LOGINDawn was breaking when I was jolted awake by my phone buzzing insistently on the nightstand.
I pried my eyes open to find the screen flooded with notifications—over ninety-nine missed calls and messages.Icons for Marcus White, Elaine White, and Chloe White flashed relentlessly, their digital barrage tinged with palpable rage, as if each one sought to claw through the screen and tear me apart.I unlocked my phone just as Elaine's call flashed like a grim harbinger.AAlexander Knight lowered his gaze, slowly taking off his glasses and folding them into his breast pocket with agonizing deliberation."That slap, Grandfather... was it a lesson in family etiquette, or a public execution?"He spoke with a low, magnetic rasp, the stinging pain in his cheek only adding a dangerous edge to his voice."Etiquette? You still remember the word?!"Gerald Knight took a step forward, his clouded eyes locked onto Alexander like a predator."Warren Slade! The Voss family! And every single person I placed in headquarters and the regional branches!""In a single night, they are either behind bars or stripped of their power!"Gerald’s gaze was as heavy as iron, every word spat through clenched teeth."Alexander Knight, what a move. What a grand, bloody performance!"Alexander let out a faint, dry chuckle.He stood tall, his thumb brushing over the trace of blood at the corner of his mouth before he studied the
I stared at the tablet screen, watching the news of Warren Slade's arrest and the Voss family's financial collapse ripple through the feeds.It was exactly as I thought.Alexander Knight had finally started pulling in his net.That gorgeous, lethal bastard.Out in the world, he was a cold-blooded predator, but back at home, all he wanted was to tangle me up for another round of deep treatment.The life of a power CEO, I guess.Crushing empires by day, and crushing his wife into the silk sheets by night.Twenty-four hours of high-intensity output.The second branch of the Knight family, led by Arthur, had used their seniority and Gerald’s backing to entrench themselves deep within the firm for decades.The entertainment sector Warren managed was the murkiest, filthiest corner of the whole empire.And the Voss family?They were Gerald’s most loyal allies, bound by decades of old-money marriage pacts.Voss Internat
Alexander Knight’s Adam’s apple rolled in a slow, deliberate swallow.He clamped his hand around the back of my neck, pulling me toward him until our faces were inches apart."Lisa, if your legs are that weak, sit down and stay still.""Don’t start a fire you aren’t prepared to handle."His nose brushed against my cheek, his voice dropping into a low, magnetic vibration.I took a slow sip of my strawberry smoothie, the corners of my eyes tilting up in a silent challenge.Under the table, the tip of my toe slid up the fine fabric of his charcoal suit trousers.I let it linger right at the hollow of his knee, tapping him lightly."My, my, Professor Knight... where is that legendary stoicism today?""Can’t even handle a little breakfast flirtation?"Alexander let out a dark, velvety chuckle.He took off his gold-rimmed glasses and dropped them on the table with a sharp click, his gaze suddenly turning
On the other end of the line, Gerald Knight's breathing grew heavy.He didn't immediately cut her off.Lila Bennett knew she had him.The old fox was more paranoid than anyone she had ever met.She struck while the iron was hot, her voice dripping with a calculated, exhausted sincerity."I know you don't trust me. You probably think I'm just stirring the pot, looking for a little payback.""Believe whatever you want.""But I was the one you planted in his shadow. I might have been useless as a spy, but I kept my eyes open.""You know how Alexander moves better than I do.""When he finally decides to strike, he won't leave anything standing.""Not even you."She paused, letting her voice drop into a weary, raspy whisper."That's all I have to say, Sir Gerald.""If you don't believe me, just pretend I had a mental breakdown tonight and ruined your sleep."There was a long, suffocating silence on the other end.
Lila rolled her eyes. Her mind was a mess of disbelief."Plant seeds of doubt? You want me to drive a wedge between them now?"She thought about what she'd heard in that office. Hours of it.The way that man needed her. Craved her. Like he couldn't breathe without her."System, wake up. Alexander Knight's eyes? His heart? They belong to Lisa White.""Plant doubt? With what? My face? My nonexistent game?""They're a married power couple, buffs stacked to the max. And I'm supposed to walk into that? I'm a bronze player asking to get farmed in a pro match.""Going near them now? What, I don't have enough death wishes? Their slaps not loud enough yet?"The system was quiet for a moment.[Host. Negative emotions hinder mission execution.][Based on current plot trajectory and target's psychological profile, standard romantic approach now has a success rate below 10%.]"Oh. 10%. There's a number."Lila laughed at herself."T
"System..."She screamed into the void. Her voice was raw."I'm done. I can't do this anymore."[Host, please stabilize your emotions. Mission not yet failed. Correction still possible—]"Correction? What's there to correct!"Lila's mind was a scream. She was coming apart."Listen! Just listen! He's in there doing God knows what with another woman!""Alexander Knight? He's basically used goods! His body, his heart—none of it's clean!""Even if I follow the plot and 'win' him back? What's that? A sweet romance?"She imagined it.Years of suffering. Finally, Alexander breaks free from Lisa. Comes to her.Then what?His heart belongs to Lisa. His body's been branded by her.What does that make her?The woman who picks up someone else's leftovers?This wasn't destiny. This wasn't a sweet romance.This was tragedy.Her playing second lead. Watching her man pine for someone else. Forever.
I wiped my hands slowly with a napkin, not even bothering to lift my eyes."Does the young master rule the heavens and earth, or does he rule where people throw their trash?""Besides, digging through the trash is a habit for dogs."My fingers went slack, and the napkin fluttered d
Alexander raised an eyebrow, his gaze catching on my whitened knuckles."Afraid he'll see?"His voice was low, carrying the casual scrutiny of a man who held all the cards."Since when did Assistant Lisa lose her taste for trouble?"I couldn't let Ethan discover us. Not now.
Alexander Knight was not the only one lying awake that night.10:00 p.m.Under the same dark sky, the neon lights of Nebula Club dazzled the eyes.Ethan Knight leaned back against the booth, twirling a lighter in his hand, listening to Winnie Carter sing a sappy love song.Wes
I slipped into the driver's seat but didn't fire the engine right away. I leaned back wearily against the seat, picking unconsciously at the steering wheel. Five million dollars sat quietly in my account, and the ashen, defeated faces of the three White family members still lingered viv







