The reflective glass doors of Seaman Technologies didn't offer Nico Seaman the same sense of absolute domain they usually did when he stormed through them. Although his new plan of tarnishing Vale Corp’s image seems to be working, it had cost the Seaman Group a ton of money, and the sting of losing the initial two hundred and forty million dollars was still vibrating through his veins like an electrical current.He didn't bother greeting his assistant as he marched straight toward the main executive conference room, ready to summon his financial analysts and demand a full audit on the state commercial banking clauses. But the moment he threw the double doors open, he stopped dead in his tracks.The room wasn't empty. Sitting at the head of the long obsidian table was his brother, Dave Seaman. Surrounding him were five of the most powerful, stone-faced senior board executives and institutional shareholders of the corporation. The atmosphere in the room was

The dirt-packed paths of the village market were bustling with the mid-morning rush, a chaotic maze of wooden stalls, colorful awnings, and the sharp aromas of fresh produce, dried spices, and livestock.Ethan walked a step behind Mary Jane, his hands casually slid into his trouser pockets. To the casual observer, he looked like an ordinary visitor; he had left his luxury SUV parked back at the farmhouse and accompanied her on foot, wearing a simple button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.But beneath his relaxed posture, his razor-sharp senses were fully engaged. As they moved past the crowded stalls, the shift in the atmosphere was instantaneous. The lively bartering died down, replaced by a toxic, heavy wave of stage-whispers and pointed glares.“Look, there she is. The shameless one,” a woman at a fabric stall muttered, nudging her neighbor.“Back from the city after getting caught, and now she’s dragging some new man around

There was a knock on Ethan’s apartment in the evening.Ethan, who had been reviewing regional logistics reports in his study, calmly walked down the staircase to answer it himself. He turned the polished brass handle and swung the door open, only to find three familiar figures standing beneath the porch lights.It was Kara and her parents.Kara stood in the center, her eyes red-rimmed and brimming with tears, her hands trembling as she clutched a small medical file against her chest. Flanking her were her mother and father, both vibrating with an absolute, unbridled fury that distorted their features.Before Ethan could even utter a word of greeting, Kara’s father took an aggressive step forward, shoving a finger directly toward Ethan’s chest. “You absolute monster! You thought you could just play your little games with our family and walk away unscathed?”Ethan remained perfectly still, his eyes shifting calmly to Kara. “Kara? What is th