After leaving the hotel, Jaden and Selena made their way home in his BMW. The night air was cool, the streets dimly lit by scattered lamps, but Selena’s mind was elsewhere.She was still replaying the scene of Quinn’s private performance over and over, her admiration for Jaden growing by the second. Tilting her head toward him, her eyes sparkled with curiosity.“How did you manage that? Quinn never accepts private invitations. Yet she dropped everything for you.”Jaden’s expression remained calm, his hands steady on the wheel. While keeping his eyes on the road, he gave a quick glance into the rearview mirror. A rusty, beat-up car had been tailing them for several blocks. Its movements were suspicious—sometimes hanging back, sometimes creeping closer.Without letting his sharp gaze linger, Jaden answered casually, “There was an incident years ago. I saved Ms. Quinn while I was on duty. She’s always been grateful. When I called tonight, she didn’t hesitate.”Selena’s lips parted in sud

Bison and his gang were now glaring ferociously at Jaden, knives flashing under the dim streetlights, threatening to stab him if he didn’t back off immediately.But instead of running like they expected, Jaden only stood there, his hands relaxed at his sides, his face calm as if he was watching children throw a tantrum. Then, a faint curl tugged at the corner of his lips."Are you done with your bullsh*t?" Jaden smirked, his voice like cold steel cutting through the night.That single sentence hit them harder than any insult. Their plan had been simple: scare Jaden, humiliate him in front of Selena, and then force him to leave her behind. But Jaden wasn’t scared. He wasn’t even pretending to be cautious. He was mocking them.The arrogance in his demeanor made Bison’s blood boil. Rage contorted his bulky face, and his fingers tightened around the knife handle until his knuckles turned white.Since he’s Mr. Christian’s enemy and fear doesn’t work… I’ll just kill him here!Bison’s eyes g

Christian’s face darkened, his tone sharp with mock indignation. “Selena, what exactly do you mean by that? I saw your car parked by the roadside and sensed something wasn’t right. I rushed over because I was worried about you. And now I’m the one being accused?”Selena’s eyes were icy as she pointed straight at Bison and his crippled crew, groaning on the ground. “Don’t waste your breath. They already confessed that you’re the mastermind behind this farce. So drop the act, Christian. It’s over.”Christian stiffened. His gaze flicked toward Bison and the others, venom in his eyes. “You worthless trash… How dare you betray me!”Bison, drenched in cold sweat and writhing in pain, coughed blood as he forced out his words. “M-Mr. Christian… we had no choice… If we didn’t tell the truth, Mr. Rift would’ve killed us on the spot. You don’t understand how terrifying he is…”Christian’s fists clenched, his face twisting in fury. He looked like he wanted to stomp Bison’s skull in right then and

Kent then shifted his gaze toward one of Christian’s surviving bodyguards. His expression was grim, his voice cold as steel.“You. Speak. Tell me everything that happened.”The bodyguard’s knees trembled as he bowed his head. “Sir… Selena Verrick belongs to the Verrick family. Mr. Christian… he had feelings for her. But it wasn’t entirely his doing. The Verricks encouraged him to pursue her. They planted the idea in his head, promising that winning her over would give him influence and leverage in Ironvale City. If not for their constant urging, Mr. Christian might never have gone down this path… he might still be alive.”The hall fell into silence for a moment, heavy and suffocating.Elias’s face turned ashen, fury and fear flashing in his eyes. He snapped at the bodyguard, his voice sharp with desperation. “You liar! How dare you twist the truth in front of the patriarch!”But Kent Duvan lifted his hand, silencing the outburst. His expression grew darker, his eyes gleaming with leth

Everyone in the room knew one undeniable truth: the Duvans were not people you could offend and walk away unscathed. Their power reached across the city like a shadow, smothering anyone foolish enough to cross them. Since the Verricks had already been dragged into this storm, there was no backing out. They had no choice but to follow Kent Duvan’s command—avenge his son and seize Selena Verrick’s project—or risk being erased completely.The silence in the room grew heavier by the second. Xander Verrick leaned back in his chair, his face drawn and pale. His breathing was slow, his chest rising and falling with the weight of a man carrying decades of responsibility for his family’s survival. He rubbed his temples and finally broke the silence.“I’ve lived long enough to know when a wall is closing in on us,” he muttered. His voice was hoarse, tired, carrying a finality that made both Elias and Aiden stiffen. “The Duvans won’t give us a second chance. This matter is no longer about wealth