"How dare you point a gun at him?”The silence that descended upon the Prism Dragon Group’s gala at her hissed words felt like a crushing atmospheric pressure that seemed to suck the air from the lungs of every socialite, executive, and waiter in the room.Mr. Henderson blinked, completely taken aback. He opened his mouth, his throat working visibly as he tried to find his footing. "I—CEO Knowles, you must understand," he stammered, his face flushing a mottled purple. "This man... he was trespassing, he was being disruptive. I was merely—I was ensuring the safety of—""Safety?" Seraphina’s sharp voice cut through his excuses like a razor through silk. "You are 'ensuring safety' by threatening the life of the guest of honor?"Henderson’s jaw dropped. "Guest of... but he’s just a—""He is Zachary," she snapped, stepping into his personal space, her presence radiating a cold menace. "And he is here at my personal invitation. Do you have even the slightest inkling of what you have just d

He couldn't take it anymore!His rage snapped the last tether of his sanity. With a roar, Bennett lunged.He grabbed a heavy silver serving fork from the buffet table and swung it wildly at Zachary’s face."Die, you peasant!"The crowd screamed.Zachary didn't even raise his hands. He simply shifted his weight to the left. A smooth, fluid motion that made Bennett’s strike look like it was moving in slow motion.Bennett’s momentum carried him forward. He stumbled, his feet tangling in the tablecloth.CRASH.Bennett Sterling, heir to the Sterling Corporation, flew headfirst into the centerpiece of the buffet—a five-tier chocolate fountain surrounded by ice sculptures.The fountain toppled. Warm, viscous chocolate exploded everywhere, coating Bennett from head to toe. He slid across the table, knocking over trays of shrimp and caviar, before crashing onto the floor in a heap of broken crockery and brown sludge.He lay there, gasping, looking like a mud monster, a piece of shrimp clingin

Miles away, the atmosphere was far less controlled.The interior of the limousine was suffocating. Bennett Sterling sat in the back, his face a mask of twisted rage, his hands gripping his knees so hard his knuckles were white. The city lights blurred past the tinted windows, meaningless streaks of color that only served to irritate him further."Why isn't he picking up?" Bennett snarled, slamming his phone down onto the leather seat. "Useless! Everyone is useless!"Beside him, Elise sat in terrified silence. She had pressed herself as far into the corner of the car as possible, staring out the window, trying to make herself invisible. She flinched every time Bennett shouted, her heart hammering a frantic rhythm against her ribs. She wanted to say something, to comfort him, or perhaps just to ask him to stop, but the manic gleam in his eyes told her that any sound she made would only make her a target."And you!" Bennett roared, kicking the back of the driver’s seat. The partition g

Bennet had to make things right again.He had convinced himself, through a night of sleepless pacing and drinking, that yesterday was a fluke. It had to be a misunderstanding or even a bout of temporary insanity on his father’s part. If he could just get to the source, if he could just speak to the Chairman of the PDG directly, he could smooth this over. He was charming. He was persuasive. He was a Sterling.That had always been enough during the last, he was sure it would be enough this time too.He arrived at the PDG Headquarters just before noon. The building was more professional and bustling with staff, the decorations of the night before removed and cleaned away, leaving it spotless once more.He adjusted his suit jacket, checked his reflection in the tinted glass doors, and walked in, expecting the usual deference.The lobby was large and filled with high-level executives and international investors who had all come to make a good impression after the shit show that was la

The words struck Zachary with the force of a physical blow. The old shame, the deep-seated insecurity of the orphan boy who had to fight for scraps, even if he knew now that he wasn't abandoned intentionally, flared up in his chest. He felt his hands curl into fists at his sides."You have no right—" Zachary began, his voice trembling slightly."I have every right to protect this company and its CEO from parasites," Henderson interrupted, his eyes gleaming with malice. "You're a gold digger, plain and simple. You see a powerful woman, and you think you can latch on. It's disgusting! Shameless. Truly shameless."Zachary stared at him, stunned into silence. The sheer audacity of the man was breathtaking. He felt a surge of anger, hot and blinding, but suddenly, it cooled.Realization slapping him right in the face.‘He doesn't know,’Zachary looked at Levi Henderson—this man who probably prided himself on knowing everything—and realized that Henderson didn't know what was staring at