2025-04-19 22:27:40
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
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
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 81 ~
Maya scrolled through her phone with wide, stunned eyes. Her freshly painted nails paused mid-air, her thumb frozen over the screen. She stared as the breaking news unfolded—an image of black smoke billowing into the evening sky, police sirens flashing, paramedics rushing with stretchers. And then the headline: “Explosion at Fitzroy’s Underground Safehouse, Zach and Daniella Survive, Darius Fitzroy in Critical Condition.”Her jaw clenched.“No… no, no, no,” she muttered.She threw the phone onto the passenger seat in front of her and let out a harsh grunt. The device bounced once and landed screen-down.“What a woefully failed plan,” she snapped, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Her perfectly shaped brows furrowed in frustration. “How could that bastard, Darius, execute the plan so stupidly? Burning the entire underground house just to kill Zach, when he could have finished it quietly and efficiently.”She groaned again and let her head fall back against the headrest. Her breath c
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 82 ~
Zach gently pushed the hospital ward door open, careful not to disturb the quiet atmosphere Inside. As he stepped in, his eyes immediately found Daniella, propped up on a pillow, her hair a bit messy but her face glowing softly under the fluorescent light. Her mother was still seated beside her. Lou looked up and smiled faintly at him.Daniella turned as she heard the door creak. “Zach,” she called, her voice still a little weak. “Is your sister gone?”Zach nodded as he approached. “Yeah. Barbara took her home since it's getting late.” He gave her a warm smile and pulled a chair closer to her bedside.Lou looked at him with genuine gratitude. “Thank you again, Zach,” she said, voice filled with emotion. “You saved my baby… I can’t even count how many times I’ve said that, but really, thank you.”Zach chuckled softly. “That’s the umpteenth time, Mrs. Lou.”Lou wiped a small tear with the back of her hand and tried to lighten the mood. “If something had happened to Daniella… I don’t kno
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 83 ~
Around 9:30 p.m., the night air hung thick with tension as a sleek black Aston Martin DBS Superleggera sped down a narrow, almost deserted street. Its glossy surface glinted under flickering street lights as it weaved expertly through sharp bends and broken asphalt.In the backseat, a striking young woman with waves of rich red hair sat upright, her green eyes flicking anxiously to the tinted back windscreen. Her name was Yvonne Weather, Dynasty Group’s heiress. But tonight, she wasn’t dressed in power or privilege. Tonight, she was a fugitive, holding onto something the world would kill to have.“They’re still on us,” she muttered to herself, her fingers tightening around the silver flash drive in her hand. Her other hand raked through her red hair in a restless sweep.“Hurry, Ricky!” she urged sharply.Behind the wheel, Ricky, her loyal bodyguard in a leather jacket and stone-cold stare, kept his eyes fixed on the road. “I should call for backup, Miss…”“No.” Her voice sliced throug
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 84 ~
“No…” Yvonne breathed, panic crawling up her spine.She watched in frozen horror as he raised his hand to strike.“Fine!” she shouted, her voice cracking. “I’ll get it!”She rushed back to the car, her hands trembling as she reached beneath the front passenger seat — the only place she could think of hiding it earlier. Her fingers curled around the small, black flash drive. Reluctantly, she walked back toward them, raising it up.“Hand it over,” the man ordered, eyes greedy.“Not until you let him go,” she barked, refusing to be intimidated.The leader smirked, then flicked his fingers lazily. The two men shoved Ricky down and released him.Yvonne’s eyes stayed on Ricky, making sure he was breathing, before she slowly stretched the flash drive toward the leader. He snatched it and inserted it into a portable reader clipped to his belt.She crossed her arms. “You and whoever sent you — Pablo — you’re both going down. Soon.”He looked up from the device, laughter dancing in his eyes. “
Latest Chapter
~ 96 ~
Zach turned away sharply, pressing a hand to his forehead. “I cannot believe this.”Linda chuckled lowly, clearly amused by his reaction. “You’re blushing,” she whispered, still half-breathless from the kiss.“You’re disgusting,” Zach muttered. “This isn’t the time or place. Cover yourselves!”“Or what?” Ria smirked. “You’ll keep pretending we’re not standing here like a fantasy you didn’t ask for?”Zach exhaled, deeply irritated. “Put your damn clothes on.”Linda and Ria exchanged a glance, then slowly pulled their shirts back on, the thrill of their stunt still lingering in the air.“Fine,” Linda said. “But the offer stands.”Ria looked at him with softened eyes. “Just… help us out of here. We’re not trying to ruin your day. We’re just scared.”Zach shook his head and turned toward the path again, muttering under his breath. “This is the most bizarre rescue mission I’ve ever been on.”---Meanwhile, outside the cave, the villagers were still there, talking.“It’s been more than five
~ 95 ~
Zach stepped into the mouth of the cave, the weight of the villagers' mocking stares clinging to his back like a shroud. The air inside was cold and stale, thick with dampness. Shadows danced on jagged walls as he shone his phone light ahead. The silence was broken only by the soft hiss of something slithering.He took careful steps, eyes scanning. A sleek, dark serpent curled over a boulder and hissed low. Zach held his breath, skirted the edge, and kept moving. Every few feet, more snakes appeared—some thin and fast, others thick and slow, their scales glinting under the beam of his flashlight. He kept a stick in hand, whittled earlier from a dry branch, ready to swat or stab if needed.“You got this,” he muttered to himself. “Eyes open, don’t rush.”It was hard. His muscles ached from ducking, sidestepping, dodging. The path narrowed and widened without pattern, and twice he nearly tripped over unseen stones. But he pressed on, determined. He hadn't come all this way to retreat.Su
~ 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