2025-04-16 22:00:06
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THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 73 ~
Barbara’s heels clicked sharply against the ground as she stepped out of her car, the breeze brushing against her cheeks like a warning whisper. “Hey! What do you think you’re doing here?” she barked, her voice bold and unwavering.But then, her heart stopped.The glint of metal caught her eye. Guns. They had guns.Her confident stride faltered. Her breath hitched. She instinctively turned, attempting to dive back into the safety of her car and grab the pistol she kept in her glove compartment. But before she could reach the handle, one of them dashed toward her.Bang!The door slammed shut in her face as his palm crashed into it.“Let go of me!” Barbara snarled, swinging her fist.But the man caught her hand mid-air with chilling ease, his grip like iron. Another grabbed her from behind. She twisted, adrenaline blazing through her veins, and rammed her knee into his side. He staggered back with a grunt, but the first one retaliated with a slap so hard, her vision blurred.She crumple
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 74 ~
In a dimly lit underground lair that reeked of oil and iron, Darius Fitzroy leaned against a rusted pillar, flexing the sharp fingers of his mechanized arm. It whirred softly each time he clenched his metal fist. A cigarette hung from the corner of his lips, and smoke curled around his chiseled face. His grimace was harsh, his jaw sharp, and his mismatched eyes—one steel, one hazel—were hollow with fury.He puffed on the cigarette again, exhaling a thick cloud that faded toward the ceiling. His expression softened, curiosity replacing irritation, when the heavy iron gate screeched open.He turned to face it, shoulders tense, eyes narrowed.Two of his men dragged in a barely conscious Daniella, her wrists limp, her legs dragging across the floor. Dirt clung to her clothes, and a bruise bloomed near her temple. Her breathing was shallow, chest rising and falling with faint effort.Darius grinned.“Put her on the chair,” he ordered, voice deep and amused.The men carried her to the iron
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 75 ~
Lou sprang to her feet as if stung by a bee, her breath caught in her chest, and her heart pounded wildly. The emptiness of the diner seemed to echo her panic, growing louder with every dreadful thought that filled her mind.“This has never happened before,” Lou muttered under her breath, pacing in short, rapid strides. “What if something’s happened to her? What if she’s hurt—or worse?” Her voice cracked on the last word. Her palms were slick with sweat, her eyes wide, darting to the clock on the wall like it could give her answers.“Mrs. Lou, please,” Zach said with calm urgency. He reached for her gently. “Relax. I won't let anything happen to Daniella. I promise, I’ll find her and—”He paused abruptly as the door creaked open. Maya stepped in, casually dressed with a tote bag hanging off her shoulder. Her expression was unreadable, cool and unbothered, as she glanced around.“Daniella, where are you…?”“Maya…” Lou's voice was sharp with alarm. “Where’s my daughter?”“Aunt Lou?” Ma
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 76 ~
Back in the underground house, a dull bulb swung slightly from the low ceiling, casting shadows that danced against the concrete walls. Darius was whistling—a slow, eerie tune—as he paced the cold floor like a boy who’d just unwrapped his favorite toy. His boots thudded in rhythm, echoing around the room.A low rustle from the corner stopped his steps. Daniella stirred, her lashes fluttering open. Her head lolled to the side as she struggled to focus. Then her body jerked in alarm—she was bound. Her wrists were locked to the arms of the iron chair, and cold chains looped her waist and torso tightly. Only her legs were accidentally free. But panic surged.Her eyes widened. “What’s going on—” she gasped, twisting violently.Darius turned, his smirk stretching slowly. “Ah… angel’s awake,” he murmured, walking towards her with a delighted gleam in his eyes.She flinched as he drew closer. Her eyes scanned the room—stone walls, a locked steel door, shadows of men leaning by the corners. “
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 77 ~
