Nathan waited, but Hudson didn’t say anything more. His thick brows furrowed, and his voice came out impatient and sharp.“What? You start a bet but don’t even know what you’ll put on the line if you lose?”Hudson didn’t answer right away. The truth was simple, he never once considered that he could lose. So why waste time thinking about consequences that would never happen?From the sidelines, Ivory, who had been quiet but observant, crossed her arms and said matter-of-factly, “Shouldn’t you be the one making the demand?”That snapped Nathan back to focus. Realizing his slip, he cleared his throat, then turned his sharp gaze toward her. “Fine,” he said with a smirk. “If he loses, she becomes my daughter-in-law.”The words made a few nearby gang members snicker. Everyone in downtown California knew Ivory, beautiful, smart, untouchable. Even Nathan’s son, Samuel, had once mentioned her name when his father asked which woman he liked. Nathan had brushed it off then. The Lewis family’s i

Freya broke down crying, the kind of cry that came from deep inside, raw and painful, like a child who had just been struck.For years, Freya had been the pillar of their household, the one who always kept her composure no matter how bad things got. Seeing her like this , trembling, sobbing uncontrollably, sent everyone into a panic. Something serious must have happened.“Freya, what’s wrong? Don’t scare your mother like this,” Faye said as she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around her daughter. “Whatever’s bothering you, just tell us. We’re your family , we’ll always stand by you.”Her father, Francis, stood up and joined them, his expression dark. “Did that bastard Hudson threaten you?” he asked sharply. “Is that why you suddenly said you wanted to remarry him?”He was convinced Hudson must have found something to hold over her, forcing her hand.But Freya didn’t respond , she just cried harder.Her aunt, Elena, stepped closer, frowning. “Freya, don’t just sit there crying. Did t

Hudson didn’t have to wait long for Freya, because instead, he saw Faye running toward him, panic written all over her face.“Hudson! Come quick, Freya hit her head on the wall!” she cried.Hudson’s expression darkened, and he immediately followed her outside.Freya was slumped in Francis ’s arms, blood trickling down her forehead. The sight made Hudson stop in his tracks. Francis looked up anxiously when he saw him.“Hudson, please don’t push her like this,” he pleaded. “Let’s just go home and talk. It’s normal for married couples to argue.”“Normal?” Hudson let out a humorless laugh. Even now, they still refused to see reality. Five years, had they all been blind for five years?He wanted to ask if they had ever stopped to think about how Freya had treated him, or if anyone in the Wilson family had ever tried to understand him.But he didn’t bother saying it out loud. Some things weren’t worth explaining anymore.“Let’s just leave it at this,” Hudson said coldly. “We’ll finalize the

A cold glint flashed in Hudson’s eyes as he stepped forward and shoved the door open.Inside the small yard, five burly men were cornering a middle-aged couple near the doorway. Another man was half-kneeling behind them, clutching his shoulder in pain, clearly, he’d been the one who screamed earlier.“Michael, you dare lay a hand on my brother? Looks like you’ve got a death wish!” one of the men shouted, motioning for the others to move in on the couple.“Stop!” Hudson’s sharp voice cut through the tension.Everyone turned toward him. The five men’s eyes swept over Hudson and the elderly Arlo before landing on Ivory.She stood out immediately, a stunning woman in a quiet neighborhood like this. The men’s eyes lit up, and a few of them swallowed hard.“Hey, kid,” the leader sneered, sizing up Hudson. “Who the hell are you?”Ignoring him, Hudson looked straight at the middle-aged couple. “Is this Benjamin Hans’s house?”“Yes,” the man answered quickly. “Benjamin Hans is my father.”Huds

“Get out! You heard me, get out! You’re not welcome here!”Michael suddenly pointed at the door, his hand shaking with anger. His whole body trembled as he glared at them, his voice full of fury. The sudden outburst caught everyone off guard. His mood flipped faster than a page turning, leaving Hudson and the others momentarily stunned.“Mr. Hans, what are you doing?” Ivory asked, trying to keep her voice steady. “You were just thanking us a moment ago, and now you’re throwing us out?”She couldn’t understand it. The moment Hudson mentioned the tragedy of the Brown family twenty years ago, Michael’s whole demeanor changed. The shift was too sharp, too emotional, it didn’t make sense.“Mr. Hans, please calm down,” Hudson said evenly. “I just asked a question. There’s no need to get angry.”He could tell from Michael’s reaction that he knew something about what happened to the Brown family. And if that was true, Hudson wasn’t leaving, not yet.“Honey…” Michael’s wife gently tugged at hi