Ryan exhaled softly through his nose, a short huff that only he could hear. His patience was wearing thin, but he didn’t let the irritation show on his face. Instead, he took a slow step closer, his hands tucked loosely into his pockets as his eyes fixed on the man who dared to impersonate him.The impersonator was still basking in the attention of the little crowd. Ryan let him go on for a moment longer before lifting a finger in the air.“I have a question,” Ryan said calmly, his tone was even and controlled.The impersonator froze mid-sentence, his head snapping toward Ryan with an expression that hardened almost immediately. His brows furrowed and his lips twisted into a sneer. “Excuse me?” he said in a mocking tone. “Did I just hear you say you have a question?”Ryan’s voice remained calm, though he could feel the pressure of irritation coil in his chest. “Yes. Just a question.”The impersonator’s laugh was short and sharp, his voice raised enough for everyone in the group to hea

Ryan stood rooted to the spot, his arms crossed loosely, his expression calm, collected, almost too calm for the storm brewing around him. His very composure irritated the small crowd, who had gathered earlier to hang onto the false Ryan’s words, desperate for scraps of influence and wealth.“You’re finished,” one of the men sneered, his voice heavy with confidence. “Just wait until Mr. Holton hears what you’ve said. He won’t tolerate anyone insulting one of his Incredible 3.”“Yes,” the other woman chimed in, her lips curling into a cruel smirk. “How dare you come here, dressed like that, pretending to know business when you’re nothing but a pauper? You should be grateful Mr. Walker even allowed you to stand here. I can’t wait to see Holton’s face when he hears what you’ve done.”The real impostor — the man falsely claiming to be Ryan Walker — had gone very quiet. The false bravado that had dripped from his tongue earlier was gone, replaced with a stiffness in his shoulders and a sub

The laughter grew louder, a cruel sound of mockery that clawed at Ryan from every direction.“Did you hear what he said?” someone near the front table snorted between laughs. “He thought he was one of them! The Incredible 3! What a joke!”Another voice, female and sharp, followed. “And he came here in a cab! A cab, for heaven’s sake! I saw it myself — yellow, old-fashioned. Who does that at a Holton event?”More laughter rippled through the crowd.“Oh, maybe he thought it was part of his humble act,” a man said, smirking. “Trying to look down-to-earth, huh? Poor boy, wrong stage for that!”“Look at his face!” someone whispered behind him, though loud enough for everyone around to hear. “He’s frozen! Can’t even defend himself. Guess they don’t teach composure where he came from.”Another voice, cold and dripping with sarcasm: “Fourth richest in the world? Maybe fourth poorest at this event!”The guests burst into laughter again, clinking glasses and shaking their heads. Even the camera

Ryan's chest rose and fell steadily, his gaze fixed on Martin, whose smirk only widened under the golden lights of the chandelier. Cameras still flashed across the hall, capturing everything.Then, finally, Ryan said through gritted teeth. “That’s never going to happen,” Ryan repeated his earlier words.The murmurs in the crowd rippled again, louder this time. Every head turned between the two men standing at the center of the grand stage.Martin’s smile faded. His jaw tightened. For the first time that evening, his perfectly composed face began to harden.“I was hoping,” Martin said slowly, almost conversationally, “that you would make this easy. For your sake.” He said as he took a step forward.Ryan didn’t move. “You brought me here to embarrass me, to make me give up my company? You’ve lost your mind.”“So that’s your final answer?” Martin asked coldly.Ryan met his gaze without flinching. “It is.”Martin’s lips curled into a smirk that didn’t reach his eyes. “Then you’ve chosen t

The cool night air stung Martin Hilton’s face as he pushed through the heavy glass doors of the event hall. His jaw was tight, his fists clenched, and his mind was still burning with anger. The celebration had ended hours ago.“Ryan Walker,” he muttered under his breath, his voice came in a low growl. “You think you’ve won, don’t you? You think you’ve humiliated me for the last time?”He stopped beside his car, staring at his reflection on the tinted window. The man looking back at him didn’t seem like the charming businessman everyone used to respect. His tie was loose, his hair slightly disheveled, and his eyes that were usually calm looked darker.“I’ll destroy you, Ryan,” he whispered, gripping the car door but not opening it. “I’ll take everything from you, your wealth, your reputation, your peace, everything.”Then, as if something in his mind clicked, Martin slowly reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a small, ancient-looking ring. Its surface was dull and worn, lik