Adrian sat in a quiet café two blocks from the Diamond District. His black coffee had gone cold as he did not even touch it. He stared at the files on his tablet — encrypted reports, bank transfers, and coded messages linked to his father. Each line of data carried the weight of betrayal. His jaw tightened as he tried to make sense of the evidence. Then suddenly something shifted inside him, it felt as if someone was in danger. He closed the files and stormed out of the cafe. Within minutes, he reached the bar. From outside, it looked normal but he could feel the chaos behind those doors. And then he heard it: a muffled cry, a crash, and the sound of glass shattering. Adrian stepped inside. The air was heavy with smoke and perfume, but what he saw made his blood run cold. Three men circled Lilith Ivanova. Her gown was torn at the hem, and her eyes were hazy. Two of her guards lay unconscious on the floor. Something inside him snapped. The room seemed to darken as his Dragon

The alarm blared through the estate.Malvin didn’t hesitate. He sprinted down the hall, coat flaring behind him, and disappeared into the storm through a side exit.He was long gone before the guards arrived.At that same moment, Sophia’s car screeched to a halt outside Adrian’s penthouse. She jumped out and ran through the lobby, rain dripping from her hair, fury burning through the tears on her face.She reached the door and slammed it open with her old key.“Adrian!” she screamed.Adrian turned from the kitchen, a cup of coffee in his hand. His expression was calm, unreadable.On the couch behind him, Lilith lay asleep under a blanket. Her coat was tossed aside. The air smelled faintly of perfume and medicine.Sophia froze for a moment. A part of her wanted to believe that the video she watched was manufactured or something... But no it was real!Her face twisted.“You bastard!” she shouted, her voice breaking. “Rowan’s barely cold, and you’re already with her?!”Adrian said nothi

The only man with endless resources and influence to pull this off. Someone who could move in shadows and press buttons from a distance. Someone who had never stopped watching the Aldridges... or him.He pushed the accelerator and sped to the Rhein mansion.The gates opened and he drove in without hesitation. Richard the Butler bowed without surprise. “Master Adrian,” he said, But Adrian didn't even spare him a glance.He moved through the hall and at the end of the corridor, in the great study, his father sat like a king on a high-backed chair. “Adrian...” Mr. Rhein said with a smirk on his face.Adrian stopped in the doorway. “I thought you’d want to stay away from the Aldridge family,” he said. “You of all people should know I don’t do well with threats." He said as he slipped the expensive whiskey into his desk.Adrian took a step forward. “So why did you break into the Aldridge vault? What are you trying to achieve this time?”Silence stretched on and then Mr. Rhein smiled, “

Adrian’s car screamed to a stop outside Malvin’s building.He slammed the door and ran up the steps. He broke the door down and stormed inside.Malvin looked up from a faded armchair, surprise slipping into a practiced smile. “Adrian. To what do I owe the pleasure?”Adrian shoved the ruin of the door aside. “Where is the Phoenix Root, Malvin?”Malvin rose slowly, palms spread. “What are you accusing me of now? You break into men’s homes and make demands?” He laughed, small and brittle. “You sound like a man who has lost everything.”Adrian closed the space between them in two strides. His voice was flat, deadly calm."Don’t play stupid. The vault at the Aldridge estate was emptied. The Phoenix Root is gone. You were the only one with a motive. You can deny it all you like. I know what you want.”Malvin’s face flickered with fear and then he snapped. “Even if I took it... What are you going to do about it, Lancaster? Sophia no longer trusts you. She trusts me now. I say you broke in a

Don Angelo’s chest rose sharply as his eyes fluttered open.For a moment, the entire room froze.Valentina rushed to his side, tears spilling freely. “Papa!” she gasped. “You’re awake—Adrian saved you!”The old man blinked, disoriented. His voice was rough, broken. “Who…?” His gaze landed on Adrian. “You… brought me back?”Adrian gave a single nod. “You’re not safe yet, Don Moretti. Whoever did this... they’ll know I broke their curse. They’re coming.”The Don’s weak eyes sharpened instantly. Even on the edge of death, the boss in him was still alive. He turned to his guards.“Lock down the entire floor. Mobilize every man. Nobody gets in or out.”The guards rushed to obey. Boots thundered down the corridor. Weapons were drawn.Then—BOOM!The door exploded inward, shattering into burning fragments.Smoke poured into the room. The lights flickered violently as five masked figures emerged from the haze.They wore black combat suits, each of them carried a poison injector strapped to the