Karvel cursed under his breath and turned around, his expression indifferent.
“What can I do for you, Miss Mariya?”
The smile on Mariya’s face faltered. “So it really is you, Karvel... Are you still angry with me?”
Karvel took a deep breath. The storm in his heart settled in an instant.
“Heh... Miss Mariya must be joking. A nobody like me doesn’t have the luxury of holding grudges. If there’s nothing else, I’ll step aside. I wouldn’t want to offend the CEO’s sensibilities.”
“Wait—you’re not going anywhere!”
Seeing him about to leave, Mariya took a step forward, her voice serious.
“Even though we’re no longer together, Karvel, I still think you’re a decent person. So please, just this once—listen to me. Turn yourself in, okay?”
Karvel let out a cold chuckle.
What a foolish, self-righteous woman.
Even now, she had no idea what was really going on.
“How about this, Miss Mariya—why don’t you call the police right now and have them arrest me?”
He gave her a sidelong glance.
Mariya was momentarily stunned, then her face darkened with anger.
“Karvel! Why have you become so stubborn and reckless? Even if I wronged you, that doesn’t give you the right to throw your life away and break the law!”
“Please—hand over the gem. Face the consequences with courage.”
At that moment, Isabelle and Vincent also walked over, their expressions hostile.
“Why even waste time on him?” Vincent sneered. “A shameless thief like him has no business showing his face in a place like this. Who gave you the guts to show up?”
Isabelle chimed in with a smirk, “You followed us here like some pathetic stray, didn’t you? Hoping to see my daughter again? Seriously, Karvel—don’t you get tired of being such a leech?”
The two of them mocked him relentlessly, grinning as if they’d won.
Karvel shot a glance at Vincent, his voice cool. “Still haven’t learned your lesson from the last slap?”
Vincent’s face instantly darkened. He growled, “Back then, I let you off because Mariya was shielding you. But now? I could have you crippled in minutes.”
He snapped his fingers, and his bodyguards immediately stepped forward.
“Big talk for someone with such a temper. Don't you dare lay a hand on my man.”
A frosty voice rang out.
Sophia appeared, gliding toward them like a queen, accompanied by her assistant and bodyguards. She wore a luxurious crimson gown, her presence commanding.
Her hair was elegantly pinned up, exposing her graceful neck like a swan’s. Her flawless, glowing features stole the breath from everyone around.
Vincent stared in a daze, nearly drooling.
A goddess. Another breathtaking goddess.
He gawked at Sophia, stammering, “Y-You... Miss, what did you just say?”
Sophia slipped her arm around Karvel’s and smiled sweetly. “I said, he’s mine. Did I stutter?”
Vincent snapped back to his senses, jealousy bubbling up so fiercely he could hardly stand it.
This damn loser really hit the jackpot.
He’d just broken up with Mariya and now he was clinging to another knockout? Where was the justice in the world? Why did this kind of luck never happen to him?
“You gorgeous lady, let me give you some advice,” he said with a forced smile. “This guy is a useless loser, a total leech. A woman like you—he’s not even worthy to carry your shoes!”
Isabelle jumped in too. “Young lady, do you know who he really is? He’s trash. A total freeloader who used to live off my daughter. You better stay away from him unless you want to get conned!”
Sophia ignored them both. Instead, she offered a smile so charming it could melt steel, her gaze drifting over to Mariya.
With her sharp instincts, she immediately sensed there was something... complicated between Karvel and this other woman.
Mariya’s cold eyes met hers.
Their gazes clashed in midair, silent sparks flying—an invisible tension brewing between them.
“Oh, darling,” Sophia purred, eyes still locked on Mariya, “aren’t you going to introduce me to this gorgeous woman you seem so close with?”
Her voice was teasing, flirtatious, deliberately provocative.
Karvel sighed inwardly. This was the last thing he wanted.
He hadn’t expected these two women to meet like this.
And he definitely hadn’t expected Sophia to drop the word “darling.”
This woman was clearly up to no good.
“This is Mariya,” he said dryly. “The famous CEO—and, according to everyone these days, the beautiful woman who kicked me away.”
He didn’t even try to hide the sarcasm.
Sophia gave a dramatic laugh. “Ah, Miss Mariya! No wonder—you’re absolutely stunning.”
“And honestly, I should be thanking you. If you hadn’t let him go, I wouldn’t have had the chance to claim him myself.”
That last sentence lit a fire in Mariya’s eyes.

