The rain eased little by little, the storm clouds breaking apart into a faint drizzle. Streetlamps glistened with beads of water, their pale light shimmering across the slick pavement.Jaden turned to Selena and Mia, his smile warm but faintly distracted. "The rain isn’t so heavy now. Let’s go home.""Hooray! We can finally go home!" Mia clapped her hands, her laughter ringing out like a bell against the quiet night.Jaden drove steadily, his eyes on the road, though his mind was elsewhere. Beside him, Selena leaned back in the passenger seat, humming softly while Mia chattered from the back seat. For a brief moment, it felt like the war outside his world didn’t exist—only this small, fragile peace did.When they pulled into Winter Hall, Jaden brought the car to a gentle stop at the entrance. He leaned toward Selena. "You and Mia go ahead. I’ve got something to take care of. I won’t be long."Selena tilted her head, studying him for a second. "Business again?""Just for a while." He s

Nemesis Thorne shoved himself up from the sofa, straightening his disheveled clothes with jerky, aggressive movements. His cheeks were flushed—partly from liquor, partly from humiliation—but his eyes locked onto Morix Sable with forced defiance.Inside, his stomach twisted. The icy calm of Morix and his men told him exactly how dangerous this was. But Nemesis had lived his whole life behind the shield of greater powers. Bluffing was second nature to him.He squared his shoulders, masking his unease behind a mask of arrogance."Morix Sable," he growled, his tone sharp though his voice carried a faint tremor. "Do you even realize who you’re pointing those guns at? I am the protégé of the Ortega family—one of the Southern Four. Surely you’ve heard their name. Surely you know their reach."He jabbed a finger toward the floor, as if he were scolding a child."If you dare lay a finger on me, Mr. Ortega himself will come down like a hammer and crush your entire bloodline. Do you hear me? You

Even though it sounded too good to be true, Nemesis Thorne convinced himself it wasn’t a trick. Jaden Rift had given him permission to leave. Why risk staying a second longer?His legs wobbled as he scrambled to his feet. Without a backward glance, he bolted through the cracked doorway of the abandoned building, heart hammering against his ribs. The night air hit his lungs like ice, sharp and cold, but he didn’t stop. He ran as though the shadows themselves were chasing him.Freedom was only steps away.By the time Nemesis reached the highway, sweat had soaked his shirt. He doubled over, gasping for air, when headlights cut through the darkness. A cab was rolling toward him.He waved frantically, desperation etched into every gesture. The vehicle slowed, then stopped with a squeal of brakes. Nemesis yanked the back door open and slid inside, his chest heaving.“Take me to Ironvale City International Airport,” he ordered, forcing steadiness into his voice. “Now. Hurry.”The driver gave

Gideon Ortega let out a humorless bark of laughter that didn’t reach his eyes. “Exactly. Let the Old Master fume and post threats across the South. Let the families tremble. But if our boy wants to make this personal, then he should have his night.”Lazarus Ortega’s smile was a raw thing, frayed around the edges by morphine and rage. Even lying propped on pillows, the malice in him coiled tight as a spring. “What good is revenge if the target doesn’t feel it? I don’t want a quick death. I want him to know the taste of dread, to beg me for mercy before I decide he’s unworthy of it. And I’ll make sure he understands it — every waking hour.”Gideon and Harriett exchanged a look, a practiced performance of caution and loyalty. Gideon’s voice smoothed into a diplomatic tone. “Two months in the hospital, son. Let it calm you. We’ll tell Grandfather to delay any public moves. When you’re discharged, you’ll take care of things yourself. You’ll have our blessing.”Harriett squeezed Lazarus’s h

Jaden and Selena arrived for lunch right on time at noon.The atmosphere in the living room was unusually heavy. Selena immediately sensed her father’s mood. His face was drawn, his shoulders slumped, and there was a hollow look in his eyes. Concern etched across her face, she put her hand on his arm.“Dad, what’s wrong?” she asked softly.Before Vane could even reply, Nora stepped forward and, with barely contained fury, recounted the entire episode from earlier that morning. Every detail—the dismissal letter, Elizabeth’s smug expression, Xander’s cold betrayal—spilled out like venom.By the time Nora finished, Selena’s face was pale with shock. Jaden, however, was seething. His fists tightened under the table, the veins in his arms bulging as his rage boiled over.“So that’s how it is?” Jaden’s voice was cold, cutting through the silence. “After all Dad did, they tossed him aside like a broken tool? Used him as a shield, then kicked him away once the storm passed? Shameless.”Vane l