The evening air over Northbridge City hung thick and still as Kendrick Lockwood strode toward the front gates of his villa, Conrad Lockwood keeping pace at his side. Behind them filed every private guard on the property, a full dozen men in dark suits. Kendrick had not bothered to stop Conrad from summoning them. If someone brought a crowd to his doorstep unannounced, he intended to meet them with numbers of his own.But when the iron gates swung open and floodlights illuminated the visitors, Kendrick felt his certainty waver. A contingent of hard-jawed men in tactical vests stood in disciplined rows, and at their head were two figures he recognized: Patrick Linden and his son, Zachary Linden.Before Kendrick could speak, Conrad's expression darkened."Aaron Holmes." Conrad took half a step forward, finger jabbing toward the young man standing calmly between the Lindens. "I never thought you'd have the nerve to show your face here."Kendrick glanced at his nephew

Aaron believed Lyle Sumner would handle everything cleanly. There was no reason to doubt it."Understood, my lord."Lyle dipped his head and turned on his heel, already pulling out his phone as he strode toward the villa's entrance. The neighborhood wasn't remote. Although the estate sat outside the commercial heart of Northbridge City, plenty of residents lived within earshot. If word reached the morning news cycle, things would get complicated, especially given that the Special Operations Reserve had been deployed. That alone was classified at the highest level.Once Lyle disappeared through the front doors, the living room fell into a silence so heavy it pressed against the walls. Kendrick Lockwood stood rooted in place, face drained of color. Not ten minutes ago, he had been holding all the cards, every armed guard summoned, every connection cultivated over decades of running Northbridge City's business empire. Then, in the span of a single phone call, the Special

Quentin Tyler's most trusted man was not a Tyler by blood. His name was Zheng Qing, and he had served at Quentin's side since childhood.Zheng Qing had been an orphan scrounging for scraps in alleyways before Quentin took him in. Over the years, through suffering and silence, he had clawed his way up to become the Third Master's most trusted confidant. Quentin had given him everything: a purpose, a name, a place in the world. That debt was not something he took lightly. It lived in his bones, woven into every breath he drew, every order he carried out without question.So when Quentin told him someone needed to die, Zheng Qing did not hesitate. He took the job without a single question. This time, he had gone further than usual, reaching out to foreign operatives who ranked among the Top 100 of the Crimson List. The strike would be swift and absolute."Good." Quentin's voice was tight with barely restrained fury. "Tonight. Get it done tonight."Zheng Qing bowed h

Aaron waved a hand and rose from his seat as if nothing had happened at all. His expression was calm, untouched, the kind of stillness that came not from indifference but from absolute certainty that the threat had already passed."Deal with the body. Then look into Trevor Jennings."He said nothing about the lapse in security. Reaper and Coldwraith both knew what he wasn't saying. The three assassins had ranked within the Top 100 of the Crimson List for a reason. Smuggling a sliver of a blade past a pat-down, concealing it in a place most inspectors wouldn't think to check, that wasn't incompetence on anyone's part. It was simply the cost of dealing with professionals."Understood." Both men spoke in unison, heads bowed toward Aaron's retreating back. Neither lifted their gaze until his footsteps faded entirely.By that afternoon, Reaper had the full picture."You're telling me Trevor Jennings belongs to Quentin Tyler?" Aaron asked, his tone light, almost c

The Marshal didn't hesitate. The moment Aaron Holmes gave the order, he signaled his men to move.Quentin Tyler heard it, and what little composure he'd been clinging to shattered completely. He collapsed to his knees, sobbing openly, snot and tears streaming down his face. His shoulders heaved with each ragged breath, fingers clawing uselessly at the cold tile beneath him. It was a pathetic sight, impossible to reconcile with the feared third head of the Tyler family."Lord Holmes, I was wrong. I know I was wrong." His voice cracked between sobs. "You're a man of greatness, above petty grudges. Please, spare me this once. I swear on everything I have, after tonight, the Tyler family will never so much as look in the Vale family's direction again. We'll follow your lead. We'll do whatever you say."Aaron looked down at him with a slow, cold smile, his hands folded loosely behind his back. "Do you really think I need a dog like your family at my heel?"The words l