"You let him walk out of here like he was some kind of king!" Marcus Nico's fist slammed against the auction house wall, leaving a visible dent in the expensive paneling. His bodyguards stood nearby, carefully avoiding eye contact with their furious employer. They had witnessed Marcus suffer the worst public humiliation of his life, and none of them wanted to become the target of his displaced rage. The auction house had emptied quickly after Jacob's departure. Seron's elite had scattered like roaches exposed to sudden light, each of them eager to spread gossip about the mysterious billionaire who had appeared from nowhere and crushed Marcus Nico's pride in front of everyone. "Sir, perhaps we should leave," his chief bodyguard suggested carefully. "The crowd outside will have grown by now, and the longer we remain here, the more people will witness—" "Witness what?" Marcus spun around, his face twisted with anger. "My humiliation? That has already happened! By morning, every person

The moment the parking garage lights exploded into darkness, Jacob moved. He grabbed the velvet case and dove behind a concrete pillar as gunshots erupted in the blackness. Marcus Nico was firing blindly, his bullets sparking off metal and concrete in every direction. Men shouted in confusion, unable to see their targets or each other. "Roseline, east exit!" Jacob called out, trusting she would find her way even in complete darkness. "Already moving!" her voice came back from somewhere to his left. More gunfire filled the garage, but Jacob was already running toward where he remembered seeing a stairwell entrance. His combat training had taught him to memorize every exit in any location, and that discipline was saving his life now. He heard Leo's car engine roaring, then the sound of metal crunching as Leo rammed through whatever was blocking his path. Tires squealed, and suddenly headlights cut through the darkness, illuminating the chaos. Jacob used that moment to sprint for th

Anna sat back down on the sofa, her hands folded tightly in her lap. "I am listening." Jacob remained standing by the window, choosing his words carefully. He would give her truth, but not all of it. Not yet. Some secrets were too dangerous to share until she was ready. "My name is Jacob Krigg," he began. "That much was true when I introduced myself to your family. What I did not tell them was that I am an international businessman with investments across multiple continents." Anna watched him carefully, her intelligent eyes tracking every expression, every gesture, looking for signs of deception. "I started with nothing," Jacob continued. "Fifteen years ago, I left Seron with barely enough money to survive. I traveled north to the Himulan territories, where I met people who taught me skills that most men never learn." "What kind of skills?" Anna asked. "Business strategy, negotiation, combat training," Jacob replied, mixing truth with careful omissions. "The Himulan region was u

Two nights had passed since the auction, and Jacob had convinced himself that Marcus Nico would need more time to plan his revenge. He had been wrong. The evening had been peaceful. Jacob and Anna finished dinner together, talking about her childhood before the accident and his carefully edited stories about his years in the Himulan territories. Anna seemed more relaxed now that she understood their connection, though Jacob could still see questions in her eyes—questions he was not yet ready to answer. "I am going to take a shower," Anna announced, standing from the dining table. "Then maybe we can watch a movie? I feel like we never just relax together." Jacob smiled, touched by how much she wanted normalcy in their complicated situation. "That sounds perfect. I will clean up here and meet you in the living room." Anna headed upstairs while Jacob carried dishes to the kitchen. He was rinsing plates when his combat instincts suddenly screamed a warning. Something was wrong. The nig

Jacob stared at Anna, seeing the fear and fascination warring in her eyes. She had asked the one question he had hoped to avoid for months longer. What are you? "Anna, sit down. Please," Jacob said, gesturing toward one of the few intact chairs. "I will explain everything, but you need to stay calm." "Stay calm?" Anna's voice rose sharply. "You just fought off eleven armed men like it was a training exercise! Jacob, I watched you break bones, knock people unconscious, and move faster than should be humanly possible! How am I supposed to stay calm?" One of the unconscious intruders groaned and started to move. Without taking his eyes off Anna, Jacob walked over and struck the man once more, sending him back into darkness. Anna flinched at the casual violence. "You did not even look. You just knew exactly where to hit him to knock him out again." "Muscle memory," Jacob said quietly. "After enough training, these things become instinct." "Enough training," Anna repeated, walking in