The cheap black plastic pen sat on top of the grease-stained contract, right between Clara’s shaking hands. Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the gray city skyline seemed completely indifferent to the destruction of her family’s legacy.​Scar-Face Tiger let out a guttural, phlegmy chuckle that rattled deep inside his tattooed chest. Seeing Clara sitting there, frozen in fear with her head lowered and tears trembling on the tips of her dark eyelashes, made his cruel ego inflate tenfold.​"What's the matter, little princess?" Scar-Face Tiger mocked loudly, waving his thick, hairy arms around the silent boardroom. "Cat got your tongue? Or are you waiting for your bankrupt daddy to ride in on a white horse and save you?! Huh?!"​The dozen armed thugs surrounding the mahogany table erupted into obnoxious, jeering barks of laughter. One of them banged the flat edge of a rusty machete against an empty leather chair, shouting, "Sign the paper, Miss Sterling! Don't make the boss repe

​The midday sun beat down upon the bustling heart of the city center, casting a golden glare across the sleek glass facade of Le Petit Palais, the most expensive French fine-dining restaurant in the entire metropolitan district. ​Inside the private VIP dining section, soft, airy violin music floated through the fragrant air. Sunlight filtered gently through sheer cream curtains, reflecting off sparkling crystal stemware, polished sterling silver cutlery, and imported bone-china plates. ​Sitting across from each other at a prime corner table were Kathy Hawkins and Jordan Langford. ​Kathy was dressed in a brand-new, designer crimson silk dress that hugged her curves, paired with dazzling diamond drop earrings that caught the light with every slight tilt of her head. Her makeup was applied to flawless perfection, and her manicured fingers playfully swirled a tall flute of vintage Dom Pérignon champagne. On her left ring finger sat a glittering three-carat diamond ring that Jordan had

​Elijah looked down at the weeping young heiress, his heart touched by her pure, unblemished loyalty. Unlike Kathy, who had taken everything he gave her for granted and kicked him into the mud the moment a wealthier man appeared, Clara understood the true weight of gratitude.​He reached down with both hands, gripping her soft shoulders firmly, and pulled her up from the floor with gentle, effortless strength.​"That's enough crying, Clara," Elijah said softly, his voice steady, warm, and comforting. "You don't need to kneel to me, and you don't need to give me your life. Your father is an honorable man who was betrayed by greedy snakes. I simply balanced the scales. Now, wipe your tears. We still have the most important task ahead of us."​Clara sniffed hard, wiping her cheeks with a trembling hand as she looked into Elijah’s sharp, resolute eyes.​"My father..." Clara whispered, her eyes widening as realization struck her. "The syndicate... even though their legal claim on the docks

​The heavy rain pounded against the muddy earth like a relentless drum, splashing violently around Elijah’s boots. The broken eight-inch steel lock lay in the dirt, completely crushed into pieces, and the massive blast gates swung wide open into the stormy night.​Up in the two fortified guard towers flanking the main entrance, the snipers had completely lost their minds in panic!​"WHAT THE FUCK DID HE JUST DO?!" one of the tower guards screamed over the howling wind, his face drenched in cold sweat and rainwater. "He crushed the industrial lock with his bare hands! That’s solid alloy! Shoot him! SHOOT HIM NOW!!"​"DIE, YOU MONSTER!" the second sniper shrieked.​Without waiting another second, both guards raised their military-grade automatic rifles, leveled the barrels straight at the masked figure below, and pulled the triggers with all their might!​RAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT!!​Deafening gunfire erupted into the storm, muzzle flashes lighting up the dark clouds like strobes of orang

​The multi-ton metal doors flew twenty feet through the air like discarded sheets of cardboard, crashing into a stack of wooden pallets with a deafening, splintering roar! Dust and rainwater billowed into the cavernous hall like a tidal wave. ​Through the drifting mist, the lone figure in the long black coat strode calmly into the hall. ​Elijah’s footsteps were quiet, measured, and completely devoid of hurry. His sleek overcoat fluttered gently around his legs, entirely dry despite the torrential downpour outside. The obsidian phantom mask completely concealed his face, but through the sharp eye slits, those glowing, golden draconic pupils burned with an ancient, terrifying majesty that made the yellow halogen lights overhead buzz and flicker in protest! ​Scar-Face Tiger let out a choked shriek, instantly scrambling behind the concrete loading dock, hiding behind a metal container like a terrified rat. ​The three foreign mercenaries stood on the elevated platform, looking down at