Alina looked puzzled, “Honey, who’s this Donovan they’re mentioning?” she asked Damian, her brows knitting.
Damian’s reaction was instant. “Quiet,” he hissed, throwing her a sharp glare that made her lips clamp shut. Then, trying to appear casual, he stepped toward the nearest security guard. His tone was awkwardly polite, almost sheepish as he spoke.
“So… it was Mr. Donovan who wanted the club cleared out, right?”
The guard nodded repeatedly, almost too eager to confirm. “Yes, sir. I believe it’s because the man who drove in earlier intends to greet a very important person visiting tonight.”
A ripple of gasps swept through the guests. The music in the background seemed to dim, replaced by whispers. Damian’s eyes widened, and for once, he looked genuinely shaken.
Who was this man they were talking about?
To the public, Mr. Donovan was a polished entrepreneur—charismatic, admired, and generous. But in the underworld? He was a storm in a tailored suit. Ruthless. A name that made even the boldest men think twice before crossing him. The fact that he had come out personally to welcome someone… that was something else entirely.
I leaned back, quietly observing the chaos unfold. Curiosity tugged at me, but I didn’t dwell on it. Whoever this “important person” was, it wasn’t my business. I checked my phone instead—twenty minutes almost up. My assistant should’ve been arriving any second now.
Then came the commotion. The entrance of the club suddenly turned into a parade of greetings.
“Good evening, sir!”
“Welcome, sir!”
“Pleasure to see you, sir!”
Their tones were syrupy, voices almost trembling with respect as they formed a path for the man who had just stepped out. He moved with the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly how much power he held. His gaze swept through the crowd, so calm, calculating, and cold.
“My apologies, everyone. Drinks will be on me later.” he said smoothly, his voice deep and composed.
Before anyone could respond, another man in the crowd chuckled. “It is actually not a big deal, sir. How could we be mad over such a small thing?”
Another voice chimed in, “You’re very kind, coming out to explain to us yourself.”
“Yes, please don’t make a fuss over us!”
The tension melted away almost instantly. Faces that had been scrunched in irritation moments ago now bloomed with smiles. The air filled with sugary compliments, the kind people used when power was watching.
Mr. Donovan nodded once, acknowledging their words without much expression. He walked to the club’s entrance and stopped by the door, his posture straight, his eyes scanning the driveway like he was waiting for someone. There was something in the way he stood—a subtle reverence. Whoever he was waiting for had to be someone important. Important enough to make him wait.
The crowd, now buzzing with anticipation, decided to stay. Phones lowered, drinks forgotten, everyone wanted to see who this mysterious guest was.
As people shifted aside to clear the way, Damian and Alina’s movement brought them close to where I sat. Alina’s gaze caught mine, she curl her lips in disapproval.
“What are you still doing here?” she asked sharply, as if my presence offended her.
“I’m waiting for someone,” I said flatly.
“Waiting for me, right? Hehe, still hung up on me? Poor and shameless.” Her eyes flicked over me with that same disdain I’d seen a hundred times before, as if I was something she’d scraped off her shoe.
She leaned closer, her perfume thick and cloying, her lips curling into a cruel smile. “Want some heartfelt advice, Ethan?” she whispered, her eyes narrowing into a crescent shape. “Give up.”
For a moment, I couldn’t even find words. “Don’t flatter yourself,” I finally said, meeting her gaze. “I’m not waiting for you.”
“Oh?” She smirked, tilting her head mockingly. “Someone’s in denial. Aw, did I hurt your fragile ego?” Her voice dripped with fake pity before twisting into venom. “You disgust me, Ethan.”
Before I could answer, Damian stepped forward, his grin wide and malicious. “What a coincidence,” he said, his tone filled with mock sympathy. “Running into me again, huh? Unfortunate for you.” His eyes glinted with amusement as he added, “You should get down on your knees and start begging for mercy.”
Get on my knees?
Fuck off.
My hands curled into fists. The old anger was right there, burning under my skin. I could already feel the heat in my veins, the weight of every insult they’d ever thrown at me pressing against my control.
Damian smirked wider. “What’s wrong? Don’t tell me you want to be thrashed again. I’m not in the mood tonight—but if you insist…”
Before I could take a step, someone in the crowd shouted, “Look! Someone’s coming!”
The noise around us shifted instantly. I turned my head, following everyone’s gaze. A sleek, black luxury car rolled to a stop in front of the club. The headlights dimmed, reflecting off the polished hood. The man who had arrived earlier suddenly straightened, his demeanor flipping from arrogant to almost reverent. He hurried toward the car and bowed deeply, lowering his head like a servant before a king.
