In the large study of the Malta home, Mr. Malta stood by the fireplace, holding a heavy glass of scotch tightly in his hand. His face was red with anger as he looked down at Ezra, who sat on the leather couch with his right arm wrapped in a thick white cast."She is gone," Mr. Malta growled, his voice shaking with rage. "My own daughter climbed down a tree like a common thief in the middle of the night. Do you know how embarrassing this is, Ezra?"Ezra winced as he shifted his arm, but he forced a confident smirk onto his face."She will not get far, Uncle," Ezra said, leaning back. "She has no money, no phone, and no friends strong enough to hide her. My team is already checking every hotel and bus station on the south side."Mr. Malta turned his cold eyes onto Ezra and narrowed them."Does your father know what a mess she caused?" Mr. Malta asked, stepping closer to the couch. "Does he know that the woman meant to save our business deal ran away, and that the man who broke your arm

"No one is here," Raina said, holding the edge of the wall as she peeked into the kitchen.The vast, modern space was completely empty. Polished marble counters stretched under soft warm lights, with not a single staff member in sight.Relief washed over her. She didn't want to explain her messy hair, oversized hoodie, or bare feet to anyone. All she wanted was a glass of water to soothe her dry throat after the exhausting night.Raina stepped inside, her feet gliding silently across the clean floor. With the room to herself, the tension in her chest loosened. A small smile touched her lips, and she swayed gently, moving in a light dance toward the glass cabinets.She reached up, pulled a glass from the shelf, and turned toward the dispenser."Ah!"Raina flinched, nearly dropping the glass.Slayde stood there, leaning against the counter. He held a black file in one hand and a glass of water in the other, watching her with a calm expression. He didn't look angry or surprised, jus

“I need to tell them to do this quickly,” Harlyn whispered to herself. “There is no way the trash I threw out becomes more successful than me. What is he trying to show off? He was just a stay-at-home husband. How dare he come to a place like this?!”Harlyn sat at a round table near the front of the VIP section, her hands shaking with anger. Dominic pulled out a chair and sat next to her."Stop brooding," Dominic said in a low, firm voice, giving her a sharp look. "You're making a scene, and people are starting to notice."Harlyn glared at him, but Dominic did not back down."Slayde didn't build all of this on his own," Dominic added, leaning closer so only she could hear. "He must have someone powerful helping him. The men we met this morning are already on it. They are going to move soon, so just listen to them and keep your mouth shut."Harlyn took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Are they going to take as long as before? I don't want to sit around waiting for months while he

Slayde stood up from his chair, tall and alert in the dark room. He pulled Raina smoothly behind his back, shielding her completely with his body."Keep down and stay behind me," he said in a low, steady voice."I've got you," Raina whispered, holding onto the back of his suit jacket with one hand while keeping low.Slayde reached into his inner suit pocket and pulled out a pair of thin black glasses. He slipped them on and tapped the button on the side frame. The lenses glowed red, switching to thermal night-vision.The dark ballroom transformed in his sight. Heat signatures stood out bright orange against the blacked-out tables and running crowd.Slayde sensed three figures moving fast toward his table. On his thermal lenses, three orange shapes cut through the confused guests, moving with weapons drawn."They're coming straight for us," Slayde muttered.The first attacker lunged out of the dark, reaching for Raina. Slayde didn't hesitate. He grabbed the man's wrist, twisted

Slayde stopped in his tracks, keeping his arm steady for Raina. He looked down at Harlyn with a blank expression, his eyes cold."What are you going to do, Harlyn?" Slayde asked, his voice flat. "Stand in my way all night?"Harlyn's chest heaved as her temper flared. Her hands clenched into tight fists, her face turning red with anger. She expected him to look nervous, to show even a bit of shock or panic. Instead, he spoke to her like she was just an annoying fly."Don't play dumb with me!" Harlyn whispered angrily, taking a step closer. "You think buying Delyas Corp makes you a big man? You think dressing up and bringing some fake escort on your arm changes who you are?!"She pointed a finger at his chest, her voice shaking with rage."You were a nobody when you lived under my roof, Slayde! A broke, useless husband who couldn't even pay for his own clothes! You think throwing around money will make people respect you? You're still trash, and I will make sure everyone in this cit