Peter stepped through the broken wall right behind, his heavy boots crunching on the shattered concrete. Walking right beside him was Pamela Charleston, Richardson Dowman’s wife. She was a woman who held immense power in the city’s highest circles due to her family’s immense wealth, but right now she felt completely different.When Leopard, who was still coughing up blood against the broken bookshelf, caught sight of Peter, his eyes went wide with sheer terror. Peter was a legend in the military and underground networks, a man whose name alone made powerful leaders sweat.Leopard forced himself to crawl forward, his voice trembling as he stuttered, "Mr. P... Peter... sir? What... what are you doing here?"Peter didn’t even look down at Leopard. He stepped in front of Dennis, snapped his boots together, and bowed his head with absolute respect. "Commander! The perimeter is secured, and Mrs. Charleston has been brought here as you requested."Leopard felt his heart drop into his stomach

Doris' heart hammered against her ribs like a trapped bird. Even though Dennis had told her the email was real, a small voice in the back of her mind kept whispering that she was walking straight into a trap. Security would stop her at the entrance, look at her uninvited resume or email, and laugh her out of the building.The Vanwell Global headquarters was a towering architectural marvel of glass and steel that dominated the capital skyline. Walking through the revolving glass doors of the main lobby, Doris braced herself to be intercepted by front desk security at any second. Instead, the moment she stepped inside, a sharply dressed receptionist beamed warmly, checking a digital tablet in her hand."Mrs. Kensington?" the receptionist called out politely. "We've been expecting you. Please take the private elevator straight to the executive floor. Regional Director Charlie Cameron is waiting in his office to welcome you."Doris blinked, caught completely off guard. "Oh... thank you,"

Camila strode into the room with her face twisted in false triumph. Trailing closely behind her was her son, Victor, and a smug, arrogant grin plastered across his face.Doris frowned, her relaxed mood evaporating instantly. She closed the file folder she was reading and looked up at her stepmother with cold, steady eyes. “How on earth did you two get past security on the executive floor?"Camila didn’t bother answering. She marched right up to the edge of Doris’s desk, placing both hands on the polished wood and leaning forward as if she owned the room."Security?" Camila scoffed, waving a dismissive hand in the air. "Please. I told them I was the mother of the brilliant new COO, and they practically rolled out the red carpet. Honestly, Doris, you should be thanking me on your knees right now. You finally have a real, high-paying corporate job, and you owe the whole thing to my son and me!"Doris stared at her stepmother, a sharp spike of irritation flaring in her chest. "Owe it to

A cold wind blew past Dickson’s face as he walked into the room after he had received the news about his son been awake.Sean Blackwell lay on the white bed sheets. His face was pale, and the hollow dark circles under his eyes made him look like a ghost dragged back from the grave.For months, he had been trapped in a dark void. But when he finally opened his eyes, the fog of the coma cleared away, replaced instantly by a blinding fury.Dickson stood beside his son, arms crossed, his expression darkened, and his eyes burning with rage.Sean didn’t care about the aching muscles in his limbs or the taste of medicine clinging to the roof of his mouth. He only remembered the humiliation like it was yesterday. He remembered how Admiral Gregory and Dennis had broken him, casting him aside like trash right in front of four hundred people.“Dennis…” Sean called out, his voice cracking. “Admiral Gregory!”He looked at his father. “I want to take my revenge, Father. That bastard Dennis and Adm

Dennis had just finished speaking with Peter when his phone buzzed against the desk. He glanced at the screen, saw Doris’s name, and answered before the second ring even finished.“Dennis, please… you have to help me!” Doris’s voice broke apart the moment he picked up, each word shaking so badly he could barely make sense of them.“Doris? Doris, slow down. What happened?”She was standing in the middle of an empty classroom, her phone pressed so hard against her ear, staring past Liam’s teacher and the principal like they weren’t even there. Her whole body was trembling.“He’s gone! My stepmother took him! I walked in, and his desk was empty! The principal said my stepmother and Victor picked him up, they had emergency guardianship papers; they said there’d been an accident! Dennis, she took our son! She took Liam!”For a second, Dennis said nothing at all. The silence on the line stretched so long that Doris thought the call had dropped.“Dennis? Are you there? Please, say something.