Several minutes passed, but no one came. The silence that had felt heavy slowly gave way to open mockery.The whispers inside the bank grew louder. Disdainful looks returned to Callen, as if his earlier courage had been nothing more than cheap acting."How many minutes has it been?" Adrian sneered while glancing at his watch. "Five minutes? Ten?"He let out a short laugh, full of contempt. "My father won't come just because of a phone call from some nobody like you."Serena laughed as well. "This is really embarrassing! You're clearly lying, yet you're still stubborn."She looked Callen up and down. "A man like you should learn how to line up properly, not claim you know a former general."Marcus stood beside the reception desk with a tense face. He wanted to stop all of this, but the pressure from the Valemont family made him hesitate."I actually wanted to forgive you at first," Adrian said. "I thought you were just an idiot who didn't know his place."He pointed at Callen's face. "

Adrian stood stiff in the middle of the bank hall. His back still felt hot from Hector's gaze and sharp warning just now. As soon as his father walked a few meters away, Adrian chased after him with quick steps."Father, wait!"Hector stopped, but he didn't turn around right away. "What is it now?"Adrian took a breath. "That man Rowan. Who is he really?"The name made Hector pause for a moment. Rowan. That clearly wasn't Callen's real name. Hector knew exactly who that man was, knew how high his position was, and knew that if the truth came out of his mouth, this place would feel far too small. But he also knew there was a line that couldn't be crossed.Hector finally turned to face Adrian. His face was calm, but his eyes were serious. "The name you saw on that account isn't there without reason."Adrian frowned. "What do you mean?""The state protects his identity. He isn't an ordinary person. His contributions in the war can't be made public."Adrian's eyes widened. "Protected by t

Morning came with soft light slipping through the living room window. Ivy was already dressed neatly in her work clothes, her hair tied in a simple style. Her work bag hung on her shoulder, but her steps stopped when she saw Callen standing by the door with car keys in his hand."You ready?" Callen asked casually.Ivy nodded, then her gaze drifted outside. A glossy black car was parked neatly in front of the house. Its body lines were sharp, the front grille stood out, and its expensive aura could be felt even by someone who didn't understand cars."That…" Ivy paused for a moment. "We're really leaving in that car?"Callen gave a faint smile. "Why not?"Ivy swallowed. She didn't know the model or the specifications, but she knew one thing. That car wasn't cheap. It was extremely expensive."Callen," Ivy said softly while adjusting her bag strap. "I already asked yesterday, but I'm still curious. Where did you get this car?"Callen opened the door and glanced back. "A gift.""A gift fr

Damian's laughter rang out, deliberately loud so everyone could hear. He clapped his own hands with a look of disdain, then slowly shook his head while staring at Callen from his shoes up to his face."This is an office, not a battlefield," Damian said in a mocking tone. "Here, you're nobody. Don't bring your soldier mindset into someone else's workplace."Several employees immediately laughed along. Some leaned against their desks, others crossed their arms with sneers."He's right," someone said. "Just an ordinary veteran acting tough.""You don't even work here, but you dare interfere with office matters," another added. "Have you gone crazy?"The whispers turned into open insults. Ivy stood stiff in place, her hands clenched. This wasn't new to her, but today felt different. Lily was here. Her daughter was hearing everything.A female employee took a half-step forward, her face full of mockery. "If you already know your wife slept with another man, you should've divorced her."Lau

The office door suddenly swung open with a loud bang. A pair of expensive leather shoes stepped inside, followed by a sharp scent of strong perfume. Noah and Steve appeared together, their faces still carrying the confident expressions of people who believed they held power.The wall clock had just ticked to mark the start of working hours, and the chaotic situation inside the room clearly didn't match the image of a professional office they were used to.Noah stopped in his tracks when he saw tilted desks, scattered folders, and several security guards lying unconscious on the floor. His brows furrowed deeply, clear shock flashing across his face."What happened here?" his voice rose, full of displeasure. "This is an office, not a boxing ring!"Steve swept his gaze around the room with disdain. "Just look at this mess. There must be someone who didn't know their place and dared to disrespect the Carter family!"Damian looked like he'd found a savior. He raised his trembling hand and p