As expected, Kolten's brow creased at the mention of Yousef. He spoke, "Oh? The young master of the Bristow family from the provincial city, I see. I'm acquainted with your father Yousef, actually. You could even say we're almost like an uncle and nephew."Yankel's demeanor eased, and he let out a silent sigh of relief. It looked like Kolten was willing to let things slide for his father's sake.Yankel's embarrassment faded, and he replied with a grin, "Mr. Reath, my dad always speaks of you when we're at home, saying you're the man he respects most. He's always told me to take a page out of your book."Yankel, a seasoned player in the game of high-stakes business, delivered his lines without missing a beat. Under normal circumstances, such buttering up would have earned him a few nods of approval from Kolten.However, Yankel had overlooked a crucial detail. He had crossed the wrong man, the enigmatic Liam, who, behind his mask, held more power than Kolten could ever claim.Sure e
Suddenly, all eyes were on Linda.Holding her stomach, Linda could hardly believe what she was seeing. As she was still trying to process what was happening, Iskra and a few security guards swiftly restrained her, binding her hands behind her back.Two guards quickly led Linda to the exit. She writhed in their grip, her face etched with panic as she cried out, "What do you think you're doing? Release me this instant! Do you have any idea who I am? I'm Mr. Bristow's right-hand woman. If you dare touch me, Mr. Bristow won't stand for it!"In the midst of the turmoil, Linda had completely forgotten that it was Yankel himself who had set her up to take the blame. Then, she frantically searched for Yankel, her pleas echoing through the chaos, "Mr. Bristow! Mr. Bristow! Please, you have to save me... Mr. Bristow..."It was not until Linda was out of sight that the crowd turned their attention back to the hall, only to realize that Yankel had slipped away unnoticed.The commotion had end
"She's gone back??" Liam's face became pale. Without a second thought, he snatched up a coat and barked at Kolten, "Keys! Now!"Kolten fumbled the keys to his Rolls-Royce into Liam's waiting hand. Liam bolted for the parking lot, jumped into the car, and slammed the gas pedal to the metal, racing home.He had to beat Celena home. If she arrived first, the jig was up.Celena had quickly washed up and changed into fresh clothes before slipping out of the manor.The evening's events had left her with no desire to linger at the party, especially since Cheryl and the others had made it clear the night's festivities were none of her concern.Deciding to leave, she strode out of the villa and dialed for a cab. Then, Celena sat in the back of the cab; her gaze lost in the neon dance of the city lights.Her thoughts lingered on the masked figure from the party. Something about Mr. Miller's voice, the way he moved, struck a chord of familiarity within her.After questioning the maid who h
Right then, Liam emerged from the kitchen, a cup of steaming pear and vanilla bean juice in hand, and plopped down beside Celena, inadvertently hiding the mask from view.With his usual easy smile, Liam handed the cup to Celena. "So, you're back early. Did everything go well at the party tonight?"Celena accepted the cup, her smile freezing for a split second at the mention of the party. She did not want to dredge up the evening's events. Setting the cup on the coffee table, she mustered a smile. "It went fine, pretty smooth. I was just beat, so I headed home.""Gotcha. Sip on some of this, it'll perk you right up."Liam caught Celena's eye with a subtle glance and smiled. However, beneath the calm exterior, his thoughts were racing.He had made it back just in time, beating Celena home—the thought of what might have happened if he had not sent a shiver down his spine.Celena listened and nodded, her stomach in knots. She did not really feel like eating, but Liam had prepared the
As those recent disasters replayed in his mind, Yankel's anger blazed hotter. In a fit of rage, he booted the coffee table, sending it tumbling.He rose, pacing the living room like a caged animal. Then, struck by a sudden thought, he snatched up his phone and dialed Woden with a vicious sneer.Yankel, since his embarrassing defeat by Liam, had benched Woden. The official line was to let him lick his wounds, but Woden knew the truth. He was out of the game.For days on end, the Woden had holed up in his dingy rental, nursing wounds and numbing his pain with cheap liquor. Liam was the thorn in his side, the reason he was in that mess to begin with.Then, out of the blue, his phone buzzed with a call from Yankel Bristow. A flicker of hope sparked in his chest as he answered, "Mr. Bristow, what do you need? You can rely on me. I'm ready to brave any storm for you!"Yankel's reply came with a sneer. "You know what it means when my own bodyguard gets bested by Sunniva's, don't you? How
Liam stood up and made his way to the bedroom door, easing it open with a gentle nudge. Darkness enveloped the room, but it was no match for Liam's keen eyes. He spotted Celena and Jovie, deep in slumber on the bed, and let out a relieved exhale before softly closing the door.As the door clicked shut, a wave of icy dread that Liam had been holding back surged forth, his gaze piercing the darkness as a sinister smile played on his lips.He returned to the couch and settled in; his ears tuned to the faintest rustle in the small courtyard, a fierce glint of malice in his eyes.Outside, the intruder, thinking himself undetected, crept to the door. With practiced ease, he drew his dagger and slipped it through the door's crack, deftly unlatching the old-fashioned bolt—a relic in the sprawling, antique-styled Stone family estate with its maze of courtyards.The intruder worked swiftly, and within moments, the door swung open, spilling a weak glow from a lantern tucked away in the courty
The sound of footsteps echoed in the dark living room, each sending a jolt through Woden's heart.He had his head bowed as he trembled uncontrollably, consumed by dread.A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness. The house was pitch-black inside, and only a faint glow from the courtyard's light reached the bottom half of the doorway.With each slow step he took, the Woden kept his gaze on the ground, spotting only a pair of cozy, fluffy slippers. He did not dare look up, his body rigid with tension.Suddenly, a stern, deep voice boomed from above, "Keep it down. If you disturb my wife and kid's sleep..."Woden's voice dropped to a whisper, his reply tinged with fear, "Absolutely, I get it..."He stayed hunched over, too scared to even glance at the person in the slippers, his mind racing with questions about the identity of this daunting figure.Yankel had called him earlier that evening with a job: to snatch Celena from the Stone family. However, none of the intel had hinted a
To Woden, the voice was like the tolling of a bell signifying his doom, sending a wave of terror and chilling dread through him. He was so scared that he lost all composure, bowing deeply in fright."Please, have mercy, sir! I'm begging you, you're known for being forgiving, please spare me... I had no idea you were here. Please have mercy, spare my life. If you let me live, I swear I'll be eternally loyal to you... Please, I'm begging for your mercy!"Terror was etched on Woden's face as he begged and profusely apologized. His pleas echoed eerily in the still of the night.Liam, realizing how loud he was, glanced at the bedroom door to make sure it was shut tight. Satisfied, he turned back, his intent to kill even stronger as he hissed, "Quiet down! I told you my wife and kids are asleep. Wake them up, and I'll have no problem ending you right here."The Woden clammed up at once, and that was when it hit him—the man before him was Liam himself!He remembered Liam mentioning his f