The drive to Vanessa's penthouse was a blur of frustration and mounting concern.Alexander's hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles had turned white.The audacity of it—advertising the ring on national television like it was some kind of prize in a scavenger hunt.People had died because of these rings. Anna was dead. The club owner and his men were dead. And now someone was turning the whole thing into a public spectacle, dangling a reward while completely glossing over the trail of bodies left in the wake of these artifacts.The worst part was that no one else knew. To the rest of the world, this was just an exciting opportunity—a chance at wealth and prestige. They had no idea they were being drawn into a web that had already claimed multiple lives.Alexander pulled into the underground parking garage of Vanessa's building, his mind still racing. He needed to warn Vanessa about the broadcast, needed to figure out who at Gallant Inc. was behind this obvious trap, n

The Twin Towers' grand lobby was packed when Alexander arrived the next morning. Hundreds of people had shown up—businessmen in expensive suits, socialites dripping with jewelry, tech entrepreneurs, old money families, new money upstarts. Everyone who thought they had a chance at winning the competition had come.The registration desk was manned by staff wearing Gallant Inc. badges, their expressions professionally neutral as they processed the flood of applicants.Alexander stood in line, studying the other competitors. He recognized several faces—members of the city's top five families, CEOs of major corporations, celebrities who'd made their fortunes in various industries.And there, near the front of the line, he spotted both Ethan and Lila.Of course they'd entered. The lure of Gallant Inc. combined with their belief that this was "their" ring would be impossible to resist. Ethan was chatting animatedly with another competitor, his body language confident and entitled. Lila stood

Before Alexander could respond, another group entered—Ethan and Lila. They looked around the impressive lobby, clearly overwhelmed by the competition they were facing.When Lila spotted Alexander, her face went through several emotions before settling on uncomfortable determination."This is going to be a long thirty days," Alexander said."Actually, make that even longer," Vanessa said, nodding toward the entrance. "Look who else decided to join."Sophia Sterling walked in, her presence commanding immediate attention. She was dressed in a power suit that probably cost more than most people's cars, her hair perfectly styled, her expression cool and confident. Several business associates flanked her."Sophia?" Alexander was genuinely surprised. "Why would she enter?""The opportunity to work with Gallant Inc. is massive," Vanessa explained. "Even for someone at Sophia's level. Plus, she probably heard you were entering and got curious."A hush fell over the crowd as the final group mad

But which one was he? Damien's eyes scanned the crowd below, analyzing each competitor. The man who'd fought him in that alley had been skilled, dangerously so. His combat abilities had been returning, muscle memory awakening from whatever had locked them away.Such a person couldn't hide forever. The challenges would expose him. Physical trials would reveal his training. Mental challenges would show his tactical thinking. Sooner or later, the God of War would have to reveal himself.Damien's phone buzzed. The distorted voice spoke without preamble: "Status?""The competition is beginning. All major families are present, along with hundreds of lesser competitors.""Any sign of the target?""Not yet. He's either not here, or he's left his rings behind to avoid detection." Damien's jaw clenched. "Clever, if that's his play. But it won't matter. The challenges will flush him out.""See that they do. And remember—no more public deaths. The last incident with the club drew too much attenti

The simple question, delivered in a calm, almost bored tone, somehow cut through Victor's tirade more effectively than any comeback could have.Victor stared at him, chest heaving, face red, looking suddenly ridiculous rather than threatening. The crowd had gone quiet again, sensing the shift."I asked if you were finished," Alexander repeated. "Because if you are, I'd like to get to my room now. It's been a long day."Victor's mouth opened and closed. He'd exhausted his rage on someone who refused to react, and now he stood there looking foolish and small despite all his money and status."You... you're going to regret this," Victor finally managed. "All of this. I'm going to make you suffer.""I'm sure you'll try," Alexander said. Then, with deliberate calm, he turned his back on Victor and gestured for Katarina to follow him.It was the ultimate dismissal. In front of everyone, Alexander had just shown that Victor wasn't even worth considering a threat.Victor let out an incoherent