As soon as Bruce reached the bottom of the staircase, the crowd swarmed around him like iron filings attracted to a magnet.The former prime minister was the first to approach him, his face breaking into a respectful smile. "Congratulations on your succession appointment, Mr. Shepherd. It's a great honor to meet you face-to-face."Bruce inclined his head slightly, the diamonds on his mask catching the light. "Thank you, Prime Minister. The pleasure is mine."When Bruce spoke, his voice was deep and breathy. There was something hypnotic about it as though it wrapped itself around the listener like warm silk. He had trained his vocals overnight to sound like this. Bruce shook hands with each guest in turn, his cape flowing behind him as he moved. He said only a few chosen words, acknowledging and welcoming his guests without sounding arrogant. Strangely, that only made his presence feel even heavier.When Bruce Dominic Shepherd spoke, people listened. When he said little, they hung o

Bruce moved through the crowd, nodding briefly to guests who attempted to intercept him. His cape flowed behind him as he passed through a door at the edge of the reception hall, leaving the music and laughter behind.The corridor beyond was quiet, lit by soft sconces along the walls. Bruce walked down until he pushed through a final door that opened onto the staff gate area.The cool night air hit him in the face.Willis stood ahead, under the harsh security lights, trembling between two massive bodyguards. His server's uniform was disheveled, his black mask removed to reveal a face pale as chalk and glistening with sweat. Behind him, the two guards cracked their knuckles in unison, terrifying Willis.Oswald stood before them, holding a small glass between his gloved fingers.As Bruce approached, Oswald turned and bowed deeply."Master Bruce." He extended his hand, revealing the vial. "We apprehended Mr. Stone and found this in his pocket. He intended to poison you."Bruce took the

Willis stared at the security guard, his eyes hardening. "How is that even possible?" he asked, his voice rising. "Do you know who I am? I am Willis Stone! I'm engaged to Caro Griffin!"The security guard narrowed his eyes in contempt. "Yeah, I know who you are. You're that fella who tried to poison Bruce Dominic Shepherd. Shame on you."The words struck Willis like a slap."How dare you?" Willis's face flushed red. "You're just a gatekeeper! I could have you fired for this!"The guard crossed his arms over his chest and said nothing. His expression didn't change. He just stood there, blocking the entrance like a wall.Willis seethed with anger. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. He took a step forward. "You're making a big mistake," Willis snarled. "When Caro hears about this, you'd regret treating me like this.""Then call her," the guard sneered. "I dare you.""Oh, you bet I would," Willis said, pulling out his phone with trembling fingers as he scrolled through his conta

The rain fell harder, drumming against the pavement relentlessly. The two men stood at opposite corners, separated by the crosswalk that stretched between them like a barrier.Memories rushed through Willis's mind like a flood as he gazed across the street at Bruce, feeling his throat tighten. Here was the man whose wife he had stolen. The man he had mocked and ridiculed like garbage. Willis swallowed nervously. His throat felt as rough as sandpaper. He felt a strange fusion of shame and rage rising inside.For a moment, he looked away, ashamed to meet Bruce’s eyes. Then he forced himself to look back."What the hell are you doing here?" Willis rasped. “Have you come to gloat?”Rain drummed against Bruce's umbrella as he answered. "Yes. Yes, I have."Willis clenched his hands into fists at his sides."It's satisfying, you know," Bruce continued quietly, "watching you suffer. Watching you lose it all. Watching you stand in the rain, soaked and broken, with nowhere to go. That’s exac

Caro's post went viral overnight. Her face appeared everywhere. Across news segments, talk show discussions, and social media threads.The internet started exploring every aspect of her life, eager to learn about her background and family. It took only two days for the world to learn about Caro Griffin's past romantic relationships. First, they uncovered her recent engagement to Willis Stone.That name was already infamous.He was the disgraced executive who attempted to kill Bruce Dominic Shepherd. Everyone was puzzled as to why the new chairman would take an interest in his assassin ex.But the digging didn't stop there. Soon, they uncovered another name. Bruce Griffin, Caro's ex-husband. Bruce Griffin was a complete nobody with no money, no status, and no attractive qualities. He was just an unemployed divorcee who had reportedly lived off the Griffin family money for years.Now the internet became even more curious about Bruce more than anything."She married THAT guy?" someone