Darius lowered his phone slowly, his eyes never leaving Raymond Miller's face. When he spoke, his voice was quiet but carried the weight of absolute certainty."Deputy Chief Miller, you just heard Noah Petterson openly admit to organ trafficking. To purchasing human beings for the purpose of harvesting their organs. To being complicit in the murder of members of my family. And you're telling me you heard nothing?"Raymond's expression didn't flicker. "I heard a lot of wild accusations from an intruder who violently broke into private property. As for jurisdiction, organ transplant procedures are handled by federal medical boards, not local police. If there were any irregularities—which I'm not saying there are—it would need to be reported through proper channels.""Proper channels," Darius repeated, his voice taking on an edge like broken glass. "The same proper channels that you control? The same system you've corrupted?""Careful, Mr. Kane," Raymond warned. "Adding slander of a poli

The police officers had just begun lowering their weapons when a new voice rang out from the estate's entrance—confident, commanding, and dripping with political authority."What in God's name is going on here?"Every head turned.A man strode into the courtyard with the bearing of someone who'd spent decades wielding power.He was perhaps sixty, silver-haired, impeccably dressed in a tailored suit despite the late hour. Everything about him screamed influence and connections.Nicholas Petterson—Nick to those who knew him—Noah's uncle and one of Duskfort's most powerful city councilmen.He'd served three terms, had connections spanning the entire state government, and was widely considered untouchable.Noah's face transformed instantly from barely concealed panic to triumphant relief. "Uncle Nick! Thank God you're here! These criminals broke into our estate and—""I can see what happened," Nick interrupted, his eyes sweeping across the scene with cold assessment. He fixed Chief Marcus

The courtyard remained frozen in stunned silence. Major General Thomas Harrison still knelt before Darius, his head bowed in respect and apology.Behind him, over a hundred elite soldiers stood at attention, weapons ready, creating an impenetrable wall of military might.Darius reached down and placed a hand on the general's shoulder. "Stand up, Douglas. You're not late. You're exactly on time."Douglas—Thomas Harrison's given name, used only by those who'd earned the right—rose to his feet, relief washing over his features. "Thank you, War God. When I received your call, I mobilized every available unit. I commandeered military transport, bypassed every protocol—""I know," Darius said quietly. "And I appreciate it."Chief Marcus Davidson suddenly made sense to everyone watching. His earlier confidence, his defiance of Nick Petterson's political pressure—it all clicked into place now."Chief Davidson," Douglas addressed him formally, "I apologize for the urgency of my orders. When th

The small house felt even more cramped with four people inside, but Alessia didn't complain.She'd immediately taken to Aria and Emma, fussing over the younger girl like a mother hen, preparing warm soup and making sure she was comfortable on the worn couch."You're so kind," Emma said weakly, managing a genuine smile despite her ordeal. "Thank you for taking us in.""Don't be silly," Alessia replied, tucking a blanket around her. "Any friend of Young Master Darius is family. Besides, you've been through something terrible. The least I can do is make sure you're comfortable."Aria watched the interaction with grateful eyes. "Thank you, Alessia. We don't have a proper place to stay yet, and I didn't want to take Emma to a hotel in her condition.""You can stay as long as you need," Alessia assured her. "It's small, but it's yours."The two young women had taken to each other immediately—both had suffered, both had fought to protect what mattered, both understood what it meant to endure

Patricia Stevens was still calling for her manager when the main office doors opened and two men in expensive suits walked in, clearly in the middle of an important conversation."—and the infrastructure improvements should be completed by next quarter," the older man was saying. "The utility upgrades alone will add significant value to—"He stopped mid-sentence as his gaze swept the room and landed on Darius.John Cole's eyes widened with recognition, then something like panic. He immediately broke away from his companion and crossed the room in quick strides."War God!" John's voice was urgent and respectful. "I didn't know you were here! If I had known, I would have—"He stopped himself, clearly aware they were in a public space, but the damage was already done. Everyone in the sales office had heard him.Patricia's face had gone white as fresh snow.The man who'd entered with John—Tom Harrison, the primary developer of Riverside Heights and owner of Harrison Properties—took one lo