The report from Mayfair had barely reached the conference table when Sir Reginald Croft slammed his briefcase onto the mahogany surface. The outer gate of Vault Seven had been breached, two guards were injured, and the whereabouts of the custodian responsible for the inner chamber remained unknown. The secondary seal was still unaccounted for. Before anyone could discuss the implications, Croft had already turned the security crisis into an argument about Alphonsus’s authority. “You are forcing a structural crisis, Jameson,” Croft said, his face flushing with controlled rage. “You cannot simply declare a second succession priority while the primary probate is under formal review.” “The court authorised provisional administrative oversight,” Alphonsus replied, leaning against the edge of the conference desk without breaking eye contact. “It did not give your board a veto over family governance.” “Governance?” Croft scoffed, leaning forward. “You are handing core sovereign voting ri

Alphonsus sat comfortably, staring the enormous man straight in the eyes. The stranger's scarred face twisted into a menacing grin. "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" "Shouldn't I?" Alphonsus replied. "It's not every day a man walks into a room looking like a wardrobe with anger issues." The man's expression hardened. "Stand up." Alphonsus raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you planning to introduce yourself properly?" The man's chair scraped violently across the floor as he rose. "Goliath," someone whispered near the bar. Another patron grabbed his companion's arm. "Keep your mouth shut. That's Goliath." Alphonsus looked the giant up and down. "Goliath? As in the giant? That's hilarious. A little extra height and some bones don't make a man a giant." Goliath's fist shot toward Alphonsus's face. Alphonsus leaned aside. The punch missed by inches and smashed into a wooden pillar. The impact cracked the polished surface, silencing conversations across the club. Goliath slowl

Richard read the warning again before placing his phone facedown. STOP CHASING THE HEIR. YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO IS PROTECTING HIM. Whoever had sent it knew about Alphonsus and Richard's intentions. That knowledge disturbed him more than the threat itself. He cancelled the operation he had initially considered and contacted a discreet intermediary instead. Six experienced men would handle the next attempt. They were to coordinate their movements, restrict Alphonsus's escape routes, and avoid unnecessary attention. Richard gave one instruction twice. “Do not underestimate him.” Across the city, Alphonsus returned home with his shoulder aching from the confrontation at Ashford Luxe. Diana noticed his discomfort immediately. Cindy closed the folder she had been reading. “What happened?” Diana asked. “A huge man called Goliath attacked me,” Alphonsus replied. He placed the recovered note and photograph of the strange symbol on the table. “Richard Castellano is connected to the att

Alphonsus read the instruction twice, but with a different meaning and understanding; the previous one at the back was fake while the first read. DO NOT DARE THE TIGER. The handwriting belonged to his father, but the warning was not addressed to the archive. It was aimed at whoever believed the heir could be controlled. Cindy photographed the page, then secured the original inside a protective sleeve. “We need to find out who accessed this record before we do anything else.” A phone rang in the adjoining room. Diana answered, listened, and went still. “Who is this?” she asked. The call ended. She lowered the phone slowly. A man had spoken only one sentence: “Tell your son the next warning will not be written.” Alphonsus crossed the room. “Did he threaten you?” “He said he knew where I would be this afternoon.” Diana’s voice remained steady, but her hand trembled. “He mentioned the clinic where I have my follow-up appointment.” The Ring warmed against Alphonsus’s finger. A t

The sound of the shattered windows echoed through the house. Glass exploded inward, scattering across the floor. Diana screamed as Cindy pulled her behind the doorway. Outside, Victor staggered, clutching his injured hand while the golden light around Alphonsus intensified. Alphonsus released him. Victor stumbled backward, but the pressure in the courtyard remained. The air vibrated with a deep, unfamiliar resonance. Even the guards near the entrance retreated, their weapons trembling in their hands. “What are you?” Victor demanded. Alphonsus examined the Ring. Its glow had changed from a faint golden shimmer into a brilliant radiance that illuminated the veins beneath his skin. He felt no burning pain, only an extraordinary clarity. He could sense Victor's movements before they happened. He could distinguish the guards' fear from their determination. He could even feel the faint supernatural resistance surrounding the documents Victor had brought into the house.