The housekeeper led the two of them down a dimly lit hallway to show them the accommodations. She opened the first door on the right.Inside was a massive bedroom featuring a king-sized bed, high ceilings, polished hardwood floors, and floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooked the estate’s illuminated garden courtyard."This one is mine," Elio said without hesitation, stepping straight into the master guest suite."And for Mr. Reyes..." the housekeeper continued, stepping across the hall and unlatching a small, heavy metal door.Jaxon leaned over her shoulder to look inside, and his jaw dropped in horror.The "room" was barely larger than a walk-in closet. It had no windows, exposed concrete walls, a single flickering light, and a narrow cot pushed against a stack of dusty metal storage boxes. It was a glorified storage room.Jaxon stared into the dark space, then turned his head toward the hallway, where Viktor stood against the wall with his arms folded, grinning."Ladies fi

Slayde kept his dark eyes locked on Elio, reading every micro-expression across her face.She sat completely still, her jaw set tight and her gaze fixed on the glass surface of the briefing table. On the outside, she maintained the same hard shell she had worn since he caught her mid-sprint at the park. But Slayde knew grief and the effort it took to keep it buried.He wondered whether her father's passing had truly failed to pierce her armor, or if she was simply someone who had learned long ago that showing weakness was dangerous.Elio picked up a pen from the edge of the table, spinning it between her fingers before slamming it flat onto the glass."So," she said, her voice coming out cold and sharp. "My dead dad made a deal with a prison ghost, and now I'm sitting in a high-security estate with a pink-haired scam artist and an angry guy with a stick.""I have a name," Jaxon muttered under his breath, shrinking back when Elio shot him a glare."I don't care about your name, pinkie

Slayde didn't immediately stand. Instead, he leaned back into his heavy leather seat, his eyes cool and calculated."I have business to finish here first," Slayde said smoothly. "Go back to your headquarters. Once I am done with my work for the day, I will come."Brec paused, studying his unbothered posture for a second. A small nod broke her stoic expression. "Fair enough. I will be waiting for you, Burgess. Don't take too long; my systems won't last forever."With that, she rose to her feet, adjusted her suit jacket, and turned toward the heavy double doors, leaving the suite as swiftly as she had entered.The moment the doors clicked shut, Viktor stepped out from the side lounge, his cane tapping softly against the floor as he approached the desk."Boss," Viktor began, his eyes fixed on Slayde. "Why did you agree to help her? We already have our hands full with the syndicate.""That hacker is dangerous," Slayde replied flatly, closing the file on his terminal screen. "I am not g

Slayde casually strolled toward the center of the room, Viktor trailing half a pace behind him. The atmosphere in the lobby instantly shifted, the lingering tension freezing completely as every eye turned toward him."What is happening here?" Slayde asked, his dark eyes sweeping over the disheveled scene with unbothered authority.Hearing his voice, Harlyn slowly raised her bruised, swollen face from the floor. Her tear-streaked eyes locked onto Slayde, a sudden flicker of desperation mixing with her burning embarrassment."Slayde..." Harlyn rasped out, her voice cracking as a wave of relief washed over her face. "Thank God you're down here..."She struggled up onto her hands and knees, wincing as pain shot through her jaw. In her mind, the hierarchy was clear. Regardless of their past friction, she was a high-status corporate heir, and Slayde was a man of power. There was simply no way he would stand by and let her sit bleeding on his lobby floor, especially after taking a publi

Before, Dominic had always put on a sweet, gentle, and utterly calm facade around her.He had been so clever, so calculating, acting like an innocent victim just to frame Slayde and manipulate her emotions. He used to pamper her, whisper soft comfort, and act like her devoted husband.Now?He spoke to her like she was an embarrassing burden. He looked at her bruised face not with sympathy, but with disgust and mockery.Harlyn swept her hand across her dresser, sending designer perfume bottles, glass jars, and expensive jewelry crashing to the floor in a shower of shattered glass.‘Why has he changed so much?’ she thought, her chest heaving as she stared at her broken reflection in the cracked mirror. ‘Is it because I lost my influence? Because Brec humiliated me? Is he finding me useless now?’The realization hit her like ice water.Dominic had never truly been that sweet, gentle man. The moment she showed weakness, the soft mask dropped, revealing the cold, calculating snake he had