Sophia took a deep, shuddering breath on the other end of the line. Manu could hear the sound of her teeth grinding together, a sign of barely contained fury that made his already trembling hands shake even harder."Manu," Sophia said, her voice strained with the effort of controlling herself, "I'm going to explain something to you ONE time. ONE time only. And you are going to LISTEN and you are going to BELIEVE me, because your life—your ENTIRE future—depends on it.""Yes, Aunt Sophia," Manu said quietly, not daring to interrupt."Ethan Morrison is not an ordinary person," Sophia began, each word carefully measured. "His identity... his TRUE identity... is someone greater than me. Greater than you. Greater than EVERY powerful family in this city COMBINED."Manu's brow furrowed in confusion. "But how—""I CANNOT tell you his real identity," Sophia interrupted sharply. "I am not PERMITTED to reveal who he truly is. But I can tell

CRASH!The sound of metal crumpling against metal exploded through the car like a bomb going off. The Mercedes lurched violently forward, then sideways, the force of the impact throwing Charlotte and Lina against their seatbelts with bone-jarring force."AHHH!" Charlotte shrieked, her hands flying up instinctively to brace against the seat in front of her."OH MY GOD!" Lina screamed beside her, her voice high-pitched with terror and shock.The world spun for a sickening moment—glass cracking, metal groaning, tires screeching against asphalt. Then everything went still, the sudden silence almost as jarring as the crash itself.Charlotte's heart pounded in her chest, her breathing coming in short, sharp gasps. Her hands were shaking, adrenaline flooding her system. She blinked hard, trying to clear the spots dancing in her vision, trying to make sense of what had just happened."Miss Charlotte! Miss Lina!" The driver's panicked voice cut through the ringing in her ears. "I'm so sorry! I

The man stumbled backward, his hand pressed against his bleeding nose, his eyes watering from the pain. For a moment, he just stood there, stunned, as if unable to process that this beautiful woman had actually just assaulted him with her handbag.Then his expression transformed.The lecherous smile vanished, replaced by something darker, more dangerous. His face contorted with rage, blood still streaming from his nostrils and dripping onto his expensive suit."DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?!" he roared, his voice cracking with fury. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO YOU JUST HIT?!"Charlotte didn't flinch. She stood her ground, her designer bag still clutched in her hand like a weapon, her chin raised in defiant contempt. Blood from the cut on her forehead had trickled down to her cheek, making her look fierce and slightly unhinged."I don't care," she said coldly, rolling her eyes with exaggerated disdain. "I don't care if you're the MAYOR of

Earlier that morning, Ethan had settled into the back seat of the luxury sedan, his expression calm and focused. James drove with practiced efficiency, navigating through the city traffic with the ease of someone who'd been doing this for decades."The meeting with Miss Rebecca is scheduled for ten o'clock, young master," James said, glancing at Ethan in the rearview mirror. "She's arranged for several key personnel to be present. The heads of the investment division, the legal team, and the strategic planning department."Ethan nodded, his mind already running through the implications. Today was significant—the day he'd be formally introduced to the inner workings of the Kidman empire. Not as a figurehead, not as a distant heir, but as someone being prepared to eventually take control of one of the world's most powerful financial dynasties."Has my grandfather been informed?" Ethan asked."Miss Rebecca has kept him updated on all preparations," James confirmed. "He's very pleased wit

Marcus's face contorted with rage as he watched his two trained bodyguards struggling to get up from the ground. His carefully constructed image of power and intimidation was crumbling before his eyes, and he couldn't accept it."Get UP!" he screamed at his men. "GET UP and take this arrogant BASTARD down! What am I PAYING you for?!"The bodyguards struggled to their feet, one clutching his hyperextended elbow, the other holding his ribs where Ethan's precise strikes had landed. They looked at each other, then at Ethan, clearly reconsidering their career choices.Charlotte's eyes widened with renewed fear as she realized the fight wasn't over. Her gaze darted between Ethan, the recovering bodyguards, and Marcus's furious expression."You!" Charlotte suddenly shouted at Ethan, her voice sharp and accusing. "This is YOUR fault! I told you to LEAVE! I told you this was none of your BUSINESS!"Ethan turned to look at her, his expres