The cashier stared at Derek in sheer horror, her face draining of all color as she tried to process what he had just done. Leaning across the counter, she dropped her voice into a frantic, terrified whisper."What are you trying to do? Do you have a death wish? Please, let her be. Don't interfere, I'm begging you."Derek stood motionless, his gaze locked forward."The last time someone tried to report Ben to his grandfather for his behavior, the old man only suspended him for six months," the cashier whispered, her hands shaking as she gripped the edge of the register. "And when he came back, he threatened all of us. He made it clear that if his grandfather ever found out about anything he did again, he would kill us." She swallowed hard, her voice trembling violently. "Everything he does in this store, his grandfather has no idea about. Please, young man. You're walking straight into a grave."Behind Derek, the traumatized woman continued to sob quietly.Desperation clawed at the cas

Ben’s eyes widened the moment he spotted the police officers pushing their way through the shattered displays toward Derek. A rough, drunken laugh bubbled up from his chest, made all the harsher by the blood leaking from his split lip."I knew it," he muttered, using a nearby shelving unit to haul his battered frame off the floor. His body was a map of angry red welts from the beating, but malice burned hot in his bloodshot eyes as he glared from Derek to the arriving authorities. "I knew this bastard couldn't escape."Stumbling forward to catch his balance, Ben pointed a shaky, accusing finger. "Arrest him! Arrest that good-for-nothing!"The officers pressed forward through the debris."I'll pay you!" Ben shouted, his voice cracking with hysteria. "Name your price! In dollars! Millions! I'll pay whatever you want, just make sure this bastard regrets laying a hand on a Zakaria!" He slapped his palm against his bruised chest, sneering. "He has no idea who he's dealing with! I'll deal w

Derek recognized her immediately. The instant she spoke his name, a flood of childhood memories rushed back, sweeping away the noise of the supermarket and the chaos that had just unfolded.Seraphina Raymond. His childhood sweetheart.For a few seconds, he simply stood there, staring at her in disbelief. He remembered the bright, energetic girl who used to sprint into the Morrison estate without ever bothering to knock. He remembered her laughter, her playful spirit, and the countless afternoons their families had spent together under the warm sun.Before Derek could utter a single word, Seraphina rushed forward and threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest as tears spilled over her lashes.“I've looked for you all these years,” she sobbed, her fingers clutching frantically at his jacket. “I tried reaching out. I was told you were taken. They told me you were sent away to the mountain, that you would never come back after everything happened. They said you wouldn't

Derek’s expression shifted the moment Seraphina dropped the name.“The Royal Tigers?” he repeated, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.Seraphina nodded slowly. “Yes.”Derek leaned forward across the table, his mind racing. For years, the Royal Tigers had been treated like ghosts of a forgotten era, the deadliest underground assassin group the world had ever known, their very reputation enough to make the most powerful families in the country sweat. Behind that terror stood one man. Zilos. He had been more than a leader; he was an underworld mafia boss who ruled the organization with an iron fist. But Zilos had died years ago, and with his death, the Royal Tigers had vanished. At least, that was what the entire world believed.Now, sitting across from a woman he had lost to time, Derek was hearing that the monsters who destroyed her family had carried that exact mark.“How are they still operating?” Derek asked, his voice a low murmur.Seraphina shook her head, a shadow of fear cro

A few moments later, Derek arrived at Uncle Joseph's house, stepping out of a taxi and walking toward the entrance. He was just about to knock when the heavy wooden door swung open and Uncle Joseph emerged from the backyard.The moment their eyes met, Joseph froze. It took only a single glance for recognition to flood his features. His eyes widened, his face lighting up with unmistakable joy."My boy!"Derek offered a warm smile."Derek! My boy!"Uncle Joseph rushed forward, reaching out to grab Derek with the intention of lifting him off the ground the way he used to when Derek was just a child. But as he tried to hoist him, he found he couldn't even budge him. A beat passed before both of them burst into laughter."How come I can't lift you anymore?" Joseph asked through his chuckles, shaking his head. "Back then, you were always rolling around me."Derek laughed softly. "Because I'm not a little boy anymore.""Oh, my Derek!""Uncle J."Joseph paused, his smile stretching even wider