The cemetery air grew thick with tension as vehicles screeched to a halt beyond the iron gates. Car doors slammed like thunder, and footsteps—dozens of them—marched in military precision toward the Kane family plot.At the head of the procession strode a young man who couldn't have been older than twenty-five. His tailored suit probably cost more than most families earned in a year, and his slicked-back hair gleamed with expensive products. This was Gary Gonzalez, heir to the Gonzalez family, a C-ranked noble house that had clawed its way up through ruthless business dealings and strategic alliances.Behind him, at least thirty men fanned out, their hands resting on concealed weapons. The scarred leader on the ground let out a wheeze of relieved laughter."Young Master Gary! Thank God you're here!"Gary surveyed the scene with cold calculation—his men on the ground, Aria standing with her blade drawn, and Darius positioned protectively near the tombstones. A smirk slowly spread across

The tension in the cramped room was suffocating. Adam Heinz stood there with his shark's smile, waiting for Alessia's answer like a predator savoring the moment before the kill. His bodyguards loomed behind him, their presence a silent threat.Then Darius spoke, his voice cutting through the oppressive atmosphere like a blade through silk."Your concern is unnecessary. I'll handle everything."Adam's head swiveled toward Darius, as if noticing him for the first time. His eyes narrowed with irritation. "And who the hell are you supposed to be? Another stray dog Alessia picked up from the gutter?"Darius didn't respond, his gaze steady and unwavering.Adam scoffed, waving a dismissive hand. "Whatever. You're clearly nobody important. Just another piece of trash cluttering up this hovel." His attention shifted, and his eyes landed on Aria, who stood silently near the broken doorway. His expression transformed instantly, lecherous interest lighting up his features. "Well, well! Now HERE'S

Adam Heinz lay on the filthy floor like a broken puppet, his forehead pressed against the dusty boards. His shoulders shook with desperate sobs as he knocked his head against the ground again and again."Please! Please, I beg you! War God, have mercy! I didn't know! I couldn't have known! I'm nothing! I'm trash! I'm less than the dirt under your boots! Please, just one chance! One—"BANG. BANG. BANG.Each kowtow left a red mark on his forehead, blood beginning to seep from where skin split against the hard wood.Nobody looked at him. John Cole stood with his arms crossed, his expression one of cold disdain. Aria had already dismissed Adam from her attention entirely, her gaze fixed on the medical team as they began unpacking equipment. Darius remained still, his eyes distant, lost in thoughts darker than the night outside.Then Adam's phone rang.The shrill ringtone cut through the tense silence like a scream. Adam scrambled for the device with trembling hands, nearly dropping it twic

The words hung in the air like a death sentence. For several heartbeats, the entire ballroom remained frozen in stunned silence. Then the whispers began—low at first, then rising like a tide."Did he just call the Ward and Reksar families trash?""He's completely insane!""Someone needs to teach that beggar some manners!""He's going to die here. Actually die."The murmurs grew louder, transforming into open mockery. Guests who moments before had been merely curious now looked at Darius with a mixture of pity and schadenfreude—the unique pleasure people take in watching someone destroy themselves.Rita stepped forward, her face flushed with vindictive glee. "Oh, Darius, you really ARE stupid, aren't you? Do you have ANY idea what you just said? The Ward family alone is B-ranked! The Reksar family is ALSO B-ranked! Together, they could challenge an A-rank noble house!""A-rank!" Lily repeated, as if Darius might not understand. "That's just below the royal families themselves! These pe

Darius's smile widened as he watched the woman descend the stairs. After three years of war, three years of blood and death, the architect of his family's destruction finally stood before him. The main character of this tragedy had arrived at last.Haley Ward moved with calculated grace, each step designed to display the expensive wedding gown to maximum effect. The dress probably cost more than most people's houses—white silk embroidered with gold thread, diamonds sewn into the bodice, a train that flowed behind her like liquid moonlight.She reached the bottom of the stairs and paused, her cold gaze sweeping over Darius with the kind of disdain one might reserve for something unpleasant found on the bottom of a shoe."Everyone," Haley announced, her voice ringing through the silent ballroom, "allow me to introduce our uninvited guest. This pathetic creature standing before you is Darius Kane—sole survivor of the Kane family massacre three years ago."The effect was instantaneous. Ga