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2026-01-19 11:22:13

Another executive burst in. “Sir—three banks just froze rolling credit. Shipping partners are postponing delivery slots. Insurance recalculated premiums overnight.”

Victor’s face drained of color. “That’s impossible. Those agreements are locked.”

“They were,” the man said hoarsely. “They say it’s market-driven.”

Marianne whispered, “The news… it’s everywhere.”

Marianne’s whisper broke into a sob.

“No… no, this isn’t real,” she said, pressing her phone to her chest as if it might stop vibrating. “This can’t all be happening at once.”

But it was.

Alerts kept peeling in—layer after merciless layer—each one worse than the last.

A third executive rushed in, tie askew, hair damp with sweat. “Sir—Asia-Pacific distributors have paused orders pending ‘clarity.’ They won’t give a timeline.”

Another voice followed from the doorway. “European ports are rerouting capacity. We’ve been downgraded in priority.”

Josh’s hand tightened on the edge of the table. The polished wood creaked faintly under

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The demon froze.Its eyes widened.Ethan stepped out of nothingness.For the first time since the fight began, surprise—real surprise—flickered across the creature’s face.“You—!” it shrieked, spinning around. “Impossible! I escaped you!”Ethan rolled his shoulders once, relaxed, as if preparing for a morning exercise. “I let you go.”Rage twisted the demon’s features. “Arrogant human—!”Ethan moved.There was no wasted motion. No flourish.In a single step, he crossed the distance between them. His hand drove forward, palm open, glowing with condensed holy light so intense it warped the air.“Judgment,” he said softly.His hand pierced straight through the demon’s chest.The creature screamed—not in pain, but in terror.“NO—WAIT—!”Light erupted from inside it, bursting through its back, its eyes, its mouth. Cracks of gold raced across its body like lightning through glass.Ethan leaned in slightly, voice quiet enough that only the demon could hear.“You should’ve stayed afraid.”He
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The demon froze. Its eyes widened. Ethan stepped out of nothingness. For the first time since the fight began, surprise—real surprise—flickered across the creature’s face. “You—!” it shrieked, spinning around. “Impossible! I escaped you!” Ethan rolled his shoulders once, relaxed, as if preparing for a morning exercise. “I let you go.” Rage twisted the demon’s features. “Arrogant human—!” Ethan moved. There was no wasted motion. No flourish. In a single step, he crossed the distance between them. His hand drove forward, palm open, glowing with condensed holy light so intense it warped the air. “Judgment,” he said softly. His hand pierced straight through the demon’s chest. The creature screamed—not in pain, but in terror. “NO—WAIT—!” Light erupted from inside it, bursting through its back, its eyes, its mouth. Cracks of gold raced across its body like lightning through glass. Ethan leaned in slightly, voice quiet enough that only the demon could hear. “Y
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It was tall, impossibly black, eyes glowing crimson. Its presence radiated a thick, oppressive aura. Claws glinted in the scattered light, sharp as razors, and black smoke curled from its form like ink spilled in water. Its voice was a low, rumbling hiss that seemed to echo from inside her skull.“So… you hide behind your pets and walls, little Hadel girl?” it taunted, each word dripping malice.Jenna stumbled back, tripping over the broken tiles. Her scream hitched, sharp and primal, and then—her legs gave out entirely. Her world went white. She fainted, collapsing in a heap.Ethan didn’t hesitate. His feet barely touched the floor as he lunged forward, hands moving in a precise sequence, ancient sigils of holy energy shimmering briefly around his fingertips.A blinding light erupted from him, washing over the shadow in waves of pure radiance. The demon hissed, recoiling, its glowing eyes narrowing.“Foolish creature,” it spat, voice jagged and cruel, “you think light can touch m
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“So I was right,” she said, her voice thick with heat and disbelief. “You weren’t protecting me. You were… watching.” “No,” Ethan said immediately, but the steel in his voice had softened, cracked under her fury. His jaw clenched, and he ran a hand through his hair, wet strands sticking to his forehead, his own skin prickling with embarrassment. “That’s not—” “You came into my bathroom,” she spat, tears stinging at the corners of her eyes, “in the middle of the night, and you think I’m stupid enough to believe this is about some presence?” “I told you—” He took a half step back, trying to ground himself, to meet her gaze, but she was a storm, shaking with fury. His chest tightened, throat dry. “I swear, Jenna… I didn’t—” “You’re lying,” she screamed, hysteria bleeding into her words. “You said it yourself—you don’t need permission. You decide what you want, and you take it.” “That’s not what I meant,” he said, voice barely audible over her roaring anger, his hands curled into fis
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He didn’t hesitate. Every muscle coiled. The aura wasn’t subtle. It was deliberate, precise—a dark energy sliding through the house like liquid shadow, seeking a target. His mind calculated speed, trajectories, likely entry points.It’s heading toward a room. The master wing. The east corridor. Someone’s in danger.Without thinking, he sprinted. His movement was a blur: the polished floors barely touched, the shadows clinging to him as he passed. Security systems pinged in the background, but he ignored them; they were too slow.The darkness seemed to thicken around him, pressing in. His heart beat steadily, controlled, though adrenaline hammered through his veins. Every step was precise, silent, a calculated strike against a threat he could sense but not yet see.“This isn’t an ordinary intruder. I can feel it.” He thought. He rounded the last corner, eyes narrowing as he tracked the aura to a bathroom. The door was slightly ajar, a faint light spilling out. The energy stopped t
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Everyone froze. Jenna stared at him in disbelief. “What did you just—” “I said shut the fuck up,” John repeated, his voice calm but lethal. “You’ve said enough. More than enough.” Her mouth opened, then closed. John rose slowly to his feet, resting both hands on the table. “Ethan Storm is staying here. Whether you like it or not. Whether it bruises your pride or offends your imagination or not.” “That’s not fair,” she snapped. “This is my home too!” “And you are not the head of this family,” John shot back. “Nor the one with enemies circling.” She shook with rage. “So my opinion just doesn’t matter?” “It mattered,” John said coldly. “Until you turned it into slander.” Silence swallowed the room. Ethan stood perfectly still, eyes forward, refusing to escalate further. Internally, he was done. Absolutely done. Jenna’s chest heaved. Her eyes flicked to Ethan one last time—angry, wounded, humiliated. “Fine,” she said through clenched teeth. “Do whatever you want.” She turned

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