Isabelle's expression shifted instantly, panic flashing in her eyes. “Vincent… is she really from the Fairchild family?” she asked nervously.Vincent gave a bitter smile. “Not just from the family. From the look of it, she’s the heir—Dr. Fairchild’s one and only granddaughter.”Isabelle fell silent, her face stiffening with unease. The Fairchilds were a top-tier, elite family. If things really got ugly, the Carter family wouldn't even be on their radar.Vivian didn’t spare her a glance. Instead, she turned to Mariya and said calmly, “You must be Karvel’s ex—President Mariya, right?”“I am,” Mariya replied, keeping her voice steady.“Then let me be direct,” Vivian said coolly. “You seem like a smart woman, so I won’t sugarcoat it.”“Your mother and your brother? Not a single word they say is worth believing.”“At the time, your dear little brother pulled a knife on Karvel and tried to force him into something. When that didn’t work, he went in for a slash.”“Oh, and your mom? Ninety

The bald man leading the group chomped on a cigarette and swept a finger across the room. “Which one of you is the CEO of the Carter Group?”From the way these guys looked—black suits, dead eyes, zero hesitation—it was obvious they weren’t here for friendly business. The restaurant guests shrank back instinctively, sensing trouble.Mariya stepped forward, frowning. “I’m Mariya. What do you want?”The bald guy's eyes lit up, and a filthy grin crept across his face. “Knew it’d be a knockout. Now tell me—your Carter family, you’ve secured that piece of land, haven’t you?”“That’s right,” Mariya replied coldly. “It belongs to us.”“Great,” he sneered. “In that case… boys, take her.”Mariya’s face darkened. “Don’t you dare.”The bald man’s grin widened into something sinister. “Oh, sweetheart, you’ll find out soon enough how dare we are.”“We want that land—and those long, pretty legs of yours too. At least three years of fun, eh?” He laughed, his thugs echoing him with crude guffaws.Eth

Karvel Cross stepped out of the hotel lobby, hands tucked into his pockets as the late evening breeze brushed past him. He had intended to walk away from the chaos of the evening—from Mariya, from Vincent, from everything that didn’t concern him anymore.Let it be. I’ve already wasted enough time and energy tonight.But a commotion stopped him in his tracks. Shouts. Cries. The unmistakable sound of someone being struck, hard.He turned slightly, eyes narrowing as he caught sight of a group of men in dark suits forming a circle near the entrance. At the center of it, Vincent Langford stumbled back from a brutal slap, his face contorted in pain.Karvel didn't react right away. Instead, he stood at a distance, arms folded loosely as he observed.Dante Syndicate, he noted silently, recognizing the crest on the bald leader's ring. Small-time enforcers. So what are they doing here? What could they possibly want with the land?From where he stood, it looked like Vincent had tried to put on a

The air in the hotel lobby seemed to crystallize as the name "Ryker" hung between them. A collective intake of breath followed—the kind that precedes a storm. Karvel Cross had taken one step forward, his movement causing a ripple of anticipation through the onlookers.So Victor Ryker wants to play this game in the open now, Karvel thought, measuring his next move carefully. Interesting choice.Vivian Fairchild hovered near Karvel, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fascination. She hadn't expected the situation to escalate to this level—the name Ryker was not one thrown around lightly in their circles."Ryker? As in Victor Ryker?" Vincent's voice cracked, his previous bravado completely evaporated. Blood trickled from his split lip as he stared up at the bald thug leader with newfound terror. "You work for the Victor Ryker?"The thug leader's mouth curved into a cruel smile. "Finally, the pretty boy understands the situation." He yanked Vincent up by his collar. "Yes, Mr. Ryker

As Vincent Langford's true character unraveled before her eyes, a memory surfaced in Mariya's mind—Karvel's warning about Vincent weeks ago. His words had been clear, precise, and utterly dismissed by her at the time."He'll abandon you the moment things get difficult," Karvel had told her. "Men like Vincent only care about themselves."Mariya had laughed it off then, convinced it was simply jealousy speaking. Now, watching Vincent scramble to save himself at her expense, those words echoed with painful clarity.I should have listened, she thought, her chest tightening. I was so determined to prove Karvel wrong that I refused to see what was right in front of me."Vincent, please," Mariya tried one last time, her voice softer now, almost pleading. "Just tell them the truth. You know you arranged this deal. You promised me—promised my family—that the Langfords would protect us."Vincent's face twisted into an ugly sneer, all pretense of charm completely abandoned. "Take responsibility