Darius groaned, coughing blood as he lifted his head. The fury burning in Zach’s eyes was unlike anything he’d ever seen. It was wild. Unforgiving. The kind of rage that could level cities and salt the earth behind it.Yet, he laughed.Wiping the smear of blood from the corner of his mouth, Darius growled, “You think this ends here, Zach? No. You’ve just walked into something worse than a lion’s den. You’re not walking out of this in one piece.”He gave a sharp whistle and barked, “Kill him.”His men surged forward, snarling like wild beasts. They came at Zach with clubs, knives, iron rods—anything deadly within reach. The air thickened with violence.Zach didn’t flinch.He ducked the first swing, then drove his elbow into the attacker’s throat. Another came from behind—Zach twisted, grabbed his arm, and dislocated his shoulder before kicking him into the others.It was a storm. Bone cracked. Blood sprayed. Men dropped like sacks of flour.Darius’s triumphant grin faltered.One after
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 78 ~
The heat was unbearable, the smoke thickening with every breath, but Zach didn’t stop. He refused to stop.His shirt clung to his body, soaked in sweat. Flames licked at the walls, crawling higher like hungry beasts, but his eyes never left Daniella—strapped to the steel chair, her skin paling and lips trembling.He couldn’t let her die. He wouldn’t.“I promised your mother that I'll bring you back to her,” he muttered under his breath, yanking again at the chains. “I won’t break it.”He examined the chair again. It was bolted to the floor with a chain extending high up, connected to a steel hook in the ceiling. If he tried to snap it, he could bring the entire structure down—straight onto Daniella. That wasn’t an option.Breaking the chair seemed hopeless—it was heavy, industrial grade, probably reinforced like the chains. And trying to pull her out forcibly would crush her bones.Still, he didn’t stop.Darius was intrigued but waiting in expectations. His desire to see Zach burning
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 79 ~
Barbara drove into the road in speed just as the sun dipped low, casting a warm golden hue across the sky. Her heart pounded in her chest, her palms clammy against the steering wheel. It was Mary who had told her the hospital and ward, her calm voice a stark contrast to the storm brewing within Barbara.As soon as she stepped into the hospital, the sterile smell hit her nostrils. It felt suffocating. Her fluffy mules slapped against the polished tiles as she hurried through the hallway. Her eyes darted across signs and numbers until she turned a corner—and almost bumped into Mary right outside a ward.“Oh, you arrived soon…” Mary said, her voice gentle but touched with surprise.“Thank you for responding to my call and informing me, Mary.” Barbara grabbed her hand, breathing heavily. “How’s Zach doing? Is he okay? Did he… did he get hurt in the fire?”Mary opened her mouth to answer, but Barbara cut herself off. “Goodness, how can I ask you that? I saw the news. He was bleeding… I—” H
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 80 ~
Feeling the awkward silence swell between them, Daniella cleared her throat and shifted slightly on the bed. With a soft, hesitant voice, she stretched her hand toward Zach. “Thank you… for saving me. I don’t even know how to say it, but… thank you.”Barbara's gaze flicked to their hands, her heart sinking at the sight. Without thinking, she stepped back from Zach, her fingers brushing against her own arm as if to soothe the sudden wave of discomfort rising inside her.Zach turned to Daniella and offered a small, polite smile. “It’s okay, Daniella.”But then his eyes dropped down, landing on Barbara’s feet. His expression twisted into something between amusement and confusion.“Seriously?” he whispered under his breath.Barbara frowned. “What do you mean?”Zach didn’t respond. He just blinked, bit back a smirk, and then turned to everyone in the room. “Uh… excuse me. I need to speak with Barbara for a minute.”Before she could respond, he gently grabbed her wrist and led her out of th
Latest Chapter
~ 94 ~
