Elizabeth’s jaw snapped shut with an audible click, her face tightening like a trap about to spring. The tension in the room was almost physical, thick enough to choke on. No one spoke at first; they were all chewing over the same bitter thought.Aiden broke the silence with a snarl, his voice carrying the heat of pure resentment. “What the hell happened? We were this close to securing the Greyfield Shopping Mall project. Everything was lining up perfectly—and now these bosses are suddenly falling over themselves to invest in her?” His fist came down on the arm of his chair with a dull thud.Silence followed, heavy and suffocating. Eyes darted between one another, but no one seemed eager to be the first to speak again.Finally, Elias leaned forward, his tone slow, deliberate, and cutting. “It’s not hard to figure out if you think about it. Greyfield is a massive project. Once it’s completed, the returns will be astronomical. We know that… and you can be damn sure those businessmen kno

When Lionel Bobson heard that Harrison Hart was planning to “teach Jaden Rift a lesson,” his face lost all trace of ease. The man rarely let emotion slip in business matters, but this time his jaw set hard, and his voice carried a sharp warning edge.“Harrison,” Lionel said, every word deliberate, “I advise you to think very carefully before taking this course of action. Jaden Rift is not someone you want to provoke.”Harrison had the phone on loudspeaker, the call echoing through the lavish living room where Jones Morello, Elias, Talon, and Elizabeth sat watching him. They all heard Lionel’s words, and for a brief moment, the room seemed to tighten with curiosity.A slow, mocking snort left Harrison. “Director Bobson, are you telling me I shouldn’t touch Jaden Rift? Me—the king of the underground?” His tone was half incredulous, half amused, as though the idea itself was an insult to his reputation.“Yes,” Lionel replied, his voice firm, almost clipped. “I’m telling you to leave him

"Is there any way we can avoid that road in the future? As for the injured drivers and the detained trucks, maybe I could go down there and negotiate with those people myself?" Selena’s voice was tense but controlled, her knuckles whitening as her grip on the phone tightened.On the other end, Jackie let out a long, weary sigh that carried more weight than words. "No chance, boss. That road’s the only way in and out if we want to reach the site. There’s no detour unless you’re planning to drive halfway across the city and burn hours we don’t have."Selena’s brows pulled together, the crease between them cutting deeper with every word. "Have you called the police?""We did." Jackie’s voice dipped, frustration bleeding through. "But either they’re swamped or they just don’t want to get involved. And frankly? I think it’s the second one. They’re not coming anytime soon. This isn’t random trouble either… these guys know exactly what they’re doing. If we don’t handle it fast, demolition st

Smack!Another slap straight to Carlos's face. His thickly-built body flew backward like a sack of cement tossed from a truck, crashing into two of his own men. The three of them went down hard, a tangle of limbs and curses, rolling over the dusty ground before groaning to a stop.The entire street went silent for a heartbeat. Then came the gasps—sharp, disbelieving, like the crowd had just seen someone drop a bull with a single swat.Carlos twitched, trying to push himself up, but his cheek was already swelling, blood pooling at the corner of his mouth. That one hit wasn’t just strong—it carried the kind of bone-deep force that made everyone watching rethink whether they even wanted to be here.The other thugs shifted uneasily, glancing at each other. None of them missed the way Carlos’s head had snapped back from that blow.Then one idiot finally found his courage—or maybe his stupidity. “You dare hit Carlos?” he roared, spit flying. “Get him, boys!”The command broke the tension. K

Flushing as she realized how harsh her words had sounded, Selena shook her head quickly, her voice trembling but firm. “That’s not what I meant. They—” Emmanuel sliced through her protest like a blade. “They’re innocent. They were simply protesting your trucks for tearing up their roads. Your husband, on the other hand, deliberately assaulted them. That’s why I brought both of you in—to investigate this matter.” Before Selena could respond, Carlos strutted forward, a smug predator’s grin twisted over his bruised face. One hand clutched his swollen cheek, the other tucked casually in his pocket as though he owned the place. His eyes locked on Jaden with pure malice. “You little piece of trash,” Carlos snarled, his voice dripping venom. “You think you can lay a finger on us and get away with it? Do you have a death wish?” He turned his head slightly, addressing Emmanuel like they were old drinking buddies. “Vice-captain Ransom, this couple attacked thirty of my men. I’m demanding