Julia didn’t flinch.Didn’t look up."It was recently included." She responded.Lucian hesitated. “May I ask why it’s included?”Julia’s fingers tapped once on the folder.“For oversight.”Her voice was devoid of emotion. Lucian swallowed tightly. “But my board...”“Is unstable,” she interrupted mildly, her gaze finally rising. “Three seats compromised. Two defaulted loans. One internal audit still missing. You’re aware of all this.”Lucian nodded stiffly.“Then you also understand Rhein has every right—and reason—to protect its capital,” Julia added, her tone smooth but absolute. Lucian shifted in his seat, fingers twitching on the pen.“Of course,” he said quietly. “I’m grateful for the opportunity. Truly. It’s just... a bit unexpected.”"Well, if you want the money you have to comply, not like you have many choices." Lucian didn’t respond.Because deep down, he knew she wasn’t wrong.His jaw tightened. Beneath his designer suit and calculated smirk, Lucian Grayson was crumbling

His gut twisted.He answered immediately.“Evelyn?”Her voice came in breathless. Terrified.“Mr. Adrian... it’s... it’s bad. It’s really bad—they’re outside...”Adrian’s body went still.“Who?”“Thugs!” she cried. “Four or five of them... big men in black. They said... they said I should hand Clara over. That she’s been paid for... Oh God... they’re pounding the door!”Her voice cracked. A crash echoed in the background. Glass shattering. Clara’s faint whimper.Adrian’s jaw clenched. Every muscle in his body locked.“Evelyn. Listen to me,” he said, his voice a lethal whisper. “Is Clara with you?”“Yes...we're hiding. Adrian, I don’t know what to do!”“Don’t open the door. Don’t speak to them. Keep Clara close and stay hidden. I’m coming.”He ended the call and pocketed the phone.But his eyes were burning.So this was it.Lucian.The bastard was already making his move.Trying to take Clara and sell her off like livestock.The air turned cold as his driver pulled up.Adrian didn’t wa

She clung to his leg, her little hands clutching his trousers.He walked forward.Past shattered furniture. Past the shattered glass. Toward the woman still bound to a chair.Evelyn.Her face was pale, stained with sweat and pain.Without a word, Adrian leaned down and tore the tape from her mouth with a single swift motion.She gasped in air, eyes flooding. “Adrian…”He crouched, his voice quieter now. “Are you hurt?”She nodded. “Just bruises… thank God you came. They were going to—” Her breath hitched. “They were going to take her. To sell her.”Adrian’s face didn’t flinch.But his jaw clenched.He had imagined the kind of trauma they had to through.If he had not made it here on time, who knows what they could have done to Clara.Behind him, a low groan sliced through the silence.Adrian’s gaze sharpened as he turned slowly.The thug he’d first taken down, the leader slowly stood up.He struggled as blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, but hatred burned in his eyes like coals

“You’ll meet your maker before you can blink.” They all nodded frantically, groveling like broken dogs. “Take your trash and leave,” he said, stepping back. “Before I change my mind.” They scrambled. Stumbling over their own feet, dragging their wounded out through the shattered door, leaving trails of blood behind like the filth they were. Adrian didn’t watch them go. He knelt beside Evelyn and gently brushed a stray piece of glass from her shoulder. “You’re safe now.” Evelyn exhaled shakily, her eyes not leaving his. “…You’re not the same Adrian I knew.” Adrian said nothing but gave a small smile. His gaze drifted to Clara, who sat curled in Evelyn’s lap, her eyes vacant again… as if retreating into herself, away from the horror she couldn’t fully comprehend. His heart twisted. She didn’t understand what had almost happened. And thank God for that. He rose slowly, brushing the dust off his sleeves. There was a time, back when he still believed in love,

Victoria’s arms crossed tightly across her chest, her head tilting with a sneer as she looked Adrian up and down like he were dirt beneath her heel. “Spare me the hero act,” she said. “You always thought you were better than everyone. That jacket you gave me? That walk to the gate? You think that made you a savior?” Adrian didn’t flinch. They both knew that was not the only thing he had done for her. “I hated you for it,” she spat. “Always acting self righteous, we both know it's just an act.” Her eyes gleamed now, manicured nails tapping against her forearm as she stepped closer. “But look at you now.” A cruel smirk curled on her lips. “ohh I've heard the news, it has spread like wild fire among our classmates, you've been the joke on our group chat for the past two days." "You were kicked out by your wife. She left you bankrupt. You have nothing yet you still walk like a King.” "All these years of pretense aren't you tied?" Adrian’s jaw locked. His eyes, however