Sean’s entire body stilled. His expression didn’t change, but his eyes sharpened like a blade.Not only had the Carlisles sent men to kidnap Abrill for reasons unknown, but now, one of them had tried to harm two women at a party—and once again, he had taken another woman hostage. How shameless could they be?“A hostage now?” Sean asked coldly. “That’s low—even for you.”Ace’s grip tightened around Rosalind’s neck. “I’ll do it, I swear! You think I’m bluffing? Try me. You so much as twitch, and I’ll scar her face permanently!”Rosalind’s heart pounded in her chest. The broken glass was too close. Her breathing came in short, shallow bursts.She looked at Sean.He was still. Focused.She couldn’t help but wonder if he would hold back for her sake. It wasn’t like they’d broken up on bad terms.“You know her, don’t you?” Ace taunted. “She’s the reason you stepped in at all. You don’t want anything to happen to her.”Sean tilted his head slightly, expression unreadable. “Let her go,” he sa

The party was ruined. Guest after guest began slipping away, terrified they might somehow be blamed for what happened to Ace. No one wanted to be listed as a witness. No one wanted their name tied to the chaos.The glamour of the gala had been shattered beyond repair.Only a few guests remained—those too curious to leave just yet or too stunned to move. Their hushed murmurs filled the hall, all centered around one name: Sean.Ace had been rushed to the hospital by his men, who had jolted awake at the sound of his blood-curdling screams. Since then, there has been no word from any of them.Rosalind paced back and forth near the empty champagne table, her heels clicking with every anxious step. She hadn’t said a word since Sean walked out, but her mind was screaming.Chloe sat on one of the velvet lounge chairs, arms folded tightly over her chest, eyes red with embarrassment and frustration.“This is a disaster. An actual disaster.”Nate stood by the doorway, checking his phone obsessiv

The sound of something falling echoed in the ward—a metal tray crashing to the floor.The doctor’s voice followed, trying to remain calm despite the tension.“Sir, it’s something we have to do to save you,” he said. “Removing the damaged testicle will help with urination and prevent further internal complications.”Ace’s face twisted in disbelief. “Are you kidding me right now?! You’re saying the solution is to just cut it off?” His voice shot up, high with panic and fury. “You want to roll me into surgery and castrate me like I’m some sick dog?!”The doctor adjusted his glasses, struggling to stay professional. “You received a very hard hit in that area. There’s internal bleeding, swelling, and—”“I don’t care if it’s glowing red, I’m not signing anything!” Ace snapped. “Do I look suicidal to you? Touch me and I’ll sue the whole damn hospital!”The door opened. Silence dropped like a curtain.Vincent Carlisle stepped into the room, his presence as sharp as ever. His gaze swept across

The light in his eyes faded. He looked down at the drive, his jaw tightening. He hadn’t expected someone to ask him that question, but now that someone had, and it happened to be Abrill, he knew he had to answer.“I want to save someone,” he said, voice low.Abrill tilted her head slightly. “Who are you trying to save?”Sean hesitated, then met her gaze.Seeing his hesitation, she quickly raised a hand. “I apologize if I was rude. I was just curious, that’s all. It’s okay if you don’t want to tell me.”He shook his head. “It’s fine. The person I’m trying to save is someone really dear to me.”Abrill tried to guess who it was, but based on everything she knew about him, she had no idea. Rosalind was no longer involved with Sean, so it couldn’t be her.She blinked. The revelation hit harder than she expected.“I had no idea you had a sister,” she said softly, clearly surprised. “How old is she?”Sean’s gaze shifted to the ground for a moment before lifting again. “She’s ten.”Abrill was

Looking at the young man in front of him, Sean could tell he wasn’t just being sarcastic—he was looking for trouble.Without saying a word, Sean glanced at the man’s ID badge. The tag, clipped perfectly to the edge of his pristine coat, read:Dr. Evan MarshJunior Research Associate, Hillgrove Medical DivisionDefinitely new.“I don’t think we’ve met,” Sean said calmly, leaning back in his chair. “But you seem to know who I am.”“Of course. Someone wouldn’t stop talking about you,” Evan replied with a lazy smirk. “The businessman who plays scientist. You show up, stir things up for a few days, then vanish. Like clockwork.”Sean’s expression didn’t change. “Sounds like you’ve been busy listening instead of working.”That knocked the grin off Evan’s face for half a second, but he recovered quickly.“I just hope you’re not here to waste our time again,” Evan said. “This lab is for people making real progress, not chasing fairy tales and playing hero for sympathy points.”Sean leaned forw