Outside, the researcher hurried to the restroom, a tight plan in his mind: tuck the artifact under his shirt and slip past unnoticed. Wrapped as it was, recognition wasn’t likely.He made it just in time. The artifact tucked safely under his shirt, he stepped out into the hall, scanning for the inevitable.The timing was razor-thin—security men were already rushing past him.“I saw him enter this area,” one barked at the others.The researcher pushed his pace, careful to blend in until the moment he had to run.“This is him!” one of the bastards shouted.“Fuck,” the researcher cursed under his breath, breaking into a sprint. Then, disaster—he tripped, falling face-first onto the marble floor. Blood blossomed across the polished surface.Weak hands instinctively clutched the artifact to his chest.One security man descended on him, yanking the artifact free and dragging it away. The same man raised his boot, ready to crush the researcher where he lay.Then—weightless. The force hit. Li

Blake spread the pictures on the table in front of his reporter friend. “I’m sorry, Blake, but I don’t cover news like this anymore.” Blake pulled a cigarette from the pack. “How fast can you get this on the news?” he asked, ignoring the refusal like it didn’t exist. “Blake… I’m not into this anymore. I only cover authentic news.” Blake lit the cigarette slowly, deliberately, as if nothing else in the room mattered. “Blake…” “Ten million dollars. Depending on how fast it can make it to the news.” The reporter gulped. Ten million… more than two years of his salary. He glanced at the pictures again. Disturbing. Enraging. Potentially explosive if released. Could even earn him a promotion if positioned well. “All you need to do is remind everyone of the rape that happened three years ago and that the man is out of prison, living as if nothing happened. You could even add that the victim is still recovering,” Blake continued. The reporter swallowed hard. Ten million… “If you can

Cole returned to his hotel room and dropped his keys on the table. He took a deep breath, then dialed the number the researcher had given him.The man answered on the first ring. Within two minutes, everything was settled.“I’ll get the herbs delivered to you in the next twenty-four hours,” the man said, then hung up.Cole exhaled slowly, relief washing over him. Finally. It hadn’t been a wasted trip.His gaze fell on the ring on his finger. After a moment’s pause, he slid it off and set it beside the phone. His mentors in prison had warned him not to use it until he’d gathered the necessary materials. Without them, the ring was nothing more than a temptation.Out of sight. Out of mind.He turned to leave, planning to grab something to eat—then his phone buzzed.Amanda’s name flashed on his screen.He picked up. “Where are you?” she asked, voice clipped.“Uh… somewhere,” he replied cautiously.

“I only have a little money left,” Blake said, taking another sip of the chilled drink. It burned down his throat, the pain oddly satisfying.“You had about two hundred million just two days ago,” his uncle said flatly.“Yeah,” Blake shrugged. “Had to buy some things to impress that bitch. I really love her, by the way. Thought we could spend a little time together. She’s exactly my type.”His uncle studied him quietly. Blake was truly his father’s son — a born womanizer. But to think he’d still go after Tiffany Whitemore in the middle of all this chaos? It was beyond him.“How much do you have left?” the uncle finally asked.“Ten thousand dollars.”The older man bit his lower lip. “You spent all that money?”Blake leaned back, smirking. “I’ll sell something if I have to. That girl’s worth it. She was going to be my girlfriend until that bastard showed up out of nowhere and—”He gnashed his teeth, his grip tight

Cole let her lead him back inside, expecting to see only the Matriarch, maybe sitting there with her cane. But the moment they entered, his chest tightened.The room wasn’t empty. It was filled—with lawyers, a few family friends, and several familiar faces from the press.Wait… Amanda was screaming in front of all these people the whole time? Really?“Cole,” she said firmly, turning to him, “look at all of them one by one—and mark their faces.”Cole blinked. “What?”“He’s a mafia!” Amanda announced, pointing at him like she was unveiling a dark prophecy. “And he’s coming for all of you tonight. Every single one of you! If you don’t know what a mafia is, go watch The Godfather. He’s crazier than Michael.”Cole almost fainted on the spot. What in the world was she doing?! Was Amanda losing her mind?Then, just like that, she turned dramatically and walked out—dragging him with her.To Cole’s utter shock, no o