The crowd went silent for a beat, then erupted in whispers.
“My god,” someone gasped, “that guy’s actually bowing! To whoever’s in that car?”
“Unimaginable! Who could it be?”
Even Damian and Alina turned their attention toward the commotion. Alina frowned, her eyes narrowing at the glossy black car. “Seriously? What kind of ‘important person’ drives a lousy Mercedes?”
Damian shot her a glare. “Are you an idiot? That’s a Volcanus Maybach. First class. Do you really think that’s some regular Mercedes?”
Her mouth parted slightly. “Woah… so it’s worth, what, over a hundred thousand?” Her voice was suddenly sweet, eager.
Damian chuckled darkly. “A regular Maybach’s a hundred grand, but the custom mods on that beast cost more than the car itself.”
Alina’s eyes practically sparkled. “Spending hundreds of thousands just to make a car look low-key… so rich.” She gulped, eyes darting toward Damian as if realizing what she’d just said out loud. He ignored her, too fixated on the car to care.
Then the soft click of locks echoed through the air.
Two BMW 7 Series parked behind the Maybach, their doors opening in perfect sync. Eight men stepped out, all in matching black suits. They moved like shadows—cold, precise, radiating an aura that made the air feel heavier.
Bodyguards, no doubt. But not the kind you hire off a security list.
These men had seen blood.
Even Mr. Donovan took a cautious step back, his face pale. For a veteran in underground circles like him to flinch… that said everything.
The crowd murmured in awe as the door of the black car opened.
A slender leg stepped out, black high heel touching the pavement with the kind of grace that silenced even the loudest whispers. The movement was elegant, commanding, the kind of entrance that turned heads without trying.
Someone gasped behind me. “It’s… a woman?”
She stepped out and the world flattened for a heartbeat.
Up close, she was almost painfully beautiful almost made people stop breathing. She looked like she was in her early twenties, with a porcelain complexion. Her skin had that cool, milky translucence. Her eyes were midnight — deep, unreadable, fringed with long dark lashes — and when they glanced over the crowd they held nothing and everything at once: a bored, sovereign calm that made men feel lucky to be noticed.
She wore an exquisite black suit that hugged her the right way. Black silk stockings wrapped her long legs. She moved with a predator’s grace, with a half-smile that never quite reached her eyes, felt like a quiet challenge. There was a seductive arrogance about her — not needy or inviting, but contained, powerful. You wanted to conquer her, to make her look your way and stay; you wanted to possess that cool aloofness.
The crowd started to murmur like a tide rolling in.
“Beautiful,” someone breathed.
“How can there be a woman this beautiful in the world?”
“Is this the person Mr—” someone began, and the rest of the question fell into a collective hush.
My heart gave an odd, small leap. That face. The posture. My mind snagged on a ridiculous thought: could she be the woman who’d been on the phone? The one who’d said my father had sent the money? I have my eyes fixed on her.
Mr. Donovan approached her with all the deference of someone greeting his king. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Whitemore,” he said, his voice hollow with awe. “I’m the director of Mirage Real Estate. An honor, truly.”
Seeing him bow deep before her confirmed the chill suspicion in my bones. He looked like a subordinate greeting a leader, not the other way around. The kinds of cracked crowns you saw in the underworld didn’t bend like that unless they were terrified of the boot about to step on them.
She glanced at him once, her mouth drawing back. "You're not the person I’m looking for,” she said.
The man flinched. “Ms. Whitemore, I’m truly sorry,” he stammered, bowing even deeper, eyes sincere as a beggar’s. “Since you arrived in Miami, every influential group here has been watching your movements closely. They mean no harm — they are cooperating with the Cole Group, which you represent. I only asked for a few minutes so I might update you on Mirage Real Estate. I can guarantee the club is clear; no one will disturb you.”
