RETURN OF THE LEGENDARY NORTHERN DRAGON

YOU'RE UNDER ARREST

The Grand Meridian Hotel's crystal chandeliers threw diamonds of light across marble floors as Logan Stone adjusted his tie for the third time.

"Stop fidgeting," Vanessa hissed, smoothing her designer wedding gown. "You look nervous."

"I'm not nervous." Logan forced a smile as another group of potential investors entered the ballroom. "I'm calculating. After this ceremony, half these people will see we're stable, united. They'll invest again. Trust me."

Vanessa nodded, but her hands trembled slightly. Their empire was crumbling. This wedding was their last card to play—a public display of confidence meant to convince people the Reed-Stone alliance was still worth betting on.

Gerald and Patricia mingled with guests, their smiles tight as death masks. Everyone could smell the desperation.

Then the main doors opened.

Grayson Wells walked in wearing a tailored black tuxedo that probably cost more than a car. Beside him, Ava Morgan wore a white silk wedding dress that made her look like she'd stepped out of a fairy tale.

The ballroom went silent.

Vanessa's champagne glass slipped from her hand and shattered on the floor.

"What the hell?" Logan's face flushed red. "What are you doing here?"

Grayson smiled pleasantly. "Good afternoon. Lovely venue choice."

"You weren't invited!" Gerald stormed forward, face purple with rage. "Even if you borrowed money to rent those clothes, why would you wear them to my daughter's wedding? Are you trying to humiliate us?"

Patricia's voice rose to a shriek. "When did this hotel's security become so incompetent? How did they let riffraff like you walk right in?"

Vanessa finally found her voice. She looked at Ava and burst into hysterical laughter.

"Wait, wait—is that not the homeless Ava?" Vanessa doubled over, laughing so hard tears streamed down her face. "Oh my God, this is so perfect! Grayson, so when you decided to show off another woman in front of me, you really couldn't find anyone better than cemetery rat Ava?"

Ava flinched but Grayson's hand found hers, steady and warm.

Vanessa wiped her eyes, still giggling. "This is the most pathetic thing I've ever seen. You actually spent your life savings renting fancy clothes just to crash my wedding with another homeless loser? Grayson, I almost feel sorry for you."

The guests murmured, some laughing along. Logan's confidence returned seeing Grayson standing there silent.

"You should leave before you embarrass yourself further," Logan said, smirking. "We all know you can't afford to breathe the same air as these people."

Grayson tilted his head slightly. "I apologize if there's been any misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding?" Gerald spat. "The only misunderstanding is you thinking you belong here!"

"No, the misunderstanding is you thinking this is your wedding." Grayson's smile widened. "I came for my own ceremony, actually. If you and your guests could wait outside for the next twelve hours or so until we're finished, that would be wonderful."

Dead silence.

Then Logan exploded with laughter. "Your wedding? Here? Grayson, I understand you're hurt about the divorce, but this is just sad. A man shouldn't act this desperate. You can't even afford to rent a dog kennel in this hotel, let alone book the ceremonial hall!"

"He's clearly having a breakdown," Patricia said, shaking her head. "Someone call security before he makes a scene."

Ava spoke up for the first time, her voice quiet but clear. "We're not the ones making a scene."

Vanessa whirled on her. "Did the cemetery rat just speak? Ava, honey, you're still the same pathetic girl who slept in graves. Wearing a pretty dress doesn't change what you are underneath—trash."

Ava's grip on Grayson's hand tightened but she didn't look away. "At least I know who I am. Can you say the same?"

"Why you little—"

"Enough!" Gerald roared. "Security! SECURITY!"

Two uniformed guards appeared at the entrance. Gerald pointed at Grayson and Ava.

"Remove these trespassers immediately!"

The head guard pulled out a tablet, checking the booking system. His eyebrows rose.

"Mr. Reed?" The guard's tone shifted to confusion. "Are you the Reed family?"

"Of course we are!" Gerald puffed up proudly. "I'm Gerald Reed, this is my daughter's wedding, and these vagrants need to be thrown out!"

