In the corner of the dining room, Killian's eyes grew wide with anger. "You coward! You lying piece of—""Shut up!" Thomas snapped, pointing a finger accusingly at Killian. "You manipulated me and forced me into doing all of this! I was controlled like a puppet, Bruce. A puppet! I had no control over what I did!"Luna stepped forward, her voice thick with contempt. "You're so pathetic, Thomas. Switching sides the moment things don't go your way. You were more than happy to betray your family when you thought we were winning."Thomas ignored her, keeping his eyes fixed on Bruce. "Don't listen to them! They are all not telling the truth! They've been controlling me from the beginning!"Luna's hand twitched with rage as she lunged toward him. "Let me kill this bastard, Father. He's a liability."But Donovan raised his hand, stopping her. "Wait."Thomas bowed his head before Bruce, his body trembling with false remorse. Deep inside, he cursed himself for having fallen so low. This was th

Bruce's eyes narrowed, a brief flash of surprise crossing his face. "She left you? Why?"Donovan paused, biting his lips with a bitter edge. "During the years we spent in hiding, the Keeper experienced a growth spurt. By the third year, she had transformed from a little girl into a young woman. From the time I was a child and through all these years, I had never seen her grow before."He paused, his voice growing quieter. "After that, she left. She boosted our powers one final time and said her work was done. We couldn't stop her. She had been with the Zenith clan for as long as anyone could remember. We didn't know how to make her stay."Bruce spoke sharply. "She's not human. Whatever she is, she was only using you to feed on your lifespans. She got what she wanted and now she's done with you."The Zenith clan remained silent. They didn't want to admit it, but Bruce could sense that they knew he was right. The truth was out in the open air, whether they accepted it or not. He regard

Lucy stared at Bruce, her mouth opening and closing like a fish gasping for air. Then, a quiet laugh escaped her lips. The laugh was fractured, swiftly shifting between a sob and a chuckle. "I should've known," she murmured, brushing her eyes with the back of her hand. "All these years... I should've known." Bruce's brow furrowed. "What?" Lucy let out another shaky laugh. "It makes total sense. All these years we've known each other—how you paid my rent, paid for Tyler's surgery, the house you bought for me, the debt you cleared from the Mafia. It could only be you." Bruce's expression softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Those days were really good times." Lucy shook her head. "How could I have missed that? I mean, yeah, I've thought about it, but I always just brushed it off. I even argued with Luna that Bruce Smith could never be Bruce Dominic Shepherd." She laughed again, but this time it was tinged with tears. "And all this time, it was actually you. Why? Why

Bruce sat in the corner booth, quietly watching the scene unfold before him. He had experienced his fair share of heartbreak to recognize the way Peter's shoulders sagged, and how his whole world crumbled in dust.Holland laughed mockingly, draping his arm around Kelly. "Well, this has been fun. Come on, babe. Let's get out of this dump."He stopped at the door and glanced back with a smirk. "Oh, and by the way, I heard my father's bank is taking this land to repay the debt your family owes us. Just wanted to remind you."Peter didn’t say anything back. He just couldn't. He could do nothing but stand there, frozen, as he watched the love of his life walk out the door and get into a Lamborghini. The engine roared, the tires screeched, and then they vanished.Peter collapsed against the counter, his hands gripping the edge so tightly his knuckles turned white. A strangled sound escaped his throat as he cursed and sobbed. He buried his face in his hands, his shoulders shaking.Bruce wat

Harold West, owner of West Banking, sat at the head of the table, slicing into his steak. Across from him, Holland West lounged in his chair, his arm draped over the back of Kelly's seat. Kelly, wearing a stylish designer gown, smiled sweetly while picking at her salad and sipping wine.Just then, Harold's phone began to buzz. He glanced at the screen, then answered, his voice clipped. "Yes?"The voice on the other end sounded professional. "Sir, we've received an offer for the Dominic land. A client is offering forty-five million dollars."Harold's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Forty-five million?" He paused, a slow smile spreading across his face. "Who is the client?""They wish to remain anonymous, sir."Holland leaned forward, his interest piqued as he listened in on the call. "Forty-five million? That's a sweet deal, Dad. Let's sell it off."Harold shot his son a quick glance. "Patience, Holland. Forty-five million is a good offer, but that land is worth fifty million right now. It