Alexander had barely made it halfway down the street when he heard heavy footsteps pounding behind him. He turned to see Marcus running after him, his massive frame moving with surprising speed for someone of his size."Sir! Sir, please wait!" Marcus called out, slightly out of breath as he caught up.Alexander stopped and faced the giant man with a mixture of curiosity and wariness. "What do you want? I thought we were done back there."Marcus immediately snapped to attention and delivered another crisp military salute. "My apologies for the delay, sir. I wanted to properly introduce myself and offer my services.""Why do you keep saluting me?" Alexander asked, genuinely confused by the man's behavior."Because it's the proper protocol when addressing a superior officer, sir.""Superior officer? I'm not in the military."Marcus's eyes gleamed with what he mistook for clever understanding. "Of course not, sir. I completely understand the need to maintain your cover.""My cover? What a

The terror in the giant man's eyes was genuine and absolute.Marcus had spent years in elite military units, had faced death in combat zones around the world, but he had never been so completely outclassed by another human being."I'm sorry," Marcus continued, his voice breaking with fear and humiliation."I'm sorry for attacking you. I believe you now. I believe you're exactly who I thought you were."Alexander maintained the hold for a few more seconds, then released Marcus and stepped back.The giant man rolled onto his side, gasping for air and trembling with the aftereffects of terror."Please spare my life," Marcus begged. "I was wrong to challenge you. I was wrong to doubt your identity."Alexander looked down at the broken man and realized he now had the upper hand in this bizarre situation.Marcus's fear could be useful, and his knowledge about the "God Clan" might provide crucial information about Alexander's mysterious past."If you want me to spare you," Alexander said qui

Victor's expression didn't change, but his eyes grew cold for just a moment before warming again. "Lila, darling, that was purely business. She's considering investing in one of my projects.""It looked like more than business to me.""You're imagining things. Sophia Sterling means nothing to me compared to you."Lila wanted to believe him, but something in his tone made her doubt his sincerity. Still, she was tired of fighting and suspicious of everything after the day's revelations."I suppose I'm just being paranoid," she said with a forced smile."That's understandable, given everything that's happened. But I promise you, there's nothing going on between Sophia and me."Their conversation was interrupted by a knock at the front door. Victor frowned, not expecting any visitors at this hour."I'll get that," he said, rising from his chair."Let Marcus handle it," Lila suggested, referring to the security guard Victor had stationed at the entrance."Marcus?" Victor's frown deepened.

She watched helplessly as it glided up the stairs with that same unnatural grace, heading toward the bedrooms on the second floor. The sound of drawers being opened and furniture being moved echoed through the apartment as the intruder began systematically searching through their belongings."Call the police," Victor whispered from where he still lay on the floor. "Call them now."With shaking hands, Lila dialed 911 and reported the break-in. The dispatcher assured her that units were being dispatched immediately, but the nearest patrol car was still fifteen minutes away.For what felt like hours but was probably only minutes, they huddled in the dining room listening to the sounds of their home being ransacked. Closets were torn apart, mattresses were overturned, and even the walls were being tapped as if the intruder was searching for hidden compartments.When the police sirens finally wailed in the distance, the sounds from upstairs suddenly stopped. By the time the officers reache

Alexander felt the rings on his fingers grow noticeably warmer as he approached the imposing skyscraper.The pull was unmistakable now – somewhere inside that gleaming tower of glass and steel, the third ring was calling to its companions.He pulled his modest sedan over to the curb directly in front of the building's main entrance, planning to get a closer look at the security arrangements.Before he could even turn off the engine, two massive security guards in expensive suits materialized beside his car.They moved with the coordinated precision of professional bodyguards, their bulk effectively blocking any escape route Alexander might have considered."Hey, you!" the first guard barked, rapping his knuckles against Alexander's window. "You can't park that piece of junk here!"Alexander rolled down his window, trying to maintain a polite tone. "I'm sorry, I was just—""Just what?" the second guard interrupted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Just trying to bring down the proper