“D-Daddy…?”The voice was tiny, shaking, like the child was trying to whisper so nobody would hear her, then she sniffed hard like she was forcing the tears back“It’s… it’s little Rose. Mummy said I shouldn’t call you,” she rushed the words out, breathless, and scared. “She said you’re outside… saving the world and that you’ll be angry if I disturb you.”A soft sound came, like fabric rubbing against the mouthpiece, like she’d covered the phone with her palm“But Daddy, I’m scared,” Rose whispered, and her voice cracked on the last word. “My body hurts. The fat aunt keeps beating me again and again. She says I’m bad. She says I’m jinxed.”The man on the other end didn’t speak and not because he didn’t want toBut because his throat locked, and something cold rose from his chest to his skullRose kept going, like she couldn’t stop once she started“Aunt Amelia tried to help me,” she said quickly. “She stood in front of me. She told her to stop. The fat aunt pushed her… Aunt Amelia hit

The words landed softly but the air in the ward turned cold.Max didn’t react immediately. His face didn’t twist in rage, his hands didn’t clench. He simply stood there, eyes lowering slightly, as if he were weighing something insignificant.The Smiths were getting bolder.He wasn’t dead yet they dared to marry his wife off like he never existed.A slow breath left his nose.“So,” Max said at last, his voice calm to the point of cruelty, “they’ve finally decided to dig their own graves.”Tiger felt a chill crawl up his spine.“Sir… what do you plan to do?” he asked after a brief silence.Max rose from the chair beside the bed, straightening his uniform with deliberate slowness.“Prepare the car,” he said flatly. “We’re going to the wedding.”Tiger stiffened. “Yes, sir.”He turned and left immediately.“Brother…”Amelia’s weak voice stopped Max at the door. She looked at him with hesitation, worry clouding her pale face.Max turned back, the murderous pressure around him fading instant

Outside the Grandview Pavilion, Fiona’s first words were, “Where’s Rose? Where’s my daughter? I need to find her.”Her voice trembled, panic already blooming in her eyes, she couldn't escape before but now that she have her freedom, she needs to find her precious one.Max didn’t waste time, just took her arm and said, “She’s at the hospital. She needed care. Come.”As they hurried toward the car, Fiona’s mind raced, guilt, dread, every mother’s nightmare crawling up her throat. Tears welled, but she bit them back. She clung to Max’s sleeve, needing his strength just to keep moving.The ride felt endless. When they finally burst into the hospital, they were greeted by chaos, nurses struggling to hold down a tiny girl thrashing on the bed, her cries echoing down the corridor.“I want my Daddy! Daddy promised to stay! Where is he.. Daddy!”Relief broke across the doctors’ faces as soon as they saw Max and they let go.The moment Rose saw him, her wailing stopped as if a switch had been

Max returned early the next morning, sunlight barely creeping through the thin curtains.He hadn’t even reached the door before it burst open and Rose flung herself into his arms, clinging tight.“Daddy! You said you wouldn’t leave again!” she wailed, her voice muffled and shaky. “Why did you go? Mama said you’d come back, but I thought..”Max knelt and hugged her close, breathing in the scent of her hair, a tired warmth in his eyes. He looked over her head to Fiona, silent question in his gaze.Fiona crossed her arms but her tone was softer than before. “You can stay with us,” she said, almost grudging, but relief slipped through her. “It’s better for Rose. And for all of us.”She hadn’t slept, he could see it in the dull ache behind her eyes. The night before had been chaos. Rose had thrown a fit, screaming herself hoarse for her father, only drifting to sleep when Fiona finally whispered a hundred reassurances that he’d come back for her.Max nodded. “I’m not going anywhere.”He gl

The moment Fiona slapped the contract on the table, the room changed.Sneers vanished. Every cousin, aunt, and busybody lunged forward, jostling for a look.Fingers scrambled across the pages, eyes darting from signature to company seal, desperate for proof it was fake.Dan, her cousin with a face like a weasel and an ego to match, piped up, “This must be a forgery. No way Atlas signs with us. Look at the print, probably something from a business center. Atlas Consortium doesn’t even give meetings to bankrupt families.”Another aunt snorted, “He’s right. If the ink isn’t even dry, it’s probably not worth the paper...”A chorus of voices joined in, piling on.“Maybe she found an old contract template..”“They don’t just hand out deals like candy...”“Who do you think you are, coming back here with some photocopy?”Fiona tried to speak up, voice tight but proud, “Atlas doesn’t do fake contracts. You can call them...”Dan cut her off with a sneer, “Shut up, Fiona. You’re always so desper