Chapter Thirty TwoChief Warden Miller sneered, raising his hand to order his men to push Clara and Lily out of the hall. Before his guards could step forward, Clara ignored the glowing barrels of the shock rifles and walked straight past the wall of riot shields. She pulled little Lily close to her side, stepping right into the middle of the dark cell toward Liam."Clara, stop!" Liam shouted, his voice hoarse with desperation as he backed away, keeping his bloody hands raised. "Take her away from here right now! I do not want anything to happen to you both! She cannot see me like this!"Clara did not stop. She stepped directly into his space, wrapped her arms firmly around his chest, and pulled him into a tight, warm hug.The bright red blood from Liam’s cut face and bruised body smeared across the spotless fabric of her white medical coat, spoiling the pristine material, but Clara did not care. She held him tightly, feeling his whole body trembling from the sudden wave of emotion an

Chapter 34In a dimly lit private room at an exclusive downtown hotel, Madam Sassy slid an envelope overflowing with stacked cash across a polished glass table. Opposite her sat Mr. Vance, the regional representative for the international university board. Vance glanced down at the pile of money, his greedy eyes glistening, before pulling out a official letterhead. He pressed a crisp gold seal onto a document, declaring Philip Blackwood's Ivy League degree fully authentic, and handed it over with a conspiratorial nod.By noon the following day, the top floor of the Blackwood Consortium headquarters buzzed with tense energy. Philip had summoned an emergency board meeting, inviting every major shareholder, executive, and family board member to witness his official ascension.Sitting at the head of the long mahogany boardroom table, Philip adjusted his silk tie and leaned into the central microphone. Beside him, Madam Sassy sat with her chin held high, wearing a smug smile as the forged

Chapter 36Gia looked at Anderson lying on the cold marble floor, her body trembling with a mixture of horror and deep rage. She could no longer stay silent while watching an elderly, faithful man suffer such cruel treatment. She took a step forward, her hollow voice breaking through the heavy silence of the boardroom."How could you ask such an elderly man to do such a humiliating thing?" Gina cried out, her voice echoing off the high ceiling. "Anderson has served this family longer than you have been alive, Philip! You are a heartless monster!"Philip’s face contorted into pure, unhinged fury. In one swift, violent motion, he turned around and delivered a heavy, dirty slap across Gina’s face.PAHN!The sharp sound of the slap cracked through the room like a gunshot. The force of the strike sent Gina spinning sideways, her body crashing hard against the edge of the long mahogany table before she tumbled onto the floor. Fresh blood oozed from the corner of her lip as she clutched her

Chapter 38Anderson stood on the windy sidewalk outside the Blackwood Consortium headquarters, his heart heavy as he watched the rooftop medical helicopter fade into the grey afternoon sky. He took a fast step forward, intending to follow the emergency convoy to the private hospital to protect the matriarch.Before he could reach his car, four burly security guards in black uniforms stepped out from the main lobby, blocking his path with cold, stern expressions. The lead guard placed a heavy hand against Anderson's chest, shoving him back toward the street."You are no longer an employee here, old man," the guard said, his voice flat and unyielding. "Young Master Philip issued strict orders. You are banned from all Blackwood properties, including the private medical wing. Step foot near the hospital, and we will throw you into a police cell for trespassing."Anderson looked at the cold steel expressions of the guards, then down at his swollen wrists. He let out a long, quiet sigh, rea

Chapter 40The heavy wooden door to the basement slammed open, sending a cloud of dust swirling into the damp, icy air. Sandra stood at the top of the concrete steps, looking down at Liam’s elderly parents as if they were nothing more than unwanted pests. With a sharp jerk of her chin, she ordered them down into the dark hallway, her high heels clicking loudly behind them until they reached a cramped, windowless storage room near the back.The space was freezing, smelling heavily of mold and old rust. There was no bed, no blankets, and no heater—just two thin, stained mats laid directly over the jagged, cold concrete floor. Water dripped rhythmically from a exposed pipe in the ceiling, pooling right where they were expected to rest their aching bodies."This is where you live now," Sandra announced, her eyes flashing with pure malice. "Consider this your reality check. You will be working from sunrise to sunset, without a single break, to pay back every single thing your worthless son