Chloe’s face flushed a violent, blotchy red. The absolute dismissal in Lorenzo’s eyes stung worse than any physical blow. She took a sharp step forward, her heels clicking aggressively against the debris-strewn carpet as she confronted him, her voice shrill with indignation. "How dare you look at me like that!" Chloe hissed, her chest heaving beneath her crimson trench coat. "You walk in here, break down a door, and act like you own the city? You’re nothing but an arrogant pest, Lorenzo! This has nothing to do with you. This is family business, and you are entirely out of your depth!" Lorenzo didn’t even blink. He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping over her with a cold, piercing intensity that made the breath catch in her throat. A slow, mocking sneer curled the corner of his lips. "Family business?" Lorenzo scoffed, his voice smooth, dripping with dark amusement. "Is that what you call this pathetic display, Chloe? Let’s call it what it actually is. You’re a failure. You we

"You're laughing?" Viper sneered, his grip tightening around Roxana’s shoulder as he pressed the switchblade slightly harder against her neck. "You’re standing there with your hands up, facing ten of my men, and you’re laughing? You’ve got a death wish, buddy." Justin let out a sharp, mocking bark of laughter from the side of the room. "He’s lost his mind, Viper. The guy thinks he’s in a movie. He actually thinks that fancy suit makes him bulletproof." "Let him laugh," Chloe scoffed, her eyes gleaming with absolute, venomous satisfaction as she looked at Roxana’s pale, terrified face. "Let’s see how loud he laughs when Viper carves up that pretty face of his precious little CEO. Go on, Viper. Cut him down to size." The ten enforcers grinned, cracking their knuckles as they began to close the distance, stepping over the shattered remains of the VIP room's double doors. They surged forward like a pack of hungry wolves, their heavy boots thudding rhythmically against the plush carpet

The wet, sickening cracks of wood and bone echoed from the far corner of the VIP corridor as Boran’s senior enforcers carried out the sentence with brutal precision.Viper’s muffled screams eventually dissolved into a ragged, unconscious groan before the heavy doors of a waiting ambulance downstairs finally silenced the night. The remaining thugs, clutching their shattered, mangled fingers, dragged themselves out of the room like beaten dogs, leaving a heavy, metallic silence in their wake.Lorenzo stood by the shattered obsidian table, his chest rising and falling in slow breaths. The lethal storm in his eyes hadn't entirely dissipated. He unbuttoned his tailored dark suit jacket, slipped it off his shoulders, and stepped closer to Roxana.Without a word, he draped the heavy, warm fabric over her trembling shoulders, carefully concealing the torn silk of her shirt and the exposed skin of her arm. The faint, comforting scent of cedarwood enveloped her, grounding her against the linger

The morning sun filtered through the towering glass of Grand Horizon, the most exclusive residential estate in the city.The entire complex was a fortress of extreme wealth, surrounded by polished stone walls, lush gardens, and an entrance guarded by iron gates that looked like they belonged to a palace rather than an apartment complex.Lorenzo stepped off the sidewalk, adjusting the cuffs of his dark, understated jacket. He glanced down at his phone, reading the text message sent directly from the grandfather of the Abram’s family:“Vivian’s Private Residence, The Grand Horizon Penthouse. The keycard access has been updated. Good luck moving in today, Lorenzo. She needs a firm hand.”This was the commission. To ordinary eyes, Lorenzo was a man taking on a bodyguard or chaperone duty for a rich heiress. In reality, moving into the residence was a strategic maneuver, placing him in the private quarters of Vivian.Lorenzo approached the security booth at the main iron gate. A tall guard

The guard let out a loud, incredulous laugh, shaking his head as if he had just heard the funniest joke of his life. "Are you serious right now? You? An owner here?" The guard pulled out his electronic tablet, slapping the screen with his hand. "Listen to me, you delusional piece of trash! I have the entire master registry for Grand Horizon right here on this screen! I know every single owner who lives in these towers. I know their names, their faces, and the cars they drive. Every single person on this list is a high-ranking official, a corporate titan, or an heir to a legacy family! Your name isn't on this list!" The guard leaned over the iron barrier, pointing his stylus directly at Lorenzo's chest. "The only entry on this entire system without a public name attached is the buyer of Imperial Manor—the single most expensive, exclusive property in the entire complex, worth hundreds of millions! And you're telling me you're an owner? Look at what you're wearing! You look like a beg