Lucan Vale, the deadliest assassin, is tasked with retrieving a lost artifact while entering into an arranged marriage with Vanessa Smith, a beautiful and ambitious businesswoman. Though Lucan secretly helps her rise to success, she sees him as useless, unaware of his true contributions. The day Vanessa and her family realize who he truly was, it's already too late.
View MoreOne early morning.
Jason sat at the counter, gazing into the amber liquid in his glass. He looked like a man with nowhere to be, dressed plainly and enveloped by quietness. The bar had no patrons, empty, with just him and the bartender wiping down glasses, and the faint sound of a TV playing last night’s news. His eyes drifted to the screen. The anchor was talking about market shifts, corporate deals, etcetera. A headline crawled across the bottom: Smith Royale in Financial Trouble. Jason recognized the name Smith Royale. It was a powerhouse of a company. Prestigious. Powerful. And it was owned by the Smith's, his fiancée’s family. Looking away, Jason didn't pay too much attention to the talking head on the TV and took a slow sip from his glass, enjoying the cold taste of the drink in his mouth. Just Then, a voice behind him disturbed the quiet. "You shouldn’t be here." Jason didn't turn around, instead he glanced at the reflection in the bar mirror. A man in a black coat approached him, snapping a lighter open and shut, the flame briefly lighting up a cold face that looked like it had seen its fair share of trouble and dealt with it. The man was Cole Vargas, an enforcer to one of the underworld's powerful men. Raising his glass in a mock toast, Jason didn’t turn immediately. He just smirked. "Cole Vargas. Didn’t expect to see you out this early. Couldn't sleep?" Cole didn’t smile, finding Jason's joke unfunny. His voice stayed hostile. "What the hell are you doing in this city, Lucan?” Jason took another sip before answering. "I go by Jason now. And am I supposed to announce my arrival? Maybe send out invitations?" Cole continued to flick his lighter open and shut for no particular reason, the small flame briefly lighting his face. "You know damn well you’re not welcome here. Not after what your old master did." "That has nothing to do with me, besides, that was what? Twenty years ago? And here I thought you people moved on quickly." Jason taunted, his grin growing. He leaned back slightly, “Let it go, man. Holding grudges like that’ll give you even more wrinkles.” He added eyeing Cole's slightly wrinkled face. “Though I see it might be a little late for that. You're getting old Cole, maybe it's time to retire.” It had to be said, Cole Vargas was an old man, well into his sixties. But that didn’t make him any less dangerous. Age hadn’t diminished him, it had refined him. Jason had heard the stories about the legendary Cole Vargas. Everyone in the shadows had. Cole Vargas wasn’t just an enforcer, he was THE enforcer. The untouchable legend in the underworld. It was said he used to be in the special forces, the kind of black-ops ghost the government denied ever existed. When he vanished from that world, he didn’t retire. He just changed uniforms. Now he worked for Duvall, a powerful underground kingpin. Cole scoffed. "Duvall doesn’t forget. He wants you gone. Now. Before this becomes a problem." Jason finally turned to look at him, amusement hiding behind a calculating gaze, "A problem for who, Cole? You? Or the guy hiding behind you?" “Lucan, if you keep running your mouth, you’re going to end up in a ditch somewhere.” Cole seemed to not be having none of it anymore. His attitude was becoming even more hostile. His voice dropped and he spoke in a final tone, “Come with me, Duval wants you to deliver a message to your master.” Jason grinned, tipping back his whiskey. “I think I'll have to decline that offer.” Outside, the city hummed, cars speeding past, glowing billboards flashing, and the distant wail of sirens ringing out through the early morning. A black Van came to a stop outside the bar, and three suspicious looking men got out, making their way inside the bar. Jason, seemingly oblivious to the arrival of the men, kept talking. "So, you’re the one they call the ‘Gravekeeper huh.’" Cole opened his lighter again, the small flame reflecting in his cold eyes. "And you know why they call me that?" Jason smirked. “Because you clean up messes?” Cole didn’t answer