The air in the private study was thick with the scent of aged mahogany and the sharp, medicinal bite of expensive scotch. Magnus Haruno stood perfectly still, his silhouette framed by the flickering orange tongues of the fireplace. The silence that followed his question about the fifty-million-dollar ring was not empty; it was heavy, pressurized, like the air in a diving bell sinking too deep into an abyss.Saul felt the sweat slicking his palms. The ring in his pocket felt like a coal, burning through the fabric of his trousers. He looked at Haruno, seeing the man’s emerald eyes shimmering with a light that felt ancient and predatory."I told you," Saul said, his voice cracking slightly before he steadied it into a low growl. "I liked it. I have the money. I don't need a reason beyond that. I don't know anything about its history, and I don't care about your 'power' talk. I’m a simple man, Haruno. You’re looking for a ghost in a room full of mirrors."Haruno’s expression didn't shift

Veronica didn't wait for another word. She didn't ask about the ring, and she didn't offer a parting pleasantry. She practically dragged Saul toward the heavy oak doors.Saul’s feet shuffled uselessly against the carpet, his eyes still fixed on the floor, watching the way the shadows of the furniture seemed to stretch and reach for him like the hooded figure in the alley.As they reached the door, it swung open before they could touch the handle.Two of Magnus’s guards stood there, their faces expressionless masks of stone.For a terrifying second, Saul thought they wouldn't let them pass—that the 'freedom' Magnus offered was just another layer of the illusion.But the guards simply stepped aside, their movements synchronized and silent.They offered no fanfare, no mockery.They simply watched as the once-composed couple hobbled past them, a shadow of the people who had entered the study an hour prior.The hallway felt interminably long, Veronica's paranoia making it feel miles longe

Veronica’s expression soured. She let out a sharp, weary breath and ran a hand through her loose hair. "We got it. But God, Saul, the whole thing was a total shit show. I’ve dealt with some lunatics in the banking world, but Haruno? That man is on a different level of twisted."She stood up, her movements stiff as if she hadn't slept well either. "Wait here."She walked out of the room, her footsteps silent on the thick carpet. A moment later, she returned carrying the small, velvet-lined case the guard had handed her. She held it at arm's length, her nose wrinkled in distaste."Here," she said, placing it gingerly on his lap. "I didn't put it with my jewelry or anything else in the room. To be honest, the thing gives me the creeps. It felt like it was watching me from the nightstand."Saul didn't laugh. He reached out, his fingers trembling as they brushed the lid. This was it. This tiny, silent object was the reason he had almost lost his mind—the reason Magnus Haruno had looked

"Ma'am," Saul said, his voice tight."Don't you 'Ma’am' me, you pathetic little leech," Michaela hissed, stepping into the hall. Her heels clicked like gunfire on the marble. "Do you have any idea what you did? The humiliation? The phone calls I’ve had to take? 'Oh Michaela, I saw your future son-in-law being dragged out of the Haruno estate like a common thief.' 'Micheala, did you hear Saul was seen leaving a billionaire's auction?'"She sneered bitterly, “As if the embarrassment at the bank wasn't enough, now you had to go ahead and do this!" "I didn't ask for any of that to happen," Saul said, trying to keep his voice steady. "I’m just here for my things. I’ll be gone in ten minutes.""Your things?" A second voice joined the fray. Daniella’s sister, Clara, stepped out from the shadows of the upper landing, looking down at him with a sneer that mirrored her mother’s. "You don't have 'things' here, Saul," Clara laughed, a harsh, jagged sound. "Everything in this house was bought w

He remembered the card that Kim had given him, the woman who had claimed he was the chairman of the KINAI GROUP. At first, he had dismissed her as a delusional fanatic, but after everything he had seen, her claims seemed more plausible than ever.He reached into his pocket and pulled out the card, his fingers tracing the embossed lettering. The Direwolf black card. Only given to those in the highest rank of the KINAI GROUP. The name resonated with a strange familiarity.A kind of familiarity he couldn't explain.He walked over to the desk and sat down. He hesitated for a moment, his heart pounding in his chest. Was he ready to take this leap of faith? Was he ready to embrace the possibility that he was someone else entirely?He stared at the window, but then his gaze shifted to the sleek, modern smartphone Veronica had given him earlier. It sat on the nightstand. If the Kinai Group was as significant as Kim claimed, the internet would have the answers.He stretched his hand an