She slammed her hand on the desk, leaning forward so her face was inches from Nathan's. "Listen to me, you pathetic little beggar. This isn't a local gym. This is an invite-only health facility for the global elite. Do you see the shoes on my feet?" She lifted her leg slightly from behind the desk, flashing the red sole of a designer heel. "These cost three thousand dollars. If you sold every single piece of property you owned in your entire miserable life, including the clothes on your back, you wouldn't even be able to afford the shoelaces for my heels."The wealthy patrons in the lobby began to whisper, pointing at Nathan."Where is security?" a man in a bespoke tuxedo muttered to his wife, glaring at Nathan's worn jacket. "It's disgusting that they let this kind of trash wander into the building. It completely ruins the atmosphere.""He looks entirely shameless," a woman dripping in diamonds added, covering her nose with a silk handkerchief. "Just look at him standing there. He sh

"Okay then," Nathan said, maintaining absolute eye contact with the CEO. "Let's leave the security clearance for a minute. Let's just start with what is strictly within my power right now. Getting a premium membership card. I want the highest tier you offer. The one that can grant me access to VIP services and bypass the standard lobby waiting times, like that of the Governor's floor."Victoria sighed softly, a hint of genuine exhaustion finally breaking through her composed exterior. She really did not want to call the police on a kid, but he was pushing her limits."Young man, I am trying to be reasonable with you," the lady tried to explain again, taking a step back as if to close the conversation. "The price of getting a premium membership here is not…""How much?" Nathan cut her off, his voice suddenly sharp, carrying an undeniable command that echoed through the lobby.The abrupt interruption made Victoria blink. For a fraction of a second, she felt a strange, chilling sensation

Nathan slowly pulled back, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. He looked down into her pale, tear-streaked face, his brow furrowing in deep confusion. "Nina, what is going on? I just got your messages. My phone was dead all night. Tell me what happened to your father. Why is he in the ICU?"Nina looked him dead in the eye. Her gaze was intense, broken, and filled with a desperate, terrifying plea for truth."Tell me you really don't know what went wrong with him, Nathan," Nina whispered, her voice trembling so violently it was barely audible. "Look at me. Look me in the eyes and tell me everything they are saying inside that room is not true. Tell me you didn't do it."Nathan froze. His hands remained on her shoulders, but his entire body went completely still. "What? What are you talking about? Tell you I didn't do what?"He was genuinely, utterly confused. He had no idea what was going on. He had left her house last night after the docks incident, gone to his lab, handled a m

A few feet away, Nina was standing with her hands clamped over her mouth, completely speechless.Her fear had entirely vanished, replaced by a massive, overwhelming surge of pure awe. She had always seen Nathan as the quiet, brilliant, slightly cynical kid from school. Seeing him completely dismantle two heavily armed security contractors with the calm, calculated precision of a professional fighter made her heart skip a beat. She was incredibly impressed. And more than that, she was happy. He was actually fighting for her.Down the hall, her own personal bodyguard, Marcus, had taken a step forward when the violence started, his hand reaching for his sidearm."Stand down, Marcus!" Nina immediately ordered, her voice sharp and commanding, pointing a finger at her guard. "Do not engage! Stand your ground!"Marcus immediately froze, removing his hand from his weapon, offering a slow, respectful nod. He had watched the fight. He knew exactly what he had just seen. That wasn't street brawl

She turned a wild, desperate look to the doctor. "I am his wife! I am the next person in line after my husband, and I am ordering you to inject him right now before his heart stops completely! Do it!"Pressured by the screaming wife of the Governor, the doctor panicked. He nodded, stepping forward and aiming the sharp needle right back at the IV port on the Governor’s arm.Nathan moved faster than anyone could blink.He lunged across the space, his hand shooting out. He grabbed the doctor's arm firmly just a millimeter before the needle pierced through the plastic port. With his other hand, Nathan snatched the syringe completely out of the doctor's grip, and then forcefully shoved the man backward by his shoulders, pushing him away from the bed.Before the family could even scream for security, Nathan turned toward a metal medical cart nearby. He grabbed a clear glass beaker used for holding sterile water.Without saying a single word, he pushed the plunger of the syringe, releasing t