The moment Elizabeth stepped out of Ryan’s mansion, the faintest trace of a smirk curved her lips. The tension that had filled the atmosphere inside was gone now, and what replaced it was something darker—satisfaction.She reached into her small, sleek purse and pulled out her phone. Her movements were calm, the way someone acts when everything is going according to plan. She scrolled through her contacts, found the name she was looking for, and pressed it. The phone rang only once before a familiar male voice answered.“Elizabeth,” Julian’s deep voice came through the line smoothly. “Are you out?”“Yes,” she said softly, her lips twitching upward as she crossed the quiet street. “I’m out.”Julian chuckled lowly. “Good. Come down the street. I’m parked just by the sharp bend. You’ll see me.”“Alright,” she replied. “I’ll be there in a minute.”She ended the call and walked briskly on the pavement. A few steps later, she spotted Julian’s car parked exactly where he said it would be. Th

Elizabeth had already stepped out of the mansion when she suddenly stopped outside the house. Her hand was still on the handle, and her mind raced faster than her feet could move. She turned back slowly, her expression softening into one of calculated worry. Then she pushed the door open again and walked back into the house.Ryan, who had just exhaled deeply thinking she had finally left, turned around sharply. His eyes widened for a brief second, confusion flashing through them. “Elizabeth?” he asked, his tone impatient and a bit surprised. “I thought you were gone already.”Elizabeth took a few hesitant steps closer, clutching her handbag against her chest as if seeking comfort. “I was going,” she said softly, her voice carrying a tremor that wasn’t entirely real. “But I… I couldn’t just leave without saying this.”Ryan ran a hand through his hair, clearly tired and restless. “Elizabeth, I really don’t have time for—”“Please, just listen,” she interrupted, her tone pleading. “This

The room was thick with tension. Ryan stood in the middle of the living room, his brows furrowed, one hand resting against his temple as if he was trying to keep his head from exploding. His mother, Mrs. Walker, sat rigidly on the couch, glaring at Elizabeth like she was the devil herself. Elizabeth, however, kept her eyes lowered, her lips trembling in feigned distress, while her phone remained on the table, the supposed “chat” between Julian and Martin still open and glowing faintly on the screen.Ryan had returned back from the hallway after informing his security team. He exhaled heavily, then rubbed his neck.Elizabeth wipes her fake tears with the back of her hand. “Two hundred men? Julian… he’s gone completely mad. He’s working with Martin, and Martin doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. They just want to destroy you. They want to hurt your mother, Ryan,” Elizabeth said suddenly, looking scared.Elizabeth sniffed and clasped her hands tightly, as though trying to hold he

For the first twenty minutes of the ride, everything had gone smoothly. The vehicles—three in total—moved in perfect formation.The first car, leading the way, carried two armed guards; the second, where Elizabeth and Mrs. Walker sat, was driven by another guard; and the last vehicle followed closely behind with three more men, each of them on high alert.Elizabeth occasionally glanced at Mrs. Walker, who sat stiffly beside her, clutching her handbag to her chest like a shield. The older woman had refused to speak to her since they left the mansion, and the silence between them had grown heavier with every passing minute.Elizabeth had tried to speak earlier, but Mrs. Walker had shut her down sharply.Now, as the car hummed along the lonely stretch of road, Elizabeth glanced down at her phone resting quietly on her lap. Her heart beat fast, not with fear, but with calculation.She knew what was coming. She had already sent the message to Martin, and if his response was to be trusted,

Martin stood tall in the center of the vast, echoing space of an empty warehouse.He turned sharply toward one of his men — a tall, wiry figure in a suit who looked nervous despite trying to appear calm. “Go check outside,” Martin ordered, his voice calm but filled with authority. “See if the SUV carrying Ryan Walker’s mother is close.”The man nodded quickly, almost too fast. “Yes, sir.”His footsteps echoed as he hurried toward the door. For a moment, Martin could hear the faint rumble of engines outside, then the door slammed shut again.Martin rubbed his palms together slowly, a dark smirk pulling at his lips. He could already feel the power of the moment sinking into his veins. This was it — his chance to break Ryan Walker, to humiliate him completely. He wasn’t just after money. He wanted control. He wanted Ryan to know that his empire, his so-called invincibility, could crumble in seconds.Moments later, the man in the suit came rushing back in. “Sir! The vehicle just arrived.