Latest Chapter
Chapter 292
Head Hunter gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white as he drove through the darkened streets. His mind was reeling, unable to fully process what had just happened. Before his very eyes, all his associates had been rounded up and arrested in a coordinated police raid."What the fuck just happened back there?" Victoria asked, her voice shrill with panic."Shut up! Let me think!"Head Hunter's thoughts raced chaotically. For years, the Ronin had operated with impunity in this city. The police never touched them – there were arrangements, understandings, payoffs that kept law enforcement at bay. What had changed? What had given the police the morale and authorization to suddenly go after them in full force?He pulled out his phone with one hand while driving, frantically scrolling through his contacts. He needed guidance from above, instructions from the regional leaders about what to do next.The first number went straight to voicemail. "What the hell?"He tried t
Chapter 291
The Ronin headquarters buzzed with anticipation as members cleared a large space in the center of the main hall. This was going to be the fight everyone had been waiting for – Head Hunter, the charter leader, against Sebastian Sterling, his former right-hand man turned accused traitor.What none of them knew was that at that very moment, across the city and in neighboring states, the three remaining regional leaders of the Ronin were under simultaneous assault. Karvel's allies and the security authorities he had contacted were executing coordinated raids, taking down the leadership structure piece by piece.Sebastian stood in the makeshift arena, his hands finally freed from their restraints. He was stalling for time, hoping his carefully laid plans would come to fruition before he was forced to reveal his true capabilities to Head Hunter."This is going to be beautiful," Tony said, standing at the edge of the circle. "Boss is going to tear you apart.""He had it coming," another memb
Chapter 290
Sebastian Sterling was thrown roughly into the basement holding cell, his body hitting the cold concrete floor with brutal force. The heavy metal door slammed shut behind him with a finality that echoed through the damp space.Head Hunter stood on the other side of the bars, his face twisted with vindictive satisfaction. "You'll stay in this dungeon until you're ready to confess that you're working for Karvel Cross. Until then, you can rot down here for all I care."Sebastian pulled himself up to a sitting position, his wrists still zip-tied behind his back. "I have nothing to confess because I've done nothing wrong. You're the one who's in the wrong here, boss.""Keep telling yourself that, traitor.""I'm not a traitor! You're letting your paranoia destroy your own organization!""We'll see who's right when you finally break," Head Hunter said coldly before turning and walking away, leaving Sebastian alone in the darkness.Sebastian knew he had been extremely careful with his dual id
Chapter 289
Sebastian Sterling felt a wave of disappointment wash over him. After everything that had happened at the gala, after the humiliation Head Hunter had suffered, the man still hadn't learned his lesson."Didn't you give Karvel Cross your word in front of your entire crew?" Sebastian asked. "Doesn't going after Vivian Fairchild violate the pact you made?"Head Hunter waved his hand dismissively. "Let me worry about that. Your job is to execute the plan, not question my decisions.""But boss—""I want you to rally the low-ranking members," Head Hunter continued, ignoring Sebastian's concern. "Tell them this kidnapping was your idea, your initiative. That way, if anyone questions it, they won't think I'm breaking my oath."Sebastian stared at him in disbelief. "You want me to take responsibility for violating your oath?""That's exactly what I want.""I can't do that."The words hung in the air like a challenge. Head Hunter's expression darkened immediately."What did you just say to me?"
Chapter 288
The three remaining regional leaders were left to Karvel's foreign contacts and security authorities who received anonymous packages containing damning evidence of their criminal activities.Everything was happening with calculated precision, but Karvel knew he had to return to the city immediately.If Head Hunter caught wind of what was happening to the Ronin leadership, he might make rash decisions that could complicate everything.Sebastian Sterling walked through the doors of the Ronin headquarters after being completely unreachable for an entire day. Before he could take more than a few steps inside, six Ronin members surrounded him, blocking his path."What's the meaning of this?" Sebastian demanded, looking at their hostile faces.None of them answered. They simply stood there with their arms crossed, forming an intimidating barrier."I asked you a question," Sebastian said more firmly."Boss wants to see you," one of them finally replied, his tone cold and unfriendly. "Now.""
Chapter 287
Karvel Cross wasn't slowing down. The moment Vincent Castellano Sr. was secured and handed off to his contacts, he was already reviewing intelligence on the second target.Speed was essential – the quicker he dismantled the leadership, the less time they would have to organize a coordinated defense."The second target is Marco Torretti," Karvel told his team as they regrouped. "Eastern regional leader. He's currently at the Velvet Rose, his favorite strip club downtown.""Security level?" one of his operatives asked."High. But he's relaxed there. Thinks he's untouchable in his own territory."Two hours later, Karvel walked through the doors of the Velvet Rose. The music was deafening, strobe lights painted everything in shades of purple and red, and the air was thick with cigar smoke and expensive cologne.Marco Torretti sat in the VIP section like a king on his throne, surrounded by half-naked women and mountains of cash. He was throwing hundred-dollar bills at the dancers, laughing
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