SERAPHINE.I sat across the room, watching Ryan slowly calm down after the struggle with Elizabeth. The anger that had consumed him moments ago still lingered in the air, a heavy, almost tangible tension.My jaw tightened as I realized how dangerous things were getting.Ryan wasn’t thinking clearly. He wasn’t operating within the bounds of law or reason anymore. He was letting his fury dictate his actions, and it was making him more like Elizabeth than himself.I couldn’t just sit here and watch this spiral continue. The way he had lunged at her, ready to strike, showed me how far his emotions had taken control. ..I had to act. I had to do something before he destroyed everythingnot just legally, but morally.“I’ve had enough,” I said aloud, my voice firm, though quiet enough for only Ryan to hear.I didn’t even glance at Victoria, who sat in the room, her expression a mixture of fear and curiosity. I stood, smoothing the folds of my clothes as I moved toward the door.Victoria’s

DANTE.I woke up slowly, my eyes blinking against the bright light.For a moment, I wasn’t sure where I was. The place looked like a palace gilded walls, high ceilings and intricate carvings everywhere.I rubbed my eyes, trying to make sense of it all and when I finally focused two men stood on either side of me.Both held massive rifles, their expressions unreadable.I froze My gaze darted forward, and I saw two men seated on an elevated throne My heart sankThey weren’t smiling, not even a hint of amusement.Their eyes locked on mine, cold and unyielding.I couldn’t look away. Fear rooted me to the floor.“Where… where am I?” I whispered to myself, my throat tight.The first man spoke, his voice calm but commanding. “Welcome, Dante.”I swallowed hard. I couldn’t move, couldn’t form a coherent thought. Then the second man leaned slightly forward and said, “We are the Dynasty. We are Chinese royalty.”I blinked, stunned. My mind refused to grasp it. Chinese royalty? Here? In this

RYAN.I lowered my head, the weight of the moment pressing down on my shoulders.Everywhere I looked, there was damage. Broken glass. Bullet marks carved into walls. Bodies laid out on the floor like evidence of how badly we had miscalculated. Elizabeth’s men hadn’t just attacked—they had dominated. Our security forces were down, outmatched, scattered like they never stood a chance.And they hadn’t.I walked slowly through the wreckage, my footsteps heavy, my mind racing. Cassian security had always been strong. Trained. Prepared. But this… this was different. Elizabeth’s men moved with precision. No hesitation. No mercy. They weren’t just guards. They were soldiers.I bent slightly, my eyes locking onto a spent bullet casing near my foot. Small. Simple. Deadly. Something so insignificant had ended lives in seconds.I straightened up, my chest tightening.Medics were everywhere now. Voices low. Movements fast but controlled. They worked on the injured first, then covered the dead. Str

MARY.I felt the phone against my leg its slight weight a small reminder that help might still be within reach. My fingers brushed against it, confirming it was still there. I had to move had to leave this place before Elizabeth showed up to take me back. Panic and determination churned inside me as I glanced at Marco He was lying there, head down, eyes closed calm as if nothing was happening.His pistol rested at his side gleaming in the faint light ready to fire at the slightest wrong move..I held my breath trying not to draw attention my chest tightening with every second I stayed still. I exhaled slowly thinking of Ryan. Would he come to save me? I wanted to believe he wouldI knew he would… But days had passed, and nothing had happened yet.Each passing hour made the space around me feel smaller, heavier. I couldn’t just wait. Waiting meant risking my life and I wasn’t willing to do that anymore.I needed a plan,I needed to act. My eyes flicked over Marco again He looked

DANTE.I drove down the empty stretch of road, my eyes scanning every shadow, every turn of the streetlights.The city had faded behind me replaced by stretches of dark unwelcoming terrain My mind raced thinking of Elizabeth and the urgency of what I had to say. She had to listen this time. If she ignored me, if she underestimated what was coming, none of us would survive. The Chinese dynasty wasn’t some empty threat, they were ruthless, precise, and more than capable of wiping out anyone in their way.What they had done at Ryan’s wedding was beyond crazy, a show of sheer power. And that was just the beginning. They could do far worse. Every Cassian bloodline, every corner of our family’s empire, was under threat. I clenched the steering wheel tighter. I needed to tell Pa Jake. He had to know Whether he had dealings with these people or not, he had to understand what we were facing. If anyone could rally the family, it was him.I glanced at the tracker again, the faint ping b