misunderstanding, nothing more.” His laugh was brittle, like glass about to shatter. “You know how these events are—people drink, tongues get loose. I meant no offense.”Javier didn’t answer immediately. His

“He moves in shadows, Señor Everhart,” Antonio whispered, sliding the dossier across the polished mahogany desk. “Damian has already acquired three of the shipping routes you used to control. He pays double the price, and his influence stretches beyond what I’ve ever seen. He isn’t asking to be your equal—he’s declaring himself your predator.”Javier’s eyes narrowed as he leaned back in his leather chair, the quiet ticking of the antique clock filling the silence. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest. “Predator? He forgets predators only thrive until they meet a greater beast.”Antonio hesitated. “Damian doesn’t operate like others. He has no need for approval, no interest in alliances. He buys loyalty with fear, not respect. Already, men who swore their lives to you have taken his offers.”A flicker of rage stirred in Javier’s chest, but he swallowed it, forcing calm. Losing his temper was what Damian wanted. Instead, he smiled faintly. “Let them run to him. A dog fed