Isla leaned her head back against the wooden chair headrest. The night was quiet, yet alive, and she let the cool air brush against her skin as she sat on the balcony of her hotel room. From where she sat, she had a clear view of the sky, and the sight pulled her in. The stars had begun to scatter themselves across the heavens, each one glittering as though eager to announce the arrival of night.The sun had only just slipped behind the horizon a few minutes earlier, leaving streaks of fading orange that melted into a deepening indigo. Now the stars were already peeping out, shy at first, but steadily filling the wide-spread sky with their brilliance. Isla allowed herself to sink into the beauty of it, though her mind was far from still.A glass of wine rested in her hand, but her thoughts drifted elsewhere. The law firm, the decisions she had made, and the signature she had just placed on that affidavit weighed heavily in her chest. She had done what was necessary, but she knew that

“Your hands where I can see them!” White heard the instant he stepped out of the elevator, which descended with a soft ding before sliding open to the ground floor.Jessica was the first to step out of the elevator. After her, he followed closely behind, his movements casual but guarded.The moment Jessica stepped out, there was no loud noise, no fervent instruction, nothing out of place. But the instant he crossed the threshold, a commanding voice cut through the air like a blade. A police officer’s tone, sharp and unrelenting, ordered him to raise his hands.It was not the voice of a friend playing a prank. It was not the teasing sound of a stranger calling to the wrong man. It was strong, direct, and left no doubt—it was aimed squarely at him.His eyes blinked rapidly, adjusting as he turned toward the source of the voice. And then he saw them.Officers in suits, planted firmly in the hotel’s grand reception area.Jessica froze, her heels clicking against the marble floor as she shi

“Bring him out.” Lucas sounded.The command cut through the tense air like a blade. He stepped down from his Bentley, the gleaming machine humming faintly even after the engine stilled. David sat in the driver’s seat, hands firm on the wheel, eyes forward, ready for the next instruction. Lucas had not come here by chance. He came personally to see for himself. The man in question, the one who had been reported to him, someone bold enough to check the dark website about him and even pay heavily to dig into his history. That was no ordinary mistake. That was provocation.“Yes sir!” the officers bowed, voices respectful and urgent.At once, they opened the van door and pulled the man out. Heavy footsteps hit the ground, metal cuffs rattling, and then Lucas finally laid eyes on him.A smile spread across his face. Cold. Calculated.“Well, you don’t look a monster.” Lucas voiced, his tone low and firm, each word dropping with weight.White, bound and cornered, didn’t look anything close to

“What?!” Lorenzo banged his hand on the table, the sharp crack echoing through the room like a gunshot. His eyes were burning with fury, the veins around them standing out in red lines of rage.This was supposed to be one of the easiest operations. The objective had been simple, almost too simple: get the heir of Virellis, make him pay severely for what he had done to Lorenzo’s son. Yet, things had taken a different turn. Instead of striking fear into their enemy, the heir of Virellis had continued to deal harshly with Lorenzo’s people, mocking their efforts with every move.His hand trembled slightly, his body betraying the storm within him. His eyes grew reddish, filled with fire. He rose to his feet with a heaviness that made the room itself feel smaller. Wicked, sensing the dangerous shift in the atmosphere, dropped to his knees immediately.Wicked was the one who had delivered the news, the devastating report of White’s arrest. He had been White’s assistant for years, watching cl

Isla couldn’t pull her eyes away from her screen.The news of her upgrade, the victory she had achieved by herself with the crucial support of Lucas Virellis, placed a gentle smile across her cheeks. It wasn’t just an achievement; it was proof that she could stand on her own and still rise higher than anyone expected.She scrolled endlessly through social apps and websites. Every swipe of her hand brought another wave of validation. There it was again, her picture. She was dressed in the luxurious suit she wore earlier that day, her hands raised high as she made a toast before a sea of attendees. In another photo, she stood tall, shaking hands with Lucas Virellis himself and Jeruel Sinclair. The flashes of the cameras had captured her like she was receiving a trophy.“Now, it begins,” she whispered, her voice low but filled with satisfaction as she dimmed her phone screen until it went blank.Tonight was the time to rest. To close her eyes and gather strength for what was coming. Tomo