Kate had no idea what Harry was truly thinking. To her, he was still the dependable man who’d always stood by Elaine through thick and thin. Surely, if anyone would take action now, it would be Harry. That belief offered Kate a small but precious fragment of hope. It was a lifeline that dulled the edge of her anxiety as she paced the dimly lit hallway of Adams Corporation. Kate remembered Jim's instruction. "... find Antonio. Tell him if he ever wants to lay eyes on Elaine again, he’ll come crawling to me—alone, no tricks, or she’s gone for good.” Antonio. Just thinking his name filled Kate with disdain. To Kate, Antonio was a freeloader and opportunist. A man she believed had no business being anywhere near a woman of Elaine’s caliber. But Kate was a professional. She had always drawn the line between her job and her boss’s personal life. Now, that line blurred beneath the weight of desperation. She had no choice. She took a deep breath, swallowed her pride, and dialed A

Upon hearing this, fear gripped Elaine. She wasn’t a strong drinker—how was she supposed to gulp down an entire bottle of beer? Still, if doing this meant they might release her and spare Antonio, she had to try. Her head already throbbed at the thought, but she steeled herself. With trembling hands, Elaine picked up the bottle and forced herself to drink. A third of the way through the bottle, Elaine broke into a fit of coughing, her throat burning from the bitter liquid. Her cheeks flushed a deep shade of red. By the time she reached two-thirds, her head was spinning. The room tilted ever so slightly, and her grip on the bottle wavered. But she clenched her jaw, forcing herself to keep going. With sheer determination, she tilted the bottle back and drained the last drop. Her stomach churned, but she didn’t let it show. Across the room, Tiger leaned forward, eyes gleaming with interest. He took in the sight of her flushed cheeks, glassy eyes, and delicate f

They were two hundred men who formed a wide circle around Antonio. Standing at the center, Tiger grinned wickedly, emboldened by the sheer size of his army. “You cheap imposter," Tiger scoffed, licking his lips arrogantly as he stepped forward. “I’ll admit—you’re strong. But not even a beast can fight two hundred men. You're finished!” Antonio's eyes were like ice. His expression remained unreadable, calm even. He slowly looked around at the crowd, then fixed his gaze on Tiger, his voice like a cold blade slicing through the thick tension. “If I wanted to kill you,” Antonio said softly, “no one here could stop me.” Hearing this, Jim was more furious. Standing just behind Tiger, he snarled, “You bastard! Enough with the bluffing—I swear I’ll carve you into pieces!” he roared, jabbing a finger forward. Impatiently, he turned sharply to his men. “You idiots! Don’t just stand there—get rid of him, now!” The command snapped the men into motion. Like a crashing wave, they su

Heavy silence fell over the room like a storm brewing in the air. Robert Adams lowered his phone slowly, his expression shifting in a volatile mix of disbelief and fury. His nostrils flared and a vein throbbed visibly in his temple. So, someone as insignificant as Antonio had managed to win the Earl’s favor? Then—bang! He slammed his fist against the mahogany desk, rattling everything on it. Gritting his teeth and facing Antonio, he spat with venom, “Consider yourself lucky!” Antonio didn’t flinch. He stood calm, his eyes sharp and merciless, radiating the kind of cold that chilled to the bone. His voice was low and steady, yet laced with danger. “You’d better keep your claws to yourself. Because if you dare to forcefully take over Elaine’s company, I won’t mind cutting off your hand.” It was not a threat—it was a promise. Robert narrowed his eyes, the weight of Antonio’s words hitting him harder than a punch to the jaw. How long had it been since anyone

The sterile white lights of Jenkins Hospital did little to ease Rose’s panic as she clutched her daughter’s hand, tears streaming silently down her cheeks. Elaine lay motionless on the hospital bed, her face pale and her breaths shallow. Machines beeped softly around her, but they did nothing to reassure a mother’s heart. “She was fine this morning,” Rose whispered brokenly. “She was just fine…” Beside her, Alder stood rigid. His usually cheerful, confident expression was now etched with worry. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes swept the room again, desperate to find something—anything—that could explain what had happened. His fingers curled into fists. Finally, he turned to the nurse, his voice low but sharp. “Who brought her in?” The nurse who was a young woman in a pale-blue uniform, hesitated. “I’m sorry, sir. The man didn’t leave his name. He just brought her in, said she needed urgent care, and left right after texting someone on her phone." “Tex