A black SUV rolled to a slow, steady stop in front of a small hotel tucked between two taller, flashier buildings. The vehicle’s dark body gleamed faintly under the dim streetlights. Its engine went quiet, like a predator settling into silence.Before the SUV had fully stopped, the driver’s door swung open. A soldier in uniform jumped out quickly, moving with purpose as he circled around to the rear passenger door. He opened it with sharp precision, then stood at attention; his hand lifted in a firm salute, his heels together, eyes straight ahead. But his hands trembled.From inside the vehicle, a man stepped out calmly.He carried a rugged black backpack over one shoulder. He was tall and strong, wearing a fitted black shirt under a zipped-up tactical jacket. His dark military pants were tucked into heavy combat boots. His presence was unsettling. His thick brown hair fell just low enough to touch his forehead, partly hiding his sharp eyes. A black cap shaded most of his face, almost

The taxi rolled along the sun-scorched road, its tired tires humming beneath John's booted feet. He leaned back into the seat, the worn fabric pressing against his spine as he stared out the window, watching the world blur past. But his mind wasn't on the passing cityscape. No, it was somewhere else entirely.Alfred’s voice replayed in his head. "Your grandfather doesn't have long, John. He’s asked for you… he’s dying."A sneer curved the corner of John Hardwick’s mouth. Dying? So what? The old man could rot for all he cared.He pushed Alfred's words aside like dust from an old coat. He didn’t care. Not anymore. Not after what they did to him. A simple mistake, one lapse in judgment, and they had torn everything away. His name, his legacy, his dignity; vanished overnight. The golden boy, the youngest billionaire in the country, reduced to nothing more than a headline scandal.And what had he done? Just one mistake. One.He had built entire divisions, negotiated mergers that saved the

Grandmaster Morrison’s words still hung in the air, breaking whatever peace the Morrison family had left. The elegant living room now felt like a prison to Helena. She stood there, trembling in her red cocktail dress, feeling like her grandfather’s threat to exile her had cut her open for everyone to see. The family’s stares were a mix of pity and judgment, and she could feel her pride slipping away.Turning to John, the Grandmaster’s voice softened but still carried authority. “John, let’s go to the dining room. We have things to discuss.” He tapped his cane against the marble floor as he walked, each sound sharp in the silence.John didn’t say a word. He adjusted his cap and followed, his plain clothes looking completely out of place among the expensive furniture and decor. The heavy mahogany doors shut behind them, leaving the family to deal with the shock of what had just happened.The moment the doors closed, Helena broke down. A sob escaped her, and her knees gave out as she san

Helena walked barefoot down the cold marble hallway, trailing behind John toward the jade wing. Her silk robe brushed softly against her legs with every uneasy step. The mansion’s corridors, once grand and familiar, now felt like a trap, each gold-lined wall pressing in on her. Her parents’ voices had already faded behind her, cut off by the Grandmaster’s final word, leaving her alone with the man she hated.John walked ahead with steady confidence, his broad back blocking her view forward. He moved as though this was nothing unusual, while Helena hugged her arms tightly across her chest, feeling small and exposed. She had rushed out so quickly she’d left her sandals behind; hardly the elegant heiress she normally showed the world.The golden double doors of the jade room came into sight, guarded by the same men from earlier. They straightened as John approached, their eyes flicking to Helena but quickly looking away, as though they could sense the tension hanging in the air. John did