After what felt like endless hours of winding through dense forests and silent backroads, Zach finally brought the vehicle to a halt in front of a large, fortified wooden gate. Carved with ancient patterns and symbols, the entrance stood firm and towering—an unspoken warning to outsiders. A thick mist swirled lazily around its base, casting an eerie calm over Green Hallow Village.Zach stepped out, stretching his stiff limbs as his eyes scanned the quiet surroundings. The chirping of birds was the only sound, gentle and almost too peaceful, as if the village behind the gate was untouched by the chaos of the outside world.“Is this it?” he asked, glancing sideways at Daniella.She nodded slowly, clutching her shawl closer around her shoulders. “Yes. This is Green Hallow… my home.”He nodded back. “It’s… calm.”“For now,” she muttered under her breath.Just as they approached the gate, a sharp sound broke the silence—a metallic clang of a bell. Within seconds, armed men emerged from bot
~ 93 ~
The moment the trembling words left the leader’s lips—“he broke my thumb”—the room fell into a tense, breathless silence.Don Pablo took a step forward, eyes narrowed, his body trembling—not with fear, but with rising rage. The enjoyment he had experienced earlier was forgotten. His jaw tightened. A vein pulsed on the side of his head as he stared down the men standing before him, the last survivor of what should have been a clean, quiet execution.“You’re telling me…” His voice was dangerously low, almost a whisper, “that a single man destroyed your entire squad and took the flash drive?”The leader swallowed hard, blood from a cut on his brow trailing down to his lips. “Y-yes, Don. He came out of nowhere. Fast. Precise. L-like a ghost…”Don Pablo launched with ruthless speed. A fist crashed into the leader’s jaw, sending him sprawling across the room. Before the man could recover, Don Pablo was on him—grabbing him by the throat, lifting him with one hand, slamming him against the g
~ 92 ~
Zach stood at the back of his car, his fingers moving swiftly across his phone screen. After tossing Daniella’s backpack onto the back seat, he typed a message, his brow furrowed in thought.{Mary, I'll be away for today or a couple of days at most. Please take care, and whatever you need, you can ask Barbara.}He hit send, then slipped the phone into his pocket, glancing toward the porch. Daniella was stepping out with her mother, Lou.“So, so, so, you’ve been dodging your grandfather for years,” Lou teased, grinning slyly. “But because Zach wants to visit the village, you're running like a happy puppy?”“Mother…” Daniella whispered sharply, halting on the porch. “It’s not about Zach. I just want to help him. He’s done so much for us.”Lou’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “Right. And when Grandpa begged you, you suddenly had a hundred excuses.”Daniella rolled her eyes but said nothing. As they reached the car, Zach greeted them warmly, gratefulness shining in his tired eyes."Thank yo
~ 91 ~
Yvonne’s hands trembled slightly as she took the parcel from the nurse. Her father and Ricky exchanged wary glances, their bodies tense, but Yvonne barely noticed. Her mind spun wildly, heart thudding against her chest.Slowly, she peeled away the brown wrapping. Nestled inside was a small, plain flash drive. The sight made her breath hitch. Memories rushed back—how she had handed the flash drive over, how the horrible man stabbed her, how Zach had come to save her, and how he had chased after the goons only because she begged him to retrieve it.Tears burned behind her eyes.That man didn’t just save my life... he saved this too, she thought, clutching the flash drive tightly in her palm. “He’s an angel... a real one.”A small, grateful smile unknowingly curved her lips.Chairman Weather noticed. His voice cut through the room, sharp. “What’s funny?”Yvonne looked up, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, masking her emotions. “A present from an admirer.”“Really?” His tone was he
~ 90 ~
Outside the hospital, the sun cast a dull glow over the street where a line of exotic cars gleamed under the morning light. Security guards in dark suits paced near them, keeping watch. Inside the private hospital room on the top floor, the atmosphere was tense.Yvonne lay against the white pillows, her face pale but calm. Her father, Chairman Weather, stood by her bed like a storm contained in human form, his arms crossed, his brows furrowed with anger.The doctor, adjusting his glasses, bowed slightly and said with careful respect, “Sir, Miss Yvonne is stable now. She can be discharged today.”Chairman Weather gave a sharp nod, his face hardening further. His gaze then shifted to his daughter, seething.“How could you be so careless, Yvonne?” he scolded, his voice gruff. “How could you endanger yourself like this?”Without giving her a chance to answer, he spun toward Ricky, her personal guard, his glare sharpening.“And you! You are supposed to protect her with your life! Instead,
