2026-06-29 22:24:41"I've been drinking. I can't drive," Conrad Lockwood said to the attendant standing near the hotel entrance. "Get me a designated driver."
He hadn't felt it inside the restaurant, not with the warmth of the private room and the easy flow of conversation. But the moment he stepped through the revolving doors into the cool night air, the alcohol hit him like a wall. His head swam, and even his steps wobbled slightly on the polished marble."Right away, sir."The attendant turned
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Chapter 157
The invitations to the Bancroft family celebration might have been distributed in decent numbers, but that didn't mean just anyone could get their hands on one.Take Haven, for instance. Among all the Great Families there, only four invitations had been allocated. And that was already considered generous. Plenty of people had tried to buy one at steep prices, but no one was willing to sell.The Bancroft family's anniversary celebration was bound to be an enormous affair, and the powerful figures attending would be numerous. For those who managed to attend, the chance to network with executives from major corporations could prove invaluable for their future endeavors. The connections alone were worth their weight in gold.Maren Holt smiled with satisfaction at the thought.After finishing their meal, the two women spent a bit more time wandering through the shops before finally returning to Serena Vale's villa to rest. Aaron Holmes, naturally, headed back to his o
Chapter 156
Maren Holt's mouth fell open as she stared at Aaron Holmes, frozen in disbelief.How old was he? A military leader this young? She had never seen anything like it, never even heard of such a thing."Good, continue evacuating all civilians. I want absolute assurance of their safety. Understood?" Aaron glanced at his watch. Only a few minutes had passed since the team mobilized from base and swept through the crowd with practiced efficiency. The speed was impressive, all things considered.Reaper hadn't shown up, but that was expected. As Aaron's nominal bodyguard, Reaper left matters concerning the special operations team to Ghost Healer. The arrangement had proven effective. Ghost Healer handled things well.Ghost Healer replied sharply that he understood and would carry out the order.Aaron turned his attention to Mallory Bell. "Did I deliver on my promise or not?"Cold sweat beaded on Mallory's forehead as she looked at Aaron, visibly unsure how to re
Chapter 155
The woman blocking the way was Mallory Bell, Sabrina West's personal manager, and even she hadn't anticipated the scale of the chaos unfolding outside. The crowd surrounding the mall had swelled beyond anything her security team could contain, which left her with no real options. Locking down the building had been the only call she could make, and now she was stuck figuring out how to quietly slip Sabrina out through the back. The last thing she'd expected was for someone to find them here."All I want to do is go down and take a look," Aaron Holmes said, his voice unhurried, almost bored. "If she's not there, I'll leave. Simple as that.""Absolutely not."Mallory stepped forward, chin raised. Her job was to protect Sabrina, and that job didn't come with exceptions. If this stranger got through and did something, anything, the fallout would be impossible to contain. She wasn't about to find out.Sabrina hesitated, glancing between them. "Mallory, maybe just let h
Chapter 154
Aaron Holmes felt the steering wheel jerk slightly in his grip as Maren Holt's voice rang out from the backseat, bright with indignation and excitement."The Bancroft family people are absolutely despicable! But Aaron was way too soft. Serena, you shouldn't have stopped him. You should've just let Aaron beat that guy to death."Maren's eyes practically sparkled with bloodthirsty enthusiasm as she replayed the confrontation in her mind. Then, as if catching herself, she added with a begrudging tone, "Well, I guess Aaron counts as a real man after all."Aaron's hands tightened on the wheel, and the car swerved dangerously close to the guardrail. He shot a glance in the rearview mirror, barely suppressing his irritation. What did she mean he "counted as" a real man? He'd always been one, thank you very much."Maren, why don't you stay at my place for a while?" Serena Vale interjected smoothly, though her lips curved into an amused smile. She couldn't quite suppress
Chapter 153
"Yes, Lord Holmes!"Reaper acknowledged the order without hesitation."Also, I want you to dig into the Bancroft family during this time. An enterprise that size always has skeletons in its closet. I want to see exactly how they managed to grow this fast." Aaron Holmes narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.As far as he was concerned, the rapid expansion of the Bancroft family over recent years defied natural business growth. There had to be secrets buried beneath their success. If those secrets came to light, would the Bancrofts still feel so confident?Besides, even in a straight business competition, Riverstone Corp under his control could crush the Bancrofts without breaking a sweat. It was only a question of whether he wanted to make that move.Reaper nodded and assured him that he understood before withdrawing.At the Vale estate, Felix Vale convened a family meeting.This time, Brandon Vale and Adrian Vale were both present, along with everyone els
Chapter 152
Griffin Bancroft's face darkened, his gaze locked onto the messenger who had just delivered the news."Tell me exactly what happened. Every single detail. If you leave anything out, you know what the consequences will be."The messenger broke into a cold sweat, words tumbling out in a rush. "Patriarch, the second young master took a liking to a woman from the Vale family in Haven. Her name is Serena Vale. He used the casino to lure her family into gambling, then threatened her into... into doing those things with him. But then Serena's boyfriend, Aaron Holmes, showed up and sent the second young master to the hospital.""Aaron Holmes?"Griffin Bancroft frowned. The name meant nothing to him."Looking for death. How dare he touch someone from the Bancroft family?"Griffin was no ordinary man. He had fought his way to power, blade and gun in hand. Across the entirety of Westhaven State, who would dare refuse him face? His business partners and connections
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