Lazarus’s tone turned icy, the kind of cold that made Zendy’s heart skip a beat.“Zendy Brandy, are you sure you want to reject my invitation?” His voice dropped lower, sharp enough to cut glass. “You’re playing with fire. One call from me, and the Brandy family will vanish from Ironvale overnight. Don’t test me.”Zendy’s confidence cracked instantly. Her voice trembled, a mixture of panic and desperation.“Mr. Ortega, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not rejecting you! It’s not that I don’t want to go — I can’t!” she cried. “It’s a dream of mine to dine with both you and Mr. Rajar. But I’ve been… forced into something tonight. I swear I don’t want this either. Please believe me…”A cruel chuckle echoed from the other end of the line. “Forced? And who exactly has the guts to force my people into anything?” Lazarus sneered. “Who in Ironvale dares challenge me?”Zendy’s lip quivered. She hesitated for a moment, then saw her opportunity — she could use this to win his sympathy and protect

The hall was chaos. Gasps, curses, whispers—all blurring together. The music had stopped, the lights dimmed slightly, and every guest’s attention was glued to the screen still flashing those obscene, AI-forged images.“Turn that damn thing off!” Jaden barked, his tone sharp and commanding.Morix jolted into action. He grabbed the nearest waiter by the collar and snarled, “Get it off the screen now! Pull the plug if you have to!”The waiter rushed forward, fumbling for the remote, nearly knocking over a table in panic. Seconds later, the massive LCD finally went black.Silence followed, thick and tense.Vane’s hands were shaking with fury. He slammed his fist against the table hard enough to rattle the cutlery. “When I find out who did this,” he growled, his voice trembling with rage, “I swear I’ll take that bastard down—even if it kills me.”Morganna, pale but composed, wrapped her arms around Selena. Her sister was trembling, her breath shallow, her face flushed with humiliation and

Zendy Brandy collapsed onto the sofa, her entire body trembling uncontrollably. Her glassy eyes darted toward the television that now displayed her name on every news ticker in the country.“How… how could I be caught so fast?” she muttered, her voice shaking. “It’s only been a few minutes! How did Jaden Rift and Selena Verrick manage to mobilize every single network to expose me? How can they possibly have that kind of power?”Her hands clutched her head as panic consumed her. The walls felt like they were closing in, and every second that passed made her chest tighten further.Across from her, Lazarus Ortega and Trust Rajar sat frozen in disbelief. Even for men who had seen and done unspeakable things, what had just happened was beyond comprehension.“How… did Rift pull this off?” Trust whispered, glancing at Lazarus as if expecting him to have the answer.Lazarus’s jaw twitched, the glass of whiskey in his hand trembling slightly. His mind was racing, trying to make sense of it. Th

Lazarus rose from the couch and adjusted his blazer, the air around him cold and oppressive. “Mr. Rajar,” he said smoothly, his tone all business now, “let’s go somewhere quieter and continue our discussion. We still have unfinished business—like how to secure the sales rights for the liver-cancer vaccine from the Mad Doctor.”Trust nodded quickly, forcing a smile. “Of course. Let’s talk over a drink.”Without another glance at Zendy, the two men walked out with their guards, the sound of their footsteps fading down the corridor. The heavy door closed with a final click, leaving Zendy Brandy alone in the luxurious suite that suddenly felt like a prison cell.For the first time that night, the silence was unbearable. Her carefully built world—her wealth, her status, her pride—had collapsed in a matter of hours. She had been the one who always toyed with people, who humiliated others to get ahead, but now she was the one reduced to a trembling mess.Her reflection in the mirrored wall m

The next morning, Professor Abraham Manuel, known in the scientific world as the Mad Doctor, arrived punctually at Ironvale City International Airport. He traveled light—only one assistant accompanied him, a young man carrying a worn leather briefcase filled with confidential research documents. The professor’s purpose in Ironvale was twofold. First, to finalize the distributorship rights of his revolutionary liver cancer vaccine with Jaden Rift—a man he personally vetted and trusted. Second, to visit his beloved granddaughter, Rita Manuel, who was currently studying at Ironvale City University. Professor Manuel hadn’t informed Jaden of his arrival. He preferred discretion, planning to surprise his granddaughter before meeting Jaden later that evening. However, as soon as he stepped out of the airport’s arrival hall, his quiet entrance was disrupted. Two luxury sedans were parked nearby, flanked by several black SUVs. Dozens of men in sharp suits stood in formation. From the middle