The Rhein Group security team had already spent the last hour "interrogating" these people in the back of a black van. They were broken, terrified, and ready to save their own skins. The woman began to shake, her fake eyelashes peeling away as hot tears of real terror streamed down her face."Yes! Yes, I'll talk!" she shrieked, her voice echoing through the silent hall. "It was him! Marcus Thorne! They paid me to monitor Adrian’s movements. I’m not a nursing mother, I don’t even have a child! It was all an act, a setup to make him look like a monster! Please, don't hurt me!"A collective, sharp gasp went through the room. The socialites and billionaires who had just been calling for Adrian’s arrest looked down at their shoes in shame. Adrian moved to the next person, a man who had posed as a gardener. Before Adrian could even open his mouth, the man spilled everything."Ten thousand dollars!" the man cried out. "He paid us over ten thousand dollars each! We were supposed to find dirt

The gala continued, dignitaries, celebrities, and billionaires queued in a perfect, trembling line, stepping forward one by one to greet the new power couple of the industry. They shook Lilith’s hand with newfound respect, whispering congratulations, while their eyes darted toward Adrian with a mixture of terror and desperation.Everyone wanted a piece of the President. Cameras flashed like a lightning storm, but the Rhein Group guards were a wall of iron. They stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their dark sunglasses reflecting the glitter of the room, restricting access to any guest who tried to get too close to Adrian for a selfie or a business card.Through the crowd of elite snobs, a familiar figure emerged. Vanessa, still in her butler’s uniform, walked toward them. She looked at Adrian as if he were a creature from another planet, something magnificent and slightly frightening. As she approached, the guards stepped forward to block her path, their hands resting on their holsters.Adria

"I have been around, Master Adrian," Richard replied, his golden suit shimmering as he took a slow step forward. "I have stayed under the radar. Clearly, you have not. I have been watching you from the corners of the world.""Why did you decide to come out of hiding now?" Adrian asked.Richard’s expression turned grim. "I went into hiding for my own safety, and I intended to stay that way. I thought you were doing the same, hiding behind the mop, playing the janitor. It was a perfect mask. But then you decided to announce yourself to the entire world tonight. Do you realize what you have done? You have turned yourself into a public target. Every predator on this planet now has your coordinates."Adrian let out a short, dry laugh. "Let them come. Anybody who tries to cross me is just signing their own death warrant.""Your father had the same bravado, Adrian. Do you see where it got him? He died in a cage, stripped of his dignity."Adrian’s jaw tightened, and his fists clenched at his

"Are you not supposed to be rotting behind bars?" Adrian growled into the receiver.Marcus let out a shrill, hysterical laugh that echoed with the sound of a man who had finally snapped. "No chain can hold me, Adrian! Not even you can stop me! You thought you were going to get rid of me just like that? You’re wrong! You will pay for the disgrace you brought to me! I will wipe your family and the Novida name off the face of the earth! You are, and will always be, a peasant to me.""If you lay hands on anyone," Adrian said, his voice dropping to a low, lethal vibration, "I will find you. And I will kill you. Slowly."Marcus laughed again. "You still don’t get it. You can't beat me. I will take you out one by one, starting with Lilith’s father. He’s the first sacrifice."Lilith grabbed Adrian’s arm, her eyes wide with terror. "What is he saying? Adrian, put it on speaker! Put it on speaker now!"Adrian hit the button. Marcus’s voice filled the tarmac. "Nothing much... just that there mig

The sun was beginning to go down, casting long, amber shadows across the city streets as Vanessa walked out of the towering Rhein Group headquarters. Her head was still spinning. Just twenty-four hours ago, she had been a butler serving appetizers; today, she had her own office, a professional wardrobe, and a salary that felt like a dream.The employees had treated her with a strange, careful kindness. Some were genuinely helpful, while others clearly saw her as the "President’s favorite." Regardless of the reason, the respect was a breath of fresh air.As she stepped onto the curb, a sleek, black luxury sedan a personal gift from Adrian, was already waiting. The driver, a tall man with a sharp suit and a professional demeanor, opened the door for her."Good evening, ma'am. I hope your first day was productive," the driver said."It was incredible," Vanessa sighed, leaning back into the soft leather seats. "Thank you."The car glided into the flow of traffic, moving away from the cit