Latest Chapter
chapter 48
The next morning, Gideon was surprised to see two women enter the room with his suit. They greeted him, and he replied, causing the maids to look at each other in surprise."Good morning, sir," one of them said, still looking astonished. "We're here to dress you up."Gideon walked towards them to collect the clothes, but just as he reached out, the maids took one to three steps backward, counting out loud. Gideon was taken aback. "What are you doing?" he asked.The maid replied, "You told us to always keep a distance of one to three steps from you, sir."Just then, Miss Evelyn entered the room. "Leave us, please," she said to the maids. They quickly departed, leaving Miss Evelyn to collect the clothes.As she helped Gideon into the suit, she explained, "Axel was a distant person, Gideon. He never allowed anyone close to him. One of his rules was to never greet or reply to people's greetings. He liked to keep ahead of everyone."Gideon frowned. "That's a bad attitude. I'm not like that
chapter 46
"The man in the picture is Axel, your twin brother," the woman replied, her eyes locked on Gideon's.Gideon's eyes widened in shock. "Twin brother?"The woman nodded. "Yes, Mr. Douglass, the founder of the Rykard Empire, had twin sons. He lost one during a visit to an island for a charity event. He had a ghastly accident with his wife, and she died. One of the twin boys was also lost."Gideon's mind reeled as he processed the information. "You mean, I'm the second son that was lost?"The woman nodded again. "Yes, Gideon. You are the son that was lost. Mr. Douglass has been looking for you all these years, until he passed away."Gideon's eyes dropped, his mind racing with questions. "Where is Axel now?" he asked, looking up at the woman.The woman's expression turned grave. "Axel had an accident while traveling to Las Vegas. We suspect a murder attempt. The company can't announce this to the world right now, as it might cause a withdrawal of many investors."Gideon's eyes narrowed. "Wh
chapter 45
He got scared when he saw the bruises on his face from the punches. That's when he ran outside, dashing out of the house into the rain. As he stumbled out into the rain-soaked night, the bruises on his face throbbed with every beat of his heart. Panic set in, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he sprinted away from the house. The fog swirled around him, shrouding everything in a damp, grey mist. He couldn't see more than a few feet ahead, but he knew they were closing in.The sound of footsteps echoed through the fog, growing louder with every step. He pushed himself to run faster, his feet pounding the wet pavement in a desperate bid for freedom. But it was too late. A car burst out of the fog, its headlights blazing like a predator's eyes. He tried to dodge, but the car struck him with a sickening crunch, sending him flying through the air.Gideon's body crumpled to the ground, his limbs splayed at awkward angles, as the car's impact sent him flying through the air. The sound of s
chapter 45
It was ten at night. Gideon stood outside "Sweet Delights", his heart racing with excitement. The baker handed him the expensive cake he had ordered for Elysa's birthday. "Your cake is ready, Gideon," the baker said with a smile. Gideon handed over his card to pay for the cake, maxing out his balance. He checked his phone, hoping to see a response from Elysa, but his message was still unread. He shrugged it off, thinking she might be busy.Two months ago, Elysa, his girlfriend said she wanted the cake from Sweet Delight for her birthday. A cake from them cost around 2000 dollars. A price tag that made Gideon stomach turn. Gideon thought she deserved it. She never nagged him for not hanging out, never blew up his phone. when he was working. Sometimes, though, he wished she would. Just to remind him that he was still her priority.That’s why he took extra shifts, picked up part-time jobs after school, all to scrape together enough to buy that cake for her.Tonight, the weight on his
Chapter 45
“But you know this is not right,” Amanda said, brushing her stepfather’s hand away from her waist.But the old man walked a little closer to her, drawing her in with a swift, practiced motion until his nose brushed her hair, “but nothing has ever been right in this world, Amanda,” her stepfather said, taking a deep breath, lingering as he inhaled the scent of her hair.Feeling the closeness between herself and her stepfather, Amanda couldn’t bring herself to stop the emotions rising inside her.Amanda knew this was not right, yet she couldn’t suppress the arousal triggered by his touch.Thunder roared violently across the sky as the clouds suddenly lit white.Startled, I threw the book I had been reading aside. I caught my breath as I quickly locked the window of my loft studio. Outside, people moved with restrained urgency. I was too engulfed by the book I was reading and was not aware of my surroundings. The rain must have started a few minutes ago.Moving back to the table to conti
chapter 43
The next morning, Gideon was surprised to see two women enter the room with his suit. They greeted him, and he replied, causing the maids to look at each other in surprise."Good morning, sir," one of them said, still looking astonished. "We're here to dress you up."Gideon walked towards them to collect the clothes, but just as he reached out, the maids took one to three steps backward, counting out loud. Gideon was taken aback. "What are you doing?" he asked.The maid replied, "You told us to always keep a distance of one to three steps from you, sir."Just then, Miss Evelyn entered the room. "Leave us, please," she said to the maids. They quickly departed, leaving Miss Evelyn to collect the clothes.As she helped Gideon into the suit, she explained, "Axel was a distant person, Gideon. He never allowed anyone close to him. One of his rules was to never greet or reply to people's greetings. He liked to keep ahead of everyone."Gideon frowned. "That's a bad attitude. I'm not like that
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