2025-03-12 23:34:24Gasps.
The room erupted into whispers.
“Another 80 million? Are you kidding me?”
“Two of the most powerful women in the industry both putting up the same amount… This just got interesting.”
“It’s like a direct challenge!”
Mariya’s smirk faltered slightly, but she quickly masked it behind a sip of her champagne. Sophia Yale. She had expected competition tonight, but she hadn’t expected someone to match her exactly.
Vincent Langford let out a loud laugh, shaking his head.
“Well, well, well,” he sneered, standing up and straightening his suit arrogantly. “I guess some people really hate losing.”
His voice carried across the room, drawing attention. He clasped his hands together dramatically.
“Look, I’ll make this easy for all of you. Yes, the donation amounts are the same, but let’s not kid ourselves.” He turned to the crowd, flashing an exaggerated smile. “The Langford family—my family—unconditionally supports Mariya Carter.”
A fresh wave of whispers swept through the guests.
“This guy is really sticking to Mariya, huh?”
“Yeah, but that’s huge. With the Langford family backing her, doesn’t that mean the land is as good as hers?”
“The orphanage director wouldn’t dare offend both the Carter and Langford families together.”
Vincent soaked up the attention, reveling in his moment.
He turned his gaze to Sophia, smirking. “Let’s be real, Miss Yale. You put up a good fight, but you’re playing checkers while Mariya is playing chess. The land is hers. Maybe next time, sweetheart.”
Sophia, completely unfazed, simply raised an eyebrow.
Before she could respond, her secretary leaned in, whispering.
“Miss Yale, should we increase the bid?”
Sophia shook her head, completely calm.
“No. The price is already absurdly high. Pushing further isn’t worth it.”
The secretary hesitated. “Then… are we letting Miss Carter win?”
Sophia’s lips curved into an enigmatic smile.
“Oh, no,” she said lightly, tilting her head. “She’s not getting the land.”
The secretary frowned. “Then why…?” He hesitated, then leaned in further. “Miss Yale, you don’t have to fight over a man.”
Sophia let out a soft laugh.
“Oh, darling,” she mused, her voice dripping with amusement. “Who said this was about a man?”
The secretary blinked. “Then why—”
Before Sophia could answer, the host suddenly gasped excitedly.
“Ladies and gentlemen… we have one final donation!”
The hall fell into silence.
The host, practically glowing with excitement, grinned.
“We are thrilled to announce that our last donor, Karvel Cross, has pledged a staggering… 100 MILLION DOLLARS!”
Complete. Absolute. Shock.
The hall erupted into chaos.
“WHAT?!”
“Who the hell is Karvel Cross?”
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Chapter 195
Karvel stood in the luxurious lobby of the Meridian Hotel, his mind still processing Vivian's passionate plea to help Mariya.The marble floors gleamed under the crystal chandeliers, but his thoughts were darker.Leo Romano's death in prison had robbed him of the satisfaction of watching his enemy suffer the full consequences of his actions."Who is this organization?" he muttered to himself. "What kind of reach do they have to eliminate someone in maximum security?"As he walked toward the exit, two men in dark suits suddenly appeared, blocking his path. One was a stocky Italian with graying temples, the other younger with cold eyes."Excuse me, Mr. Cross," the older man said with a thick accent. "My name is Marco Benedetti, and this is my associate Giuseppe Romano. Our boss would like to have a word with you."Karvel's expression remained neutral. "I don't know your boss, and I have no interest in meeting him."Giuseppe stepped closer, his hand moving slightly toward his jacket. "Mr
CHAPTER 194 PART 2
Mariya stared at him in disbelief. "I can't believe this. First Karvel won't answer my calls, now you're throwing me out. I've never felt so alone in my life.""I'm sorry, Mariya, but this is bigger than both of us. The Ronin doesn't negotiate, they don't show mercy, and they don't accept excuses. You need to find a way to pay them or...""Or what?"Dr. Yale's silence was answer enough.After Mariya left his office in tears, Dr. Yale immediately picked up his phone and dialed Karvel's number."Karvel, it's Edmund. We have a serious problem.""What kind of problem?" came Karvel's calm voice."Mariya just left my office. She says Leo Romano is dead and some organization called The Ronin is demanding twelve billion dollars from her. They claim she's responsible for his debts."There was a long pause before Karvel responded. "That's unfortunate for Mariya, but it has nothing to do with me.""Karvel, they killed Leo in prison. These people are dangerous. If they're operating in our city—"