right away. His gaze shifted toward the entrance. The door swung open. The three men who had just stepped out of the van stepped inside. They were built like moving walls, their expressions were stone-cold as they locked onto Jason. Then, Cole finally said. “No. Because I decide who gets buried. Jason looked at the three newcomers, and he exhaled, shaking his head in mock disappointment. "Wow. And here I was, looking forward to a one- on-one with the great Cole Vargas." He gestured toward the men. "But instead, you brought backup? You really know how to kill a guy’s excitement." Cole sighed, unbothered. "You're not worth my time, kid." With that, he turned on his heel and strode past his men, then he stopped. Without turning around, he said. “You can walk, or they'll carry you, doesn't matter to me.” Jason watched as Cole disappeared, and for the first time he frowned and did not even attempt to make a remark. He did not smirk or joke. Just silence. Well, he was disappointed. When he saw Cole walk in a minute ago, Jason was excited as he thought he would finally get some exercise against one of the best assassins, but his hopes were shattered. For now. He sighed, and then he looked at the three men and sighed, setting his glass down. "Listen, I appreciate the invite, really. But tell your boss that I usually prefer dinner and a movie before being dragged off by mysterious men in suits. Just feels more personal, you know?” The three men, however, did not take his comments lightly. He was disrespecting them! Clearly, he didn't see them as significant enough to be a threat, and that got on their nerves.Their leader's scowl deepened and he said, "Fine. Then we’ll have to bring you to him unconscious.” Before Jason had time to say anything, they lunged at him. The first guy swung a punch. Effortlessly, Jason ducked, caught his wrist, and slammed his face into the counter. Bottles rattled. Glass shattered. The bartender backed away and headed for the backroom, shaking his head and muttering, “Tch… Fucking hell, Lucan. Can you do this outside for once? You're wrecking my bar, I just cleaned! One of these days, you’re gonna pay for the damages.” “Sorry, Kev. I’ll cover it next time, I swear,” Jason responded, but his attention was on the goons he was fighting. The second guy charged big, dumb and built like a bulldozer with a personal grudge. Jason sidestepped and kicked him hard in the side Stumbling back, he reached for a weapon, but Jason grabbed a beer bottle and cracked it over his head. He crumpled onto a table, sending drinks flying. The last guy snarled and came at him fast. Jason dodged, grabbed a chair, and smashed it across his back. The guy staggered, but before he could recover, Jason kicked him square in the chest, sending him crashing into a nearby booth.The fact that the operations director straight out addressed Jason by his first name unsettled her, it was like he was known here.But wasn't he just a loser? So how could he be known at this place?Meanwhile, Vanessa was also intrigued by this. She was beginning to wonder now for real, if maybe Jason had more to him that he appeared.Jason took a step forward, expression unreadable. “That would be me.” He informed the hotel director.Ross checked the tablet, tapped a few times, then straightened his posture even further. He bowed towards Jason and said, “My apologies, Mr. Wolfe. We didn’t realize you were in attendance tonight,” he said, his tone now formal, almost deferential. “Miss Von Halen herself put you on as one of the special guests. Your presence is a privilege. If there’s anything you need, we’ll make it happen immediately.”Cassira’s jaw slackened. “Wait… what?”“Mr Ross, there has to be a mistake, do you even know who this man is?” Seraphina questioned. ‘I’m not wrong abo
Selene stepped forward from the crowd and approached Jason. She had been watching quietly, unsure at first what was going on. Why were those two women, who she now realized were Vanessa’s parents, and Jason's future in-laws speaking to him like that? Had he done something wrong?She didn’t step in right away. She wanted to see the full picture first.Now she understood.Jason’s future in-laws clearly couldn’t stand him, and from the looks of it, they were hoping to convince Vanessa to break up with him and date Marvin instead.A hush silent swept through the room. All eyes turned, shocked, as Selene Voss walked over to stand beside Jason.Eyes widened. Whispers started buzzing like flies.Vanessa saw her too: Selene. And for a brief moment, jealousy twisted in her chest like a thorn. Jason was dating Selene, and she recalled seeing them together earlier that evening.She didn’t want to care. She told herself it didn’t matter, they weren’t in love. Their engagement was arranged, nothin
