Magnus stepped into the elevator. The doors slid shut and muted the chaos of the executive floor. He reached into the pocket of his medical coat, his fingers brushed against a velvet box. He pulled the box out and flipped the lid open. A diamond necklace rested inside the fabric. The stones caught the overhead light and threw sharp reflections against the glass walls.He had purchased it two days ago. He had paid ten million dollars for it. He planned to give it to Christina at the company launch next week. He wanted to reveal his true identity during the celebration.“Hmph” he scoffedHe, Magnus Mace, is not a struggling doctor, he was the sole heir to the Mace family. His family controlled the largest financial empire on the continent. Even his personal butler stood as the wealthiest man in this city. Magnus had traveled here seeking a simple life. He wanted to find a loyal wife who loved him for his character and not his bank accounts.He thought he had found that loyalty in Christi

The black luxury sedan pulled to a smooth stop at the corner of Central Avenue, parking three blocks away from City General Hospital. Magnus pushed the door open, stepping out onto the cracked concrete sidewalk."Sir," Jackson called out from the back seat, rolling the tinted window down a few inches. "I can purchase the medical board before noon, and we can fire the entire administration staff by lunchtime.""Leave them alone, Jackson," Magnus replied, adjusting the collar of his stained medical coat. "I need to maintain this position for a little longer.""They will not treat you well today," Jackson warned, his deep voice thick with concern. "The news of the divorce is already spreading through the corporate networks, and it will reach the hospital gossip circles very soon.""Let it reach them," Magnus said, offering a calm nod to his loyal butler. "I want to see how these people act when they think I have no power."Magnus walked the remaining three blocks, blending in with the mor

"If my mother dies on that table," Kennedy snarled. Her voice shook the heavy glass windows of the surgical wing. "I will strip this hospital down to the concrete. I will personally ensure none of you ever practice medicine again."Roberts threw his hands up in the air. He backed away from the furious politician. Sweat poured down his pale face, soaking the collar of his expensive shirt."Please calm down, Councilwoman Wade," Roberts begged. His voice cracked with sheer panic. "The chemicals are just causing a slight adverse reaction. It is a known side effect in the medical textbooks.""A slight reaction?" Kennedy screamed. She pointed a trembling finger at the medical monitor inside the theater. "Her heart is stopping, you fool. She is seizing on the table. Go in there and fix it right now.""I will check on Kayla immediately." Roberts stammered. He wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. "All will be well. I just need to administer a counteragent. Please just give me a moment

The doors of the armored SUV clicked shut. The sounds of the busy city street vanished instantly. The cabin was a fortress of leather and steel. Magnus sank into the plush seat and let out a quiet breath.Kennedy sat beside him. She did not relax. Her posture remained rigid. She stared blankly at the privacy partition separating them from the driver."Are you alright, Councilwoman?" Magnus asked."I am angry," Kennedy replied. Her voice trembled slightly. "I am incredibly angry.""Your mother is safe," Magnus reminded her. "The bleeding stopped. She will recover fully.""I know," Kennedy turned her head to look at him. "And I owe you my life for that. But I cannot stop thinking about Steven. I cannot stop thinking about his face when he stood in front of those doors.""He was acting out of self preservation," Magnus stated calmly. "He saw a liability.""He saw a political scandal," Kennedy corrected him sharply. "He calculated my mother's life against his own pension. He weighed her su

The doors of the executive suite clicked shut. Kennedy walked straight toward a crystal decanter resting on a mahogany side table. She poured two glasses of amber liquid, and her hands still shook slightly from the adrenaline of the ambush. She handed one glass to Magnus and took a long sip from her own."I need to understand what happened today," Kennedy sighed, leaning against the edge of her desk. "I hired a man to monitor my mother's blood pressure, and he dismantles a squad of armed mercenaries in five seconds.""I consider it preventative medicine," Magnus smiled a calm, unassuming smile.Kennedy laughed softly, shaking her head in disbelief. "That is something my private security team trains for years to achieve half of that competence.""I told you I had very demanding teachers," Magnus took a sip of his drink. "They taught me that a doctor must survive the battlefield to treat the wounded.""Well, you definitely survived," Kennedy set her glass down and looked at him closely.