Chapter 194 PART 1
Mariya sat frozen in her office chair, staring at the spot where the terrifying bald man had stood moments before. Her hands were still trembling as she tried to process what had just happened."This has to be some kind of sick joke," she whispered to herself. "Twelve billion dollars? Leo dead? This can't be real."The shrill ring of her office phone made her jump. She hesitated before answering, her voice shaky."Castellano Cosmetics, this is Mariya speaking.""Mrs. Romano?" came a gruff voice from the other end. "This is Warden Giuseppe Benedetti from the Metropolitan Correctional Facility. I'm calling because your name is still listed as next of kin for inmate Leonardo Romano."Mariya's blood turned to ice. "What... what about Leo?""Ma'am, I regret to inform you that Mr. Romano was found dead in his cell this morning. Another inmate attacked him during the night. I'm sorry for your loss."The phone slipped from Mariya's trembling fingers and clattered onto her desk. The warden's v
Chapter 193
Mariya Castellano sat in her newly renovated office, admiring the fresh coat of paint and the updated company logo that now read "Castellano Cosmetics" instead of "Romano Beauty." The afternoon sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow across her mahogany desk where financial reports showed promising growth numbers."Finally," she murmured to herself, reviewing the quarterly projections. "No more looking over my shoulder, no more wondering what Leo might do next."She leaned back in her leather chair, reflecting on everything that had transpired. Karvel's revelation still felt surreal – the quiet, humble man she had married was actually one of the most powerful industrialists in the world. The irony wasn't lost on her that Leo had spent months searching for his mysterious enemy, never realizing he was sharing a roof with him."Karvel was right all along," she said softly, shaking her head. "I really didn't know who I married the first time."The sound
Chapter 192
The concrete walls of the city jail echoed with the sound of Leo Romano's bitter laughter as he paced his cramped cell. His orange jumpsuit hung loosely on his diminished frame, and his once-perfectly styled hair was now disheveled and greasy."This is all temporary," Leo muttered to himself, his voice hoarse from days of ranting. "That pathetic loser Karvel thinks he's won, but he has no idea who he's dealing with. When I get out of here, I'll crush him like the insect he is."He slammed his fist against the metal bars, the sound reverberating through the cellblock. "And my so-called rival... whoever the hell that coward is, hiding in the shadows... I'll find him too. I'll make them both pay for destroying everything I built."The electronic buzz of the cell door interrupted his tirade. Leo turned, expecting to see a guard, but instead froze as a tall, imposing figure stepped into his cell. The man was completely bald, his scalp gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. What made
CHAPTER 191 PART 2
Karvel's expression softened slightly. "I never intended to marry you, Mariya. That wasn't part of the plan. But when I saw how Leo treated you, how he manipulated and controlled you, I couldn't just walk away. You deserved better."Tears welled up in Mariya's eyes. "So everything between us was a lie?""Not everything," Karvel said quietly. "My feelings for you were real. My desire to protect you was real. But I couldn't tell you the truth because if Leo had discovered who I really was, he would have killed anyone connected to me without hesitation."Mariya wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. "Who are you really, Karvel? What's your real name?"Karvel hesitated for a moment, then spoke. "My real name is Karvel Cross. I'm the heir to Cross Industries, one of the largest pharmaceutical and technology conglomerates in the world. Three years ago, Leo Romano attacked one of our research facilities, killing twelve innocent scientists in the process. Among them was my mentor, Dr. Sar
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