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Chapter 73
The noise from the main house faded the moment Derek and Uncle Joseph stepped into the quiet shade of the backyard. Walking toward a stone sitting area beneath a sprawling tree, Joseph let out a slow, heavy breath."Derek, I want you to understand something," he began, his voice softening. "You shouldn't think my wife and Anita hate you."Derek glanced sideways at him."I know the way they behaved today wasn't right, but don't take it personally," Joseph continued, rubbing the back of his neck. "They overreact. You know how women can be."Derek offered a faint, tired smile. "Uncle J, that's actually the least of my worries."Joseph studied his face closely. He had known Derek since he was a small boy and could read every subtle shift in his expression, knowing precisely when a smile was genuine and when Derek was hiding a heavy burden. After a few seconds, a crease formed between Joseph's brows."Derek, you look pale. Are you okay?"Derek lowered himself slowly into one of the chairs.
Chapter 72
Jude's face hardened as he slowly looked from Anita to Mr. Joseph."I know you're her father," he said coldly, "but you have no right to slap her because of a lowlife nobody."The compound went dead silent. Mr. Joseph's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits."What did you just say?"Jude stood his ground, chest puffing out slightly. "I said you have no right to—"Slap!The sharp crack echoed off the walls of the compound. Before Jude could even process what had happened, Mr. Joseph's hand struck him again.Slap!And then a third time.Slap!Everyone froze in absolute shock. Jude's expression morphed instantly from disbelief into blazing fury, his bodyguards instinctively reaching beneath their jackets. Several firearms were cocked in unison as the men surged forward."Stop!" Jude raised a sharp hand.The bodyguards froze. He turned his head slowly toward them, his jaw clenched tight. "Put them down.""Pero, sir—""I said put them down."The guards hesitated for a fraction of a second bef
Chapter 71
Derek looked at Uncle Joseph and shook his head gently. "It's okay, Uncle J."As Joseph turned toward him, Derek continued, "I don't mind if you want us to go to the backyard. I only came because I wanted to talk to you. I'll be leaving soon.""No, Derek." Uncle Joseph's voice was firm. "This is your house. In fact, I am a father to you. You have every right to be here." He placed a heavy hand on Derek's shoulder. "You will go inside this house, and you will be treated the way a member of this family should be treated."Derek gave him a faint smile. "Uncle J...""I mean it." Joseph looked toward his wife and daughter. "The way a member of this family should be treated."Before anyone could say another word, the rumble of several powerful engines filled the compound. Everyone turned toward the open gates as one luxury vehicle after another rolled inside, polished to perfection, followed by a trailing line of cars.Anita's entire expression transformed, her eyes lighting up with sudden
Chapter 70
A few moments later, Derek arrived at Uncle Joseph's house, stepping out of a taxi and walking toward the entrance. He was just about to knock when the heavy wooden door swung open and Uncle Joseph emerged from the backyard.The moment their eyes met, Joseph froze. It took only a single glance for recognition to flood his features. His eyes widened, his face lighting up with unmistakable joy."My boy!"Derek offered a warm smile."Derek! My boy!"Uncle Joseph rushed forward, reaching out to grab Derek with the intention of lifting him off the ground the way he used to when Derek was just a child. But as he tried to hoist him, he found he couldn't even budge him. A beat passed before both of them burst into laughter."How come I can't lift you anymore?" Joseph asked through his chuckles, shaking his head. "Back then, you were always rolling around me."Derek laughed softly. "Because I'm not a little boy anymore.""Oh, my Derek!""Uncle J."Joseph paused, his smile stretching even wider
Chapter 69
“I actually have a business plan,” she said, her posture straightening with a spark of old passion. “I've always wanted to start my own business, something in property management and hospitality. I've studied the market, and I have a blueprint for starting small and expanding.”Derek listened intently. “What stopped you?”She let out a bitter, dry laugh. “Money.”“That makes sense.”“I've written everything down. The business model, the projected expenses, the target customers, even how I want to scale after the first two years.”“You still have the plan?”“Yes.”“Good.”Seraphina shrugged, a hint of pride in her eyes. “I haven't given up on it. Life has just been brutal.”“You're staying with Grandma Eunice, right?”Her face instantly lit up. “You remember Grandma?”“Of course.”She giggled. “Grandma still talks about you all the time.”Derek chuckled. “She does?”“Yes! She always says that if my childhood lover had stayed around, we would have been happily married by now.”Derek thr
Chapter 68
Derek’s expression shifted the moment Seraphina dropped the name.“The Royal Tigers?” he repeated, the words tasting bitter on his tongue.Seraphina nodded slowly. “Yes.”Derek leaned forward across the table, his mind racing. For years, the Royal Tigers had been treated like ghosts of a forgotten era, the deadliest underground assassin group the world had ever known, their very reputation enough to make the most powerful families in the country sweat. Behind that terror stood one man. Zilos. He had been more than a leader; he was an underworld mafia boss who ruled the organization with an iron fist. But Zilos had died years ago, and with his death, the Royal Tigers had vanished. At least, that was what the entire world believed.Now, sitting across from a woman he had lost to time, Derek was hearing that the monsters who destroyed her family had carried that exact mark.“How are they still operating?” Derek asked, his voice a low murmur.Seraphina shook her head, a shadow of fear cro
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