Sonia was still frozen in front of the President of Cardinia,.Then, without any hesitation or warning, the president raised his hand not toward me, not toward anyone else, but toward her, and the sound of his palm connecting with her face rang out sharply across the room.Slap!!It was not a light slap meant to simply reprimand her.It was firm, sharp, and filled with unmistakable authority.Sonia gasped as her head snapped to the side from the force. Her hand hovering near her cheek where the impact had landed moments ago, her mind clearly struggling to catch up with reality.Her body tilted dangerously, and for a brief second, it looked as if she might lose her balance completely. The shock on her face was immediate and overwhelming, not only because of the pain, but because of the humiliation and disbelief that followed. This was not something she had anticipated, nor something she had ever imagined would happen to her in a room full of powerful individuals.Before she could eve

The atmosphere inside the banquet hall remained unbearably tense after the President of Cardinia ended his phone call with George Whitmore. With nothing more than a single phone call, the president had suspended Greg Winchester’s company from operating for three entire months.That was not some light punishment that could simply be ignored and forgotten after a few days. In the business world, three months was enough to destroy contracts, ruin partnerships, shake investor confidence, and cripple an entire company financially. Everyone in that hall understood the weight behind such a decision, and judging by the pale expression on Greg’s face, he understood it better than anyone else.I stood there calmly while the president slowly lowered his phone and slipped it back into his pocket. His face remained composed, but there was a coldness in his eyes that made it clear he was no longer tolerating any nonsense from anyone.Then he looked directly at Greg and Sonia.“You should both l

Nearly three hours had passed since the banquet began, and by that point, the atmosphere inside the grand hall had changed completely from what it had been earlier in the evening. I remained seated in the golden VVIP chair at the center of the first row, quietly observing the people around me. Throughout the remainder of the banquet, countless individuals had approached me cautiously, attempting to introduce themselves or gain my attention after witnessing the way the President of Cardinia treated me even without knowing who I was. I answered politely when necessary, but I kept my responses short and controlled. There was no need for anyone in that hall to know more than they already did.The less attention I attracted to my true identity, the better.Eventually, however, the banquet began winding down. Groups of guests slowly started leaving their tables, gathering their belongings and saying their farewells to one another. The luxurious atmosphere remained lively, but it was cl

My heart began pounding violently inside my chest as I looked at my phone.For several long seconds, I remained standing outside the grand villa without moving at all. Britney.The fear in her voice kept disturbing me, the kind of fear that came from someone trapped in a nightmare with no way out.“What could possibly be happening?” I muttered quietly to myself.The more I replayed the call inside my mind, the more dangerous the entire situation began to feel. Britney had not sounded physically injured, but she had sounded frightened beyond measure. Her voice had trembled in a way that made it impossible to ignore. It was the kind of fear that only came from someone trapped in a truly terrible situation.I swallowed slowly as another thought suddenly struck me hard.“No ” I whispered under my breath.My eyes narrowed immediately as realization began settling heavily inside my chest.“Whoever has her knows me.”That realization instantly made the situation feel far worse.There was a

I slowly began walking toward the entrance while remaining alert to every possible danger around me. My footsteps crunched softly against the cracked concrete ground as I approached the rusted metal doors ahead. Anyone looking at this place from outside would immediately assume nobody had stepped here in years. But I knew better. The Power Reapers were masters at hiding in plain sight. And if they truly wanted to hide someone from the world, this kind of abandoned location would be perfect for them. I inhaled slowly while my gaze remained fixed ahead. “Britney,” I whispered under my breath. “Please be alright.” The moment I stepped closer to the entrance, a sudden violent roar exploded through the darkness. The sound was so loud and aggressive that it shook the atmosphere itself. I stopped instantly. My eyes narrowed sharply. “What was that?” I muttered. For one brief second, I almost thought I had imagined it. But then another roar erupted again, this tim