The house was quiet, save for the soft hum of the refrigerator and the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore. Bruce stood in the kitchen, a glass of fresh orange juice in his hand, staring out at the night's sky. The evening light was fading, casting long shadows across the empty rooms.Bruce had moved into the house he had bought for Isabella and his son, but they were gone now—flown back to be with her father under the protection of the Sopranos. Lucy and Tyler were with the Blackfoot Clan, and the Shepherd estate was heavily guarded. Everyone he cared about was safe.That left just him.Bruce took a sip of his juice, his mind calm. He knew the assassins would come for him any time soon. He was counting on it. He wanted to see what this hundred days had in store for him.Just as he was relaxing, the front door suddenly exploded inward, splintering off its hinges and crashing against the floor. Bruce didn't flinch. He simply lowered his glass and turned toward the en

The toxic Queen had only one method of killing her targets—poison. She mastered the use of toxic poison to weaken her victims and eliminate them upon request. She wasn’t skilled in combat, but her poisoning abilities were exceptional. Her kill count was so impressive that she was never out of work. Which is exactly why this job was the easiest she's ever accepted. It was so simple: capture Bruce Smith and Lucy Watson. The toxic Queen spent the entire night investigating Lucy Watson and was surprised to discover that both Lucy and Tyler were missing, as if they had vanished from the city. Her main target, Bruce Smith was still around and living in a house by the sea. All through the night, she spies on him while keeping herself out of view until morning arrives. The toxic Queen only has 24 hours to deliver Bruce Smith to Blake. She couldn't afford to waste time. Fortunately for her, Bruce stepped out of the house around noon and drove to an upscale restaurant. She followed him

The fifty assassins spread out in a wide arc, their weapons raised, and their eyes fixed on Bruce. They moved cautiously, surrounding him from every side. But as they closed in, the barrier shimmered behind them, cutting off any hope of escape. Several of them turned, startled, their hands pressing against the invisible wall. "What is this?" one of them muttered with unease. "It's some kind of barrier," another hissed. "He's trapped us in here with him." Bruce stood in the middle of the beach, his hands resting at his sides and his posture relaxed. He glanced at the Toxic Queen, who had stepped back, her face drained of color. She had thought Bruce was an easy capture, but this was not what she expected. "Well?" Bruce called out, his voice echoing across the beach. "What are you waiting for? Come at me." At first, they hesitated, but realizing there was no way to escape, they all attacked him simultaneously. The first wave came from three sides—a woman with twin daggers, a m

Two weeks had passed since the night on the beach. Bruce strolled down the hospital's sterile corridors, clutching a small bouquet of flowers in his hand. He wore a cap pulled low over his eyes and dressed casually in a jacket and jeans, blending seamlessly with the visitors passing by.He walked up to the nurse's station and inquired, "Which ward is Blake Genesis in?"The nurse glanced up, her brow knitting into a frown. "Are you a member of his family?"A calm and easy smile spread across Bruce's face. "I'm a friend."She hesitated, then nodded and directed him to the private wing on the third floor. Bruce thanked her and made his way to the elevator.When he entered Blake's room, he saw him sitting in a motorized wheelchair, gazing out the large window. The room was silent, broken only by the gentle hum of the machine that kept him alive. Blake looked completely different from the man Bruce remembered. His body was fragile, his face hollow, and his eyes deeply sunken. He couldn't

A murmur spread through the crowd after the strange girl made her announcement. Bruce studied her, wondering exactly who she might be.He had never seen her before, but judging by the security detail and her big ego, he assumed she was someone important—probably the daughter of a big shot.A man stepped forward, his face red with frustration. "And who are you, young lady?"The girl regarded him like he was trash. "I'm pleased you asked. I am Sofia Woodlock. My father runs the Woodlock industrial conglomerate. I'm sure you've heard about him."Bruce’s eyes tightened in deep thought. He knew about Woodlock Industries.Following Shepherd Group's massive achievements over the last four years, more conglomerates have started to appear.Several years back, Bruce was the only multi-trillionaire in the world, but recently the number of trillionaires has increased from one to thirty.Still, the second wealthiest person on Earth was valued at only $50 trillion. Meanwhile, Bruce's net worth had