“Dare to disrespect my lord and try to escape? You’re asking for death.” Leon lowered his smoking gun with a cold, disdainful snort. Bang! Gerald’s body pitched out of the helicopter like a discarded ragdoll, crashing onto the rooftop with a sickening thud. The helicopter descended rapidly. The moment it touched down, Howard sprinted forward as if his soul were on fire. “Brother! Gerald!” Howard dropped to his knees and gathered Gerald’s limp, blood-soaked body into his arms. Gerald’s eyelids fluttered weakly. His breathing was shallow, every exhale trembling. “Heh… I… didn’t expect… that in the end… I’d lose to you…” His voice cracked, filled with disbelief and fury even at death’s door. “I… can’t accept this…” Howard shook his head violently, tears already pouring down his face. “No! Don’t say that! Don’t talk like that, please! Gerald—Gerald!” Gerald’s eyes rolled upward, clouding over as he forced out his final words. “If I don’t say it now… I won’t have… t

When they returned to Cloudtop Villa, the atmosphere felt heavier than the night sky itself. Evelyn glanced at Howard’s expression—his eyes swollen, his steps dragging, his entire spirit dim—and she asked indifferently, almost with boredom, “Since you look so sad, I’m guessing Gerald killed that old fool, Harold?” Howard didn’t even bother responding. He just shook his head weakly. He felt too drained—too broken—to say a single word to her. Without looking back, he walked straight into his room and shut the door behind him. Evelyn snorted dismissively. She turned toward Anna with a raised brow. “Anna, what happened? Did that old fool actually die?” Anna frowned sharply, irritation flaring instantly. “Mom, how can you say something like that? Grandpa didn’t die… but Uncle Gerald did.” “What?” Members of the Barion family stiffened, eyes widening with shock. Evelyn froze for half a heartbeat. Then— She burst into laughter. Loud, sharp, malicious laughter. “Ha

With a violent crash, Evelyn’s body hit the ground outside the gate. She slid across the pavement, gasping, her palms scraping the gravel. Clutching her backside, she stared at Mike in total disbelief. “Mike… you actually kicked me?” she breathed, stunned. Inside the villa, Mike lounged on the sofa with one leg casually crossed over the other, as if the entire world bored him. His eyes were full of contempt. “Keep shouting,” he drawled, “and I’ll kill you. Then the world will finally be quiet.” Evelyn’s eyes widened. “You wouldn’t da—” She didn’t finish. Cold metal touched her throat. A machete—its blade sharp enough to chill her skin—rested lightly against the side of her neck. Mike leaned closer, lips curling into a cruel smirk. “Wanna guess if I dare or not?” Evelyn went rigid, breath catching in her chest. That was when Howard stepped forward. “Mike, let Evelyn go!” he barked, anger and panic twisting his voice. Mike turned his head slowly, glaring at

The night air was cool and still, the kind that crept up your sleeves and settled into your skin. I had dressed simply—dark jeans, a fitted black jacket, boots. I stood near the door, glancing at the time again. It was almost 8 p.m. Dinner at Vinie’s.I couldn’t show up empty-handed.It wasn’t just about manners—it was Vinie’s home, his wife, his daughter. After everything, they deserved more than just my presence. I headed out, deciding I’d stop by a store nearby. A nice bottle of wine, maybe a cake Elizabeth would love.The upscale gourmet store near Ravencrest Plaza was still open when I arrived. The warm light glowed through the glass windows, and the scent of baked goods teased the air even before I stepped inside.I went straight for the wine shelf—my fingers brushing over imported bottles, aged labels in elegant fonts. Then I looked at the price.85,000 dollar.I blinked. “Yeah… nope.”Even for Vinie, that was pushing it. I turned and wandered to a more casual section. I grabbe

I let out a low breath through my nose and slowly pulled my hands off Victor, my grip loosening around his bloodied collar. The fork clattered to the ground, but my eyes never left his. I wanted nothing more than to rip that smug look off his face.Victor adjusted his wrinkled shirt and turned dramatically to the police. “Officers, thank God you arrived when you did,” he said, voice soaked in false gratitude. “This lunatic stormed into my house, attacked my staff, assaulted me, and nearly killed me. You saw it—he had a fork to my throat!”I took a step forward, eyes burning. “Don’t listen to this psycho! He’s not some innocent victim—he’s a killer! He created an app, NoirNet, a digital contract board where people pay to murder others. That’s what he’s been doing!”One of the officers hesitated, but Victor cut in, all calm and smug. “That’s what he claims. No evidence. No proof. Just wild accusations and conspiracy theories. He’s been obsessed with my family for years. He’s unstable.”