Jaden’s eyes were like shards of ice. His calm voice cut through the tense air.“That elderly man you beat up earlier…” he said, each word measured, deliberate. “That was my father-in-law.”The words hit Bigi and his men like a punch to the gut. For a second, no one moved. Then murmurs rippled through the crowd.“What?”“His father-in-law?”“Wait, that old man they attacked near the Roden?”Bigi’s jaw tightened. His face darkened as he exchanged glances with his crew. A mixture of disbelief and unease flickered in his eyes before anger quickly took over.“So that’s what this is,” he growled, his lips curling into a sneer. “You came looking for trouble.”He spat on the ground and roared, “Hounds, get him! We’ll avenge Terrier!”The men roared in unison, fueled by rage and embarrassment.Wolfhound was the first to move, charging with a dagger gripped tight. “I’ll gut you open!” he bellowed as he lunged straight for Jaden’s torso.The crowd gasped and stumbled back in panic. Morganna’s v

The hospital corridors were eerily quiet. The hum of fluorescent lights filled the still air, and the faint scent of disinfectant lingered like a ghost. Most of the day staff had already gone home, leaving only a handful of night-shift workers scattered about.Even the emergency department, usually alive with noise and chaos, looked deserted. A few patients dozed in wheelchairs, their soft groans echoing faintly. The flickering sign above the nurses’ station blinked red, but no one seemed to be in a rush.On one of the benches in the waiting area sat Selena, Nora, and Mia, their faces heavy with frustration and worry. Between them sat Vane, his head slightly bowed, his shirt stained with blood. His face was swollen, one eye darkened from bruising, a thin stream of blood still trickling from his nose.The door to the emergency room was firmly shut. Behind it, no one was coming or going.When Jaden and Morganna stepped through the automatic doors, the air shifted. Selena looked up insta

Selena's eyes widened in anger and shock. How could anyone be that heartless and arrogant? Blood on a face, and the man who did it was still grinning like he owned the street. Enough was enough.Jaden’s expression hardened. “I gave you a chance. You walked away from it.”Teni gave a bored snort and leaned back in his chair. “Oh yeah? And what are you going to do about it? File a complaint with my bosses?”He spread his hands as if presenting an obvious fact. “Listen. My immediate boss is like a brother. I meet the higher ups for drinks. Complaints are useless. They either laugh or look the other way.”Teni expected the room to agree with him. Instead, Jaden pulled a phone from his pocket and dialed without hesitation. He spoke in a quiet, direct voice. “Mayor Russell Crow. Connect me to the Chief of Second People’s Hospital now.”Teni barked out a laugh. “What a joke.” He waved a hand. “Even if your chief lives in staff housing, you will need a jetpack to get him here in five minutes.

Selena and her family were still in shock from everything that had unfolded so quickly. Seeing the cops drag in the Hounds and Jaden handling everything with such calm authority felt surreal. When Zed Walker and his team saluted before leaving, Selena hurriedly stepped forward.“Thank you so much, Captain Walker,” she said sincerely. “We truly appreciate what you’ve done.”Zed waved a hand dismissively, his expression composed but respectful. “No, please, Mrs. Rift. Don’t thank us. We were just doing our jobs,” he replied. “Mr. Rift gave us all the information we needed. We only followed his lead.”Morganna, standing behind Selena, rolled her eyes playfully at Jaden. There he goes again, she thought. Acting all humble like he didn’t just order the entire police unit around. He’s really something else.While Selena’s family was filled with relief and gratitude, one person in the room was visibly falling apart—Teni.The arrogant doctor from earlier had lost every ounce of color in his f

Finley’s grin widened, slow and deliberate, his tone carrying that mix of arrogance and mockery he was famous for.“Selena Verrick is quite the beauty,” he said, eyes narrowing with amusement. “Honestly, even half the models and actresses plastered across billboards can’t compete with her. The woman’s got that... rare kind of allure.”Carley’s head snapped toward him, irritation flashing in her eyes. “What are you trying to say, Finley?”He gave a small, knowing shrug. “Nothing outrageous. Just a simple truth—beauty is a powerful weapon. Men lose their heads over a pretty face all the time. Who’s to say Professor Manuel didn’t?”Carley’s jaw tightened. “You’re implying that Selena seduced Professor Manuel? That she used her looks to get the vaccine rights?”Finley smirked. “I’m saying it’s the only explanation that fits. That professor’s not a fool—he’d never give such a lucrative deal to a small company like Rift Corporations unless something personal clouded his judgment.”Carley le