But he never expected his greatest attachment would betray him so ruthlessly. ​Alex stood up slowly and walked out of the visitation room.​As soon as he stepped into the main hallway, a thick, suffocating silence fell over the corridor.Twenty armed prison guards were ​standing in a neat line, their heads bowed low toward the floor. At their front stood the warden—the same man Sophia had just called a "ruthless monster." The warden’s forehead was drenched in sweat, his knees trembling as he stepped forward and bowed at a ninety-degree angle.​“Mr. Alex!” the warden squeaked, and his voice was shaking with pure terror. “We... We deeply apologize! We did not know Miss Sophia would dare to disrespect you like this inside our walls! Please, forgive our negligence!”​The warden quickly held out a sleek, unblemished black-and-gold card with both hands. “This is the Black Gold Sovereign Card. Unlimited funds, absolute clearance. Please accept it... Use it to make them pay for their insol

​The man was the Vice Chairman; his name was Thomas, the leader of the hostile takeover faction.​"My father is not gone, and B Corporation belongs to those who built it, not snakes like you," Clara said, her voice shaking slightly despite her strong words.​Thomas chuckled coldly. "Words mean nothing in business, little girl. You have no allies left."​"She has me," a quiet voice spoke from the doorway.​Every head in the room snapped toward the entrance.​Alex stepped into the boardroom, walking with slow, relaxed strides. His simple, faded clothes looked completely out of place among the sea of tailored suits, but his calm posture commanded the entire room.​Thomas looked Alex up and down, a sneer spreading across his face. "Who allowed this beggar to come inside here? Helen, call security immediately!"​Clara’s eyes widened as she looked at Alex. She didn't recognize his face, but as he reached the table, her gaze fell upon his left hand. Resting on his finger was the dark, anti

​"His name is Alex! Three years ago, he was a broke nobody who worked odd jobs. Then he went to prison for rape! He is nothing but a dirty, disgraced ex-convict who probably stole that ring from an old man in jail!"​A wave of loud gasps filled the room. The business leaders leaned forward, picking up the papers in shock. “Huuh”​"A convict?!"​"Is this true?"​"How could a criminal hold the Phoenix Ring?!"​Elder Richard’s face turned grim. He glared at Alex with pure fury. "Is this true, boy? Are you a criminal who tricked your way here?"​Alex sat in his chair without moving an inch. His face remained calm; his dark eyes were on Marcus like he was watching a foolish child throw a tantrum.​"Your information is fast, Marcus," Alex said smoothly. "But your brain is slow. Did your brother forget to tell you why his company went bankrupt in less than ten minutes?"​Marcus laughed loudly. "That was just a temporary glitch! The Vance family has deep ties with the West Coast Alliance!

The phone dropped out of Master Vance's hand, hitting the floor with a loud thud.​His face turned completely white, all the pride and confidence draining out of him in a single second. He stumbled backward, staring at Alex as if he were looking at a monster.​"You... who are you really?!" Master Vance stammered; his knees were shaking, and he collapsed onto the floor.​Alex lowered his phone and looked down at Master Vance with complete indifference.​"I told you before," Alex said, "Power is not about boasting or showing off. It is about control."​Two heavy security guards in black suits stepped forward, grabbed Master Vance by his arms, and dragged him away as he begged for mercy.​The entire ballroom erupted into applause and respectful bows. Every single rich guest and business leader in the room bowed deeply toward Alex, recognizing him as the undisputed king of the city of Boston.​Alex slowly turned his head and looked at Sophia.​Sophia stood alone in the crowd, her face co

Before Miller could finish his sentence, Alex moved. With a single fluid motion, he stepped past the walking stick, his hand moving like lightning. He grabbed Miller’s wrist and twisted it upward with a sharp crack. ​Miller shrieked in pain, his walking stick clattering onto the ground. ​Before Miller’s guards could even draw their hidden weapons, Alex swept his leg out, catching the front enforcer behind the knees and sending him crashing onto the floor. Alex stepped on Miller’s chest, pressing his shoe down firmly while his left hand rose into the air. ​The dark steel Phoenix Ring caught the bright overhead light, flashing with a sharp, terrifying glint. ​The entire squad of black-coated guards froze instantly. Their eyes widened in sheer disbelief as they stared at the ring on Alex’s finger. Even in the Capital, every elite warrior and underground boss knew the legend of that ring. It was the supreme symbol of absolute authority. ​Miller coughed beneath Alex’s foot, his fa