Back downstairs, Seraphina helped Marvin to his feet. Blood dripped from his mouth as he was finally able to stand up, and one of his front teeth was gone, thanks to Jason’s punch.Marvin clutched his mouth in pain, groaning as wiped off the blood with a napkin, and then he shot Jason a glare that was equal parts fury and fear.Actually, he would go at Jason right now, that was how much angry he was. But the problem was that Jason was not just equal, doing that would only warrant a death sentence forr Marvin. At least this time he used his brain and didn't do anything reckless.“Do you want more?” Jason asked casually, like he was offering a refill instead of a beatdown. Truthfully, he could’ve done far worse. He had to hold back just to stop himself from tearing Marvin apart.But if Marvin really wanted that? Jason wouldn’t mind.A cold shiver ran down Marvin’s spine. He felt the gap where his tooth used to be, then looked down and saw it lying on the floor, a bloody reminder of wh
“I would step away from me, if I were you.”That was Jason's last warning, quiet, measured, and laced with finality. It was the kind of threat that didn’t need to be shouted, because everyone with even a little bit of common sense would get that.But Marvin, in this moment, was utterly devoid of any common sense. In short, his ego and the desire to impress Vanessa, her mom and aunt, by humiliating Jason crowded his judgement He forced a scoff, and straightened his shoulders. Flashing a smile, he said. “You really are full of yourself, Wolfe,” he sneered, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You think you can scare me? If it wasn't for Vanessa feeling pity for you and dating you, you would be on the street.”Jason didn’t react. Didn’t move. But his patience was starting to slip. He really didn’t want to make a scene here.He was thinking he probably was going to have to do something extreme to get Marvin to shut up, and he didn't want to do that. The reason? He was here to meet Elara V
Her voice dripped with disbelief, not just because Jason might be cheating, but because he, a man she viewed as a worthless nobody, had managed to get close to someone as powerful and untouchable as Selene Voss. And worse, he had the audacity to betray her beautiful daughter?“Vanessa, do you see how much disrespect he has for you?” Seraphina snapped, eager to twist the knife.Cassira chimed in without hesitation. “If you ever needed a reason to dump this good-for-nothing, niece, this is it!” Jason stayed silent, refusing to dignify their insults. They were angry, and he couldn’t entirely blame them. But Marvin? That snake had crossed a line. Jason shot him a cold, deadly glare, his fury boiling beneath his calm.He turned to Vanessa and her family, finally speaking up. “That’s a lie. He’s lying.”“Oh really?” Cassira said, arms crossed, voice dripping with sarcasm. “Then enlighten us, Jason. Explain exactly how this is a lie. Because right now? It makes sense.”She threw her hands
Vanessa stared at him with uncertainty in her eyes. Well, she didn't believe him, simply because she knew Jason was not at the level to deal with people like Caspian Montgomery. Not even the smith family was. What could Jason possibly do against a man like that? Caspian’s influence and pull was not to be ignored here. He had a reach of influence so great even the president of the country listened to him. She sighed, assuming Jason was letting his pride get in the way of his judgement, “Jason you….”“What is this?” Someone spoke before Vanessa could finish her sentence.It was her mom, who stood In Front of her with Cassira and Marvin. Seraphina wore a look of pure disdain, understandable, in her mind. Jason, that insolent nobody, had the nerve to show up at this event and stand near her daughter, even after she’d made it clear their engagement was over.“Vanessa, why did you invite him here? Now he is going to embarrass us.” She of course referred to Jason as she spoke.Jason loo
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