2025-04-22 20:52:58
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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. “
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 85 ~
His scream snapped the others out of their daze.“Get him!” The leader yelled.Two of them lunged forward at once.Zach ducked beneath the first swing, then drove his elbow hard into the man’s ribs. The impact sent him spinning to the pavement, wheezing.The second came with a short blade.Zach seized his arm mid-strike, twisted, and with one violent jerk, flipped him over his back. As the man hit the ground, Zach snapped the joint with ruthless precision. The crunch echoed.Two more were already coming.Zach didn’t hesitate. He grabbed one by the neck mid-charge, slammed him headfirst into a nearby brick wall. The man’s body slumped as blood sprayed down the wall in a thick line.The last attacker barely had time to shout before Zach spun, gripped his throat with both hands, and squeezed.The man struggled, legs kicking, fingers clawing at Zach’s arms, but it was no use. His gasps turned to silence, and then—nothing.The leader, still on the ground, stared wide-eyed. His last man—a y
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~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
THE UNFORSEEN DOMINANCE OF ZACH MARLOW ~ 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,
Latest Chapter
~ 98 ~
Ria sank to her knees and buried her face in shaking hands. “I… I’m going to miss my mother,” she sobbed. “I thought I’d just be late, get a scolding, and be home by supper. Now—”Her voice cracked. “Now I’ll never see her again.”Linda’s voice trembled beside her. “My parents will be so heartbroken without their only child,” she whimpered, tears streaking her cheeks. “My father won’t understand why I stayed out so late. My mother will… she’ll never forgive me.”Zach closed his eyes in frustration. “If you cared about them half as much as you say,” he said, voice low but firm, “you wouldn’t have followed me into this cave. You’d be safe at home.”Ria wiped her nose. “We were just curious,” she sniffed. “We thought—it looked like an adventure.”He scoffed. “Curiosity can kill you.”Linda sniffed, drawing closer to him. “Even if I don’t see my parents again, at least I won’t die alone,” she said, a sad smile twisting her lips.Ria nodded. “Yes,” she agreed. “Because we have each other—a
~ 97 ~
Zach led with steady strides, phone torch in one hand and his senses heightened. Behind him, Ria and Linda followed closely, their silence a delicate blend of guilt and awe.But even with their mouths shut, their minds weren’t quiet.Linda leaned toward Ria, her voice low. “I still can’t believe the way he crushed that snake. Like… it was nothing.”Ria nodded, eyes fixed on Zach’s broad back. “He’s built like a warrior. I’d hate to be his enemy.”Linda chuckled softly. “Imagine that strength in…”“Don’t,” Ria cut in, holding back a laugh. “We promised to behave.”“I know. But I can’t help it. My thoughts are louder than my mouth.”The cave air grew warmer, denser. They were getting closer to the end—that much was clear. The stale air began to thin, and the occasional gust of wind teased their faces.But then…A sharp hiss sliced through the air.Zach stopped.So did the girls.“What was that?” Linda whispered, clutching Ria’s arm.From the shadows ahead, something shifted. Heavy. Purp
~ 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,
