Suddenly the atmosphere in the banquet hall shifted as the crowd’s murmurs grew louder. Heads turned, phones raised, and whispers rippled through the air like electricity.“He’s here...”A figure entered, flanked by his entourage—tall, broad-shouldered, with a sharp, charismatic presence that demanded attention. Alexander “Alex” Rivers, the son of Victor Rivers, the most powerful man in Ravenmoor's entertainment industry—and also the owner of this cruise ship. His every step seemed deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey.The crowd buzzed like a hive disturbed. Phones clicked rapidly, the flashes almost blinding.“Oh my God, is that Alex Rivers? The real Alex Rivers?” a woman gasped, her voice trembling with excitement.“He’s so gorgeous.” Another woman sighed dreamily, clutching her heart.“And that’s his girlfriend, Miss Hannah Blackwood, right? She just made her debut and became a huge sensation in the entertainment industry, just a few weeks ago!” The admiration was almost p

Hannah quickly stepped in, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor as she stood between Alex and the girl he was closing in on.“Mr. Rivers, I think there’s been a misunderstanding,” she said calmly, though her voice was firm. “This girl doesn’t look like one of your fans. Just let it go.”She didn’t care for Alex Rivers—truth be told, she found him arrogant and unbearable—but her grandfather had arranged their “connection” in hopes of elevating their family. Alex was a rising name in entertainment, and Hannah had dreams far beyond her bland teaching career. He was her ticket out, and she wasn’t ready to burn the bridge… yet.Alex’s eyes narrowed, and he exhaled smoke from the cigarette dangling lazily between his lips. He turned his head just slightly, his gaze locking onto Danny.The look he gave wasn’t just cold—it was deadly.Danny felt his stomach twist. The moment their eyes met, he felt like his soul froze.“Damn it,” he muttered under his breath, feeling like his b

“That’s… that’s Jaden Rift?” someone in the crowd stammered, voice trembling. “The guy who took down the entire Thornfell Hotel… and wiped out the Gravesend Group?” A stunned silence followed. Then panic. All color drained from Reuben’s face as the truth hit him like a sledgehammer. His knees buckled, and he collapsed onto the polished floor with a dull thud, landing on his backside. “No... No, no, no...” Reuben gasped, sweat pouring down his temples. “I—I mocked the King of War? I’m done. It’s over for me… I need to leave this country. Hell, I need a new identity.” He scrambled backward like a man trying to escape death itself. Across the hall, Alex sneered, completely missing the shift in atmosphere. Victor’s eyes twitched as he watched his son smirk like an idiot in front of a lion. “Hmph,” he muttered under his breath before snapping his head toward Alex and landing a sharp, unexpected slap across his son’s cheek. Smack! The sound cracked through the air like a gunshot.

“Drax, what’s going on?” Jaden’s voice crackled through the comm, calm but edged with steel.A beat of silence. Then Drax answered, voice low and alert.“Boss, we’ve got a ghost aboard. Assassin. Real slippery — but when you opened your door just now? There was a leak. A flicker of murderous intent. Sharp as a blade.”Jaden’s expression hardened.Without hesitation, he spun around, reopened the door, and yanked Hannah — stunned and half-flustered — back into the room.“Wha—? Jaden?” she gasped as he pushed her inside.Her dress fluttered as she stumbled back, confused.“Even if you’re mad… I can still forgive you,” she said, trying to smile, brushing her hair behind her ear.Jaden didn’t even look at her.“Interesting,” he muttered, eyes locked on something invisible, his mind already elsewhere. “I’ll be right back.”He left her standing there, alone — lips parted, eyes narrowing with frustration.---On the shadowed edge of the starboard wing, stood a solitary figure dressed in matte

Rider staggered back, breathing hard. Sweat clung to his temples as the crowd's cheers blurred into background static.But it wasn’t exhaustion gripping him.It was fear.Something about Jaden Rift didn’t add up. His eyes… they weren’t the eyes of a mere combatant. They were something far darker—something ancient. Calm. Cold. Inevitable.And then he said those words again. “Do you remember the woman who jumped from a building ten years ago?”The memory hit Rider like a lightning bolt through his spine.He remembered.That night had started like a joke. A party. A dare. A private suite. Laughter. Screams muffled behind glass.He remembered standing at the edge of the rooftop. Watching her cry.The woman had begged. Begged.And they’d laughed.His fists clenched, blood rushing to his face.“No,” he growled. “That was nothing. Just another casualty. You think I care about—” CRACK!Jaden’s fist slammed into his ribs like a hammer. Bone crunched.Rider’s scream was drowned out by the gas