Janine, seeing what Klaus was about to do, rushed forward with her hands trembling as she reached for the gown. “Klaus, please! Don’t do this!” she cried out desperately, but Klaus who was towering with rage, snatched the dress away and hold it high above her reach. “You think you can defy me, Janine?” he sneered, “You think you can humiliate me and still get your little fairytale ending? Not on my watch.” “Klaus, stop this madness!” Robert shouted from behind, “This isn’t just about her, it’s about the man you’ve become!” But Klaus paid no heed, his eyes fixed solely on Janine. He grabbed her roughly by her hair, his grip like iron, and dragged her toward the front of the estate. “If you’re so keen on putting on a show, let’s make it a public one!” His grip tightened on her hair as he dragged her towards the estate’s front steps. Her cries of pain echoed but Klaus seemed deaf to them. “Klaus! Let her go!” Helen’s frail voice broke through the tension, but her pleas were ignore

Asher’s grip on Klaus’s face tightened, his fingers pressing hard into his jaw, holding him in place like he was trying to force him to face the truth of his actions.His sharp eyes turned to Janine, who stood a few feet away, frozen in shock. Her face was pale, and her shoulders shook as if the weight of everything that had happened was too much to bear.“Janine,” Asher said, his voice calmer now but firm. “Come here.”She hesitated, glancing between Klaus, who looked weak and defeated, and Asher, whose strong and protective presence felt almost too much to handle. Still, she didn’t move.Her eyes fell to the shredded remains of her dress lying on the floor, a painful reminder of everything Klaus had taken from her—her pride, her dreams, and her confidence.Asher took a step closer, still gripping Klaus by the collar.“Janine,” he said again, his voice steadier now, breaking through her haze of despair.“I know you’re tired. I know it feels like everything’s falling apart. But this

Klaus’s voice broke the silence, filled with panic and anger.“You’re lying, Asher!” he shouted, fists clenched, shaking with rage. “You’ve hated me from the start! This is just your way of destroying me, everything I’ve worked for!”Asher stood firm, unfazed by Klaus’s outburst. His calm, steady gaze never left Klaus, his face unreadable, but his presence alone was commanding and powerful.When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, deliberate, and far more menacing than Klaus’s frantic shouting.“Morgana,” Asher said, his tone carrying the weight of command, “bring the DNA results.”The crowd gasped, whispers quickly spreading, each one adding to the growing tension in the room.Morgana, standing at the edge of the crowd, stepped forward and handed Asher a sealed envelope. Her face was emotionless.Klaus’s fury shifted to panic as he watched Asher take the envelope.“This is insane!” Klaus yelled, his voice shaking. “What kind of man meddles in other people’s lives like this?"“You t

Janine’s gaze lifted to meet Asher’s, her expression caught between disbelief and confusion. “A name so bright?” she murmured, her voice barely audible. For a moment, Janine let herself imagine what it would feel like, what it might mean to be seen, cared for, and untouchable. But just as quickly, she snapped herself back into reality, her walls locking firmly in place.“Don’t bother, Asher,” she said, her voice shaking with frustration and resignation. “I told you, I don’t have it in me anymore. This… all of this… it’s just too much.”Asher didn’t flinch, his face was calm but determined.“I’ve heard those words before,” he said, his voice steady as he stepped closer. “From soldiers who thought they couldn’t take one more step, fight one more battle. You know what I told them?”Janine shook her head, unsure whether she wanted to hear the answer.“I told them that greatness isn’t born in comfort,” he said, his voice low and steady, like the calm before a storm. “It’s forged in fir

As Asher reached the top of the stairs, the room fell silent, every eye locked on him. Among the crowd, Harry, a stout merchant with sharp eyes felt a hot rush of indignation bubble up. He had spent years climbing his way up the social ladder, eager to win Ambrose's favor, and now this soldier, this outsider, was stealing the spotlight."Who does he think he is?" Harry muttered, his voice low but seething with frustration. "Just a soldier, acting like he owns the place."Before he could take another step, a firm hand shot out and grabbed his arm, halting him. It was Ambrose, his grip tight, his voice steady but with an edge."Harry, hold on," Ambrose said, his tone a warning. "This isn't the moment to make a scene."Harry pulled against Ambrose's hold, his face flushed with anger. "But this is disrespectful, Ambrose! Someone has to put him in his place!"Ambrose’s eyes narrowed, and he kept his grip firm. "The time is not now," he said coldly. "We’ll strike when the moment is right.