The guard scrolled through his screen. "Sir, I'm sorry, but there seems to be a problem. You attempted to book this hall for thirty million, but the payment was declined and refunded. The Grand Ceremonial Hall was booked by..." He looked up, eyes widening. "Mr. Grayson Wells. For three hundred million dollars."

The ballroom erupted in gasps.

"WHAT?" Vanessa shrieked. "That's impossible!"

"Three hundred million?" Gerald's face went from red to white. "Grayson doesn't have three hundred dollars, let alone—"

"The payment cleared two days ago," the guard continued, professional but firm. "Triple our standard rate for priority booking. Mr. Wells owns this venue for the next twelve hours."

Logan's smugness crumbled. "There must be a mistake. I paid a hundred million for this hall!"

The guard checked his tablet again. "Our system shows no payment from Logan Stone or Reed Industries. Sir, with all due respect, if you don't vacate immediately, we'll have to remove you by force."

Vanessa grabbed Logan's arm. "You said you paid! You said this was arranged!"

Logan's face flushed. "There must have been an error when I processed the payment—"

"An error?" The guard's expression hardened. "Or did you bribe someone on staff to give you unauthorized access?"

The truth hit like a bomb. Logan had paid twenty million under the table to a hotel worker for a key, thinking nobody would notice until after the ceremony. Now that secret hung exposed in front of investors, family, everyone.

Guests began whispering. Some started edging toward exits.

"Wait!" Vanessa lunged at a group of investors near the door. "Please don't go! This is just a misunderstanding! We can resolve this!"

But they were already leaving, embarrassment and second-hand shame driving them out faster than her begging could stop them.

Grayson watched the chaos with a slight smile. Three hundred million to rent a hall, he thought. They think that's impressive. If they only knew I own this entire hotel and a dozen others like it.

Logan's desperation exploded into rage. He whirled on Grayson, finger jabbing the air.

"You did this! You tampered with my payment somehow! Hacked the system to make it look like you paid instead of me!" His voice rose to a roar. "Where would a delivery driver get three hundred million dollars? You stole my booking!"

Some guests paused, considering this. It did seem impossible.

Grayson met Logan's wild eyes calmly. "Are you seriously suggesting I stole your booking by paying triple the normal rate? That's an expensive theft."

"You don't have that money! You're broke! A nobody!"

"Then how did I pay?" Grayson asked reasonably.

Logan sputtered, logic failing him. The security guards stepped forward, hands moving toward Logan and the Reeds.

"Final warning," the head guard said. "Leave voluntarily or we remove you by force."

Gerald tried one last time. "There has to be someone we can talk to! A manager! The owner!"

"The owner would tell you the same thing," the guard replied. "This venue belongs to Mr. Wells for the day. Please leave."

Patricia started crying. Vanessa stood frozen, her perfect wedding dissolving into public humiliation. Gerald looked like he'd aged ten years in ten minutes.

Grayson leaned close to Ava and whispered, "Having second thoughts?"

She looked at the chaos—at Vanessa's tears, Logan's rage, the fleeing guests—and felt something fierce and wonderful burn in her chest.

"Second thoughts, my foot," Ava whispered back.

The security guards advanced on the Reeds. Logan backed away, still shouting about injustice and theft. Patricia sobbed into Gerald's shoulder. Vanessa's designer gown dragged across the floor as guards started escorting her toward the exit.

Then the main doors burst open with a crash.

Six men in dark suits and FBI badges flooded into the ballroom, their presence commanding immediate silence.

The lead agent stepped forward, eyes scanning the room before landing on Logan.

"We apologize for the interruption," the agent said, his voice carrying authority that made everyone freeze. "But we need to take someone into custody immediately."

Logan's face went pale. "What? Who?"

The agent's gaze locked onto him like a targeting laser.

"Logan Stone, you're under arrest for embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, and operating under false pretenses. You have the right to remain silent..."

Logan's world shattered as agents moved forward, handcuffs gleaming under chandelier light.