~ 89 ~
Zach stood there, hands stuffed deep in his pockets, his heart oddly restless as he watched Barbara flee through the door like a startled bird.What just happened? he wondered, frowning, his mind scrambling to process the last minute.A soft shuffle from behind him made him turn his head slightly. Mary reached downstairs, studying him with a knowing look. She feigned a little cough, a deliberate attempt to draw his attention.Zach blinked. "Uh, Mary. You're awake.""Hmm. Good morning," she replied, her voice carrying a teasing undertone as she folded her arms."Yeah, good morning," Zach muttered, scratching his head, unable to resist glancing back at the front door, half-expecting Barbara to barge back in and take back her unintended confession."Well, Barbara is gone," Mary said, struggling to suppress the mischievous smile threatening her lips.Zach nodded absentmindedly. "Yeah... she’s gone," he murmured, still lost in thought. She said "yes". Did she really mean it? His chest tigh
~88~
The hours dragged by like slow-moving clouds as Zach cultivated, seated cross-legged on the floor, palms resting on his knees, his breathing controlled and deep. Even after the poison in his system had been washed away in mere minutes, he pressed on. His body ached for restoration; his energy reserves felt hollowed out by the night's turmoil. He could feel the faint rush of new energy coursing through his veins, splashing and crashing like a roaring tide against his inner walls.When at last he opened his eyes, the dark circles beneath them had faded slightly. He heaved a breath, steady and low, before dragging himself to the bathroom. Under the steaming water of the shower, he tilted his head back, letting the rivulets wash away the weariness clinging to him like a second skin.After drying off, he made his way barefoot toward the kitchen, gulped down a glass of cold water, then turned to leave. Passing by the first room in the hallway, he noticed the door ajar. Curiosity stirred. He
~ 87 ~
Zach's steps faltered slightly as he entered the villa, a wave of dizziness clouding his vision. He instinctively reached out to the wall but missed. His body leaned dangerously forward—then firm hands caught him."Hey, are you okay?" a concerned voice asked.He blinked away the haze and straightened, forcing a smile as he recognized Barbara’s face. "Yeah," he said, though the faint spinning in his head said otherwise. "Wasn’t expecting to see my finance manager at my house past 11 p.m."Barbara rolled her eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Well, I wasn't planning on staying either. Should’ve been gone hours ago, but your sister wouldn’t let me."He frowned. "Mary wouldn’t let you?""Yeah. I just put her to sleep."He blinked in disbelief. "What?""I brought her back like I said I would. Wanted to leave, but she begged me to stay. Said she felt uncomfortable being alone in such a big house—especially not knowing you’d be back tonight.""I see," Zach murmured, stepping past her,
~86 ~
The doctor cleared his throat, trying to regain composure. "Is that actually yours?" he asked stiffly.Zach raised an eyebrow. "You want to find out?"The nurse, still skeptical, grabbed the payment machine. "If it's counterfeit, security will be happy to deliver you to the police."The doctor leaned in, clearly expecting the worst. "Treatment bills will be approximately ten thousand dollars."Zach inserted the card with a bored expression. "Make it fifty. Get them the best."He input his pin. The transaction processed instantly.Approved.The machine chimed brightly.Silence fell.The nurses blinked at him like he'd grown wings. The doctor paled, sweat beading on his forehead."I...I apologize, sir," he stammered. "Please forgive our...mistake.""You!" he barked at the nurses. "Apologize at once!""Sorry, sir!" the nurses chorused, heads bowed.Zach barely spared them a glance."Move them to the special wards. Get them prepped now." the doctor barked, snapping his fingers at the stun
