Riven hung up the call, stuffed his phone into his pocket, and stepped out into the cool night air. The evening breeze did little to clear the anger burning in his chest. Between Vanessa's sudden departure and the crisis at Veridian Global, every quiet moment of his life was being torn apart.He hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address for Veridian Global. As the city lights blurred past the window, Riven thought about the urgent words from Linnea. Multiple powerful forces had teamed up overnight to attack the company shares, and someone was secretly digging into his private identity.Ten minutes later, the taxi pulled up to the glass entrance of the main office building. The lobby was usually empty at this hour, but tonight security guards stood on high alert, and several senior managers were rushing back and forth with tablets in hand.The moment Riven stepped inside, Linnea rushed over to meet him. Her usual calm manner was gone, replaced by visible exhaustion and anxiety."Ri

The leader of the mercenary group sneered, stepping away from Clara and raising her blade toward Riven. "Arrogant fool! Kill him!"Four men in dark tactical gear lunged forward at once. Two swung iron rods toward Riven's head, while the other two drew knives, aiming straight for his chest. Their movements were swift and deadly, polished through years of real combat.Riven did not move an inch until the weapons were inches from his skin.His eyes flashed with a cold light. Riven raised his right hand, his fingers moving faster than a shadow. He caught the first man's wrist, twisted it with a sharp snap, and ripped the iron rod from his grasp. In the same motion, Riven swept the rod in a low arc.A dull crunch echoed through the warehouse.The iron rod struck the knees of two men, shattering bone instantly. They collapsed to the floor, screaming in agony as their weapons fell from their hands.Before the fourth man could even process what had happened, Riven stepped into his space. He s

"Vespera Corp is completely bankrupt. And Lysander, the financial bureau is here to arrest you for illegal market manipulation and corporate kidnapping."Riven's words hung in the silence of the boardroom like a heavy blade.Sloane stood frozen behind her chair, her face drained of all color. Her eyes darted between Riven's black suit, his cold expression, and the four officers standing behind him.A second later, a shrill, hysterical laugh burst from her lips."Is this a joke?!" Sloane spat, her trembling voice turning sharp and vicious as she tried to hide her terror. She pointed a shaking finger directly at Riven's face. "Look at you, playing dress-up in a nice suit! Do you really think coming in here with a few fake police officers and a fake chart makes you a big man, Riven? You are a pathetic, penniless loser! You were a useless delivery boy when I married you, and you are still a worthless dog today!"Riven did not flinch. He simply stood there, his hands resting casually in hi

"Pay fifty million dollars to the Whitemores by tomorrow night, or their enforcers will hunt you down and tear you apart piece by piece!"Odette screamed the words right into Riven's face, her eyes wild with triumph. She truly believed she had finally trapped him. In her mind, fifty million dollars was a mountain of gold that a former delivery driver could never climb in a lifetime.Riven did not blink. He kept his right hand firmly around her wrist, preventing her from pulling away.Sloane stumbled forward from behind her mother, her face still stained with tears, but a cruel smirk slowly replaced her despair. She wiped her cheeks and stood up straight, staring at Riven with the same old mocking arrogance."Did you really think you won everything, Riven?" Sloane spat, her voice dripping with spite. She crossed her arms and sneered at his suit. "You played a clever trick with the stock market today. You used some borrowed money to crush Vespera Corp. But debts to the Whitemore family

The elevator doors slid open on the ground floor, but before Riven or Linnea could step out, every light in the building went pitch-black. The emergency alarms didn't even have time to sound before the entire power grid of the tower shut down."Riven!" Linnea gasped, grabbing the back of his jacket in the dark."Stay behind me," Riven said calmly.A split second later, a deafening crash shattered the front doors. Glass fragments rained across the floor as eight shadows rushed into the lobby. They moved with unnatural speed, their footsteps clicking against the floor as they spread out to block every exit.A heavy killing intent filled the dark lobby, making the air feel instantly cold.A flashlight clicked on, its beam locking directly onto Riven's face. Standing in the center of the group was a tall man holding a blade."Riven, I presume?" the lead man sneered. "Lord Sterling sends his regards. He paid ten million dollars to have your head brought back in a bag before midnight."Linn