I’m so dead.That was the only thought echoing in Shark’s mind. His chest burned, his ribs screamed in agony, and blood pooled in his mouth. He could barely breathe, let alone fight.Then Jaden’s cold, apathetic voice rang out, shattering the silence.“Excuse me. Call the lift.”For a second, Shark thought he misheard. Of all the things he expected—threats, torture, death—this calm request was not one of them.He blinked, then understood.Ignoring the agony tearing through his ribs, he staggered to his feet, one trembling hand bracing against the wall. His other hand reached out, quivering, until it landed on the button.Ding!Several seconds later, the elevator arrived. The polished silver doors slid open with a soft whoosh.Jaden and Selena walked forward in unhurried steps, passing Shark as though he were nothing more than a broken piece of trash. The woman still clutched the corner of Jaden’s shirt, eyes squeezed shut, trusting him completely.Shark’s gaze locked on their backs.A

Kenton lounged lazily in a chair at the center of the wreckage, as if the blood and broken bodies around him were nothing more than stage props. Smoke curled elegantly from the cigarette between his fingers, twisting in the dim light. Behind him, ten bodyguards stood in perfect formation, stone-faced and silent, their eyes fixed ahead like statues.He exhaled a slow stream of smoke and glanced at Morix, whose battered body was still somehow upright despite the blood that dripped steadily from his wounds. Kenton’s lips curled into a smirk, a picture of cruel amusement.“I thought the man who killed my brother and brought down Black Monarch would be more… impressive.” His tone was mocking, dismissive. “But looking at you now? What a disappointment.”Morix swayed on his feet, his body torn to shreds, but his spirit had not cracked. His eyes blazed with defiance. He spat a mouthful of blood onto the floor with a wet splatter and snarled through gritted teeth.“You clowns won’t be celebrat

Putting on a brave front even as terror and impotent fury churned in his chest, Kenton raised his voice, his words cracking with desperation.“I’m Kenton Duvan, the heir to the Duvan family! Who dares to touch me!”His ten bodyguards instantly closed ranks, forming a wall of flesh and steel around him. Their stance was rigid, their blades drawn, their eyes filled with grim determination. They knew the odds, but none dared to retreat. To fail the young master meant a fate worse than death at the hands of their own clan.Kenton straightened his spine, hiding behind their formation. His voice rose again, though it quivered at the edges.“Kill them! Kill them all! I want his head on the floor!”The command barely left his lips before Kaelus and Morix moved.The two men leaped forward with the ferocity of predators unleashed, their expressions twisted with rage. They fell upon the bodyguards like wolves tearing into prey.Steel clashed against steel. Screams tore through the restaurant. Th

Xander’s expression darkened, his sharp eyes narrowing as he studied his son. “What do you have in mind, Elias? Speak plainly.”Elias leaned forward, voice low but filled with ambition. “Father, do you know of the Ortega family… one of the Southern Four?”The name alone carried weight. Xander’s brows shot up, and for a moment, even his breathing hitched. “Of course I know them. The Ortega family is a giant compared to the Duvans. They’re a second-tier power under the Four, but even so, the Duvans are practically insects next to them.”A sly grin spread across Elias’s face. “Exactly. You remember the last king of the Ironvale underworld, the man they called the Black Monarch?”Xander’s face stiffened at the mention. “Him? That shadow bastard who ruled Ironvale’s underground for a decade before Sable cut him down?”“That’s the one,” Elias confirmed, his eyes gleaming with calculation. “He was Ortega blood. When Sable wiped him out and swallowed his empire, he put a ban on gray businesse

Although the men wore nothing more than casual clothes, the aura they carried was anything but ordinary. Each one moved with the quiet confidence of seasoned killers, their gazes sharp, their presence suffocating. Anyone with half a brain could see that this was no group of ordinary thugs—this was a death squad.The head of the Duvan family, Kent Duvan, stepped forward, his voice booming with arrogance.“Rift, Sable… have you already resigned yourselves to death? Why else would you walk right into my hands? Very well! Since you’re so eager, I’ll give you a chance. End yourselves now and spare me the trouble.”Jaden, known to most as Rift, stood calmly with his hands clasped behind his back. He had stopped Kent here on the outskirts of Ironvale City for one reason only—to keep blood from spilling near his family. He hadn’t wanted his home tainted by the stench of slaughter.And yet, this arrogant fool thought he had come here to die?Jaden’s eyes narrowed, his tone cold and measured. “