The announcer’s voice came out shaky, barely holding together. “L-ladies… and gentlemen… tonight… tonight just keeps getting… unbelievable. And now… the next fight… it’s… it’s between Ethan… and… Victor Draven! Also known as The Bonecrusher!”A wave of gasps swept through the arena.The massive figure stepped into the pit. Victor Draven. Every step he took shook the floor slightly. Broad shoulders, jagged scar across his forearm, veins popping in his neck. His eyes burned with cold focus as he scanned Ethan.Rachel’s grin stretched wide, predatory and cruel. “This is perfect! My champion… your nightmare, boy!" she shouted. “Look at him! He’ll crush you!”Victor’s voice was deep and rough, filled with menace. “I’ve heard about you… boy. You beat Hammer… big deal. Tonight, I crush your bones. That’s all that’s left for you.”Ethan simply smirked, calm and unbothered. “Bones? Don’t worry, I’ll leave you enough to stand on your feet… if you’re lucky.”Victor lunged immediately, his massiv

The crowd’s murmur turned into screams of fear. People backed away from the railings, eyes wide; phones came up and trembled. Victor’s jaw clenched, he was still kneeling in front of Ethan. Ethan’s stance didn’t change, but his eyes were knives. Aria’s voice broke. “Rachel—please—don’t do this. Put it down. I’ll get it. I’ll—” “Give me my money!” Rachel screamed, twisting her head toward Aria. Rachel yelled, furious, and pulled the trigger, aiming straight at Aria. Time seemed to stretch for a heartbeat. But in the next second, nobody understood what had happened. Rachel was on the floor, the gun gone from her hand. Victor—the Bonecrusher—had lunged and grabbed it. For a split second, Rachel froze, eyes wild. She saw her chance and snatched the gun back as Victor turned away. She aimed it at him, ready to fire. Victor moved faster. His hand shot up, blocking the shot. The gun went off. Both Rachel and Victor fell. The crowd froze. Phones shook in hands. Whispers raced

Elsa, standing right behind him, noticed. Her heart skipped. “Sir Ethan? What is it?” But Ethan didn’t answer right away. His jaw clenched, his gaze fixed on the girl’s sickly yellow eyes as if he recognized something terrible. Bill turned to him quickly, panic in his voice. “Master Ethan—what’s wrong? Do you know what’s happening to her?” Ethan stayed silent for a moment, his hand slowly reaching out toward the girl’s wrist to feel her weak pulse. His fingers pressed lightly against the girl’s wrist. Her pulse was faint, almost fading. He drew in a slow breath and finally spoke, his voice low but heavy. “She has Lunaris Vein Syndrome.” Bill froze. “Lunaris… what?” Elsa’s brows knit together. “I’ve never heard of that before.” “You wouldn’t have,” Ethan said, shaking his head. “It’s not a sickness hospitals can find. Normal doctors don’t even know it exists.” He glanced at the girl again, his eyes dark with worry. “It’s a rare blood corruption. The veins lose their strength

Elsa couldn’t believe her ears. Her lips parted, and she asked softly, “Bill… are you really willing to fight for the Aria family?” Bill lifted his head, his eyes red but clear. “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I owe everything to Master Ethan. And since he’s friends with them, I’ll fight for the Patterson family.” Elsa’s hands trembled as she pulled out her phone. She quickly called Aria. The moment the line connected, she blurted out, “Aria… you won’t believe this. The Bonecrusher just swore loyalty to your family.” On the other end, Aria gasped. “What? The Bonecrusher? You mean the Bonecrusher who ruled the underground arena before?” “Yes,” Elsa said, her voice shaking with excitement. “He said it himself—he will fight for your family.” There was a long silence, then Aria spoke again, disbelief in her tone. “Elsa… give the phone to your boss. I need to speak to him.” Elsa looked at Ethan, who was leaning weakly against the wall, still pale from the transfer. She gently pla

Elsa clenched her fists under the table, biting her lip hard. Then her mother spoke again, calmer but cutting. “Listen carefully. This marriage is more important than you realize. The Milton family struck a deal with Natalie White, the world-famous singer. Together, they’ll launch an entertainment company. Do you understand how powerful that will be? Your marriage to Jerry will tie us into that empire.” Elsa’s eyes widened in shock. “Natalie White? The same Natalie White who’s friends with Ethan? No way!” She shook her head quickly, almost laughing at the absurdity. “I know Natalie. We became friends. We chat a lot. She tells me about everyone she’s working with—and she never once mentioned Jerry or the Milton family.” Her voice hardened. “This is a lie. Natalie has no connection to Jerry. None.” But her words only earned cold, unyielding stares around the table. “You’re blind,” her father said firmly, his voice heavy. “Stop resisting. This marriage is your duty. Do it for the f