Ethan let out a cold, humorless laugh.SMACK!The sound of the slap echoed like a gunshot. Michael’s head jerked violently to the side, Ethan’s palm leaving an angry red welt on his cheek. Blood spurted from Michael’s mouth—a mix of spit and crimson streaming down his chin.A gasp swept through the restaurant like a wave.“Oh my God!”“Did he just slap Michael Perez?!”“Holy crap, that sounded like a whip!”Plates clattered. A glass shattered. A woman shrieked, clutching her pearls. Chairs scraped as people backed away from the confrontation like it was radioactive.Michael stumbled, his hand to his cheek, eyes wide with rage.“Y-You’re dead!” he howled. “Do you even know who I am?! You’re finished! I’ll make you disappear, you piece of trash!”“That’s Michael Perez! He’s from that Perez family!”“No one touches a Perez. No one!”“This man is either insane or suicidal!”Michael’s lips curled into a snarl as blood dribbled between his teeth. He looked like a rabid dog ready to bite.Bu

Knox’s face twitched. Michael’s shriek still echoed, but the weight of Ethan’s gaze held him prisoner. He hesitated—then, seeing no other way out, he gave a short, grim nod.His fingers trembled as he slowly raised a hand.“Take him down,” he said through clenched teeth.Alveolar cracked his knuckles, a sick grin spreading across his scarred face.Alveolar bared his teeth like a wolf. “Last time was luck, punk,” he spat. “This time, we’ll teach you what a real beating feels like.”With a loud shout, his men surged forward like a flood of shadows—chains swinging, blades glinting.But Ethan didn’t rise from his seat.The first man lunged—and dropped like a sack of bricks. Ethan had moved so fast, it was hard to tell what even happened. A knee to the gut, a jab to the throat, a crunch of bone. In seconds, the air was filled with grunts and cries of pain.Alveolar charged in personally, fury burning in his eyes. “YOU GOT LUCKY LAST TIME!”He swung a metal pipe straight at Ethan’s head.CL

Everyone’s attention was still locked on Ethan and the trembling aftermath of Michael’s broken leg. Knox’s breath came fast and shallow, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.Ethan’s sharp gaze swung toward Knox. “John, make sure the Crimson Serpents straighten out their act. Stop them from stirring up trouble.”Knox’s face crumpled. “Wait—please, Master Ethan, don’t be too harsh. The Crimson Serpents… we’ve never done anything truly evil. We’ve been on the receiving end of the Delta gang’s bullying for years now. They’re the real threat from the west side.”John’s expression flickered with uncertainty, but he didn’t say a word.Knox took a shaky breath, eyes pleading. “We’re barely holding on. The gang’s on the verge of falling apart. That’s why we reached out to the Perez family for help.”Ethan crossed his arms, considering. After a moment, his tone softened—but only slightly. “If you want our help to deal with the Delta gang, you have to promise one thing: the Crimson Serpen

Elsa arched a brow, arms still crossed. “And by ‘they,’ you mean Sierra and Marcus as well?”Ethan’s jaw ticked, but his voice was calm. “Are they qualified to attend?”She hesitated. “They are. Sierra’s firm still holds minor shares through that shell company, and Marcus is listed as a senior investor on the innovation committee. Both have valid access.”Ethan’s expression didn’t shift. “Then don’t revoke their invitations.”Elsa blinked. “Are you sure? If we act fast, I can easily make them vanish from the guest list. No one would notice.”“No,” he said firmly, walking toward the glass wall. His reflection in it looked like a man carved from cold steel. “Let them come. Let them dress up and smile and think they’ve won. Then I’ll end them. Publicly. No shadows this time.”Elsa gave a low whistle. “That’s savage. I like it.”He turned back toward her. “Arrange for my entrance to be last. I want them to think I’m not attending.”She smirked. “Fashionably dramatic. Noted.”Ethan nodded

Nova Corp Monthly Banquet Ethan frowned again. He didn’t take those Delta gang thugs seriously—at least not until now. But with so many elites gathered in one place, any conflict could cause mass panic… or worse—casualties. That wasn’t a risk he could afford. Not for his company. Not for Alice. Not tonight.He ducked away from the cluster of murmuring guests and moved to a quieter corner behind the pillar-lined archway. “Send in the Night Division,” he ordered quietly into his phone. “Intercept the Delta gang before they get anywhere near HQ. Full tactical engagement. No survivors.”Knox’s voice didn’t miss a beat. “Understood, Master Storm. Permission to hit their main base?”Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Flatten it.”“Gladly,” Knox responded, already relishing the mission. “They won’t live long enough to regret this.”Ethan hung up and paused for only a second before dialing another number. “Elsa. Check who the Delta gang has spoken to in the past 48 hours. I want full comm logs, contact