Richard and Rick had pressing business and were the first to leave.Lex's injuries were still healing, and he looked uncharacteristically disheveled, a stark contrast to his usual polished composure. If not for his deep concern for Victoria, he would never have shown his face in such a state.The moment his eyes met Jamie's, Lex's expression darkened.If it weren't for Jamie, he never would have fallen into Julliard's hands, never been tortured, and certainly wouldn't be in this wretched condition.Jamie's gaze turned to ice in return.If not for Lex's leaked footage, Walton Group's stock wouldn't have crashed. Even now, the fallout was a mess he could barely contain. Competitors and old enemies had seized on the scandal, tearing into him from all sides.In a single day, the Walton Group had lost billions in market value.And all of it—every last cent—was thanks to that scheming snake, Lex.The two men stood facing each other, mutual loathing simmering just beneath a veneer of
Samantha didn't take offense at Thomas's words. Instead, she offered a thin smile."Sharon, you and your bodyguard seem unusually close. Not only does he involve himself in your family affairs, but he also feels entitled to interrupt a private conversation."The mockery in her tone was unmistakable.Thomas responded coolly, "When you were asking about someone's divorce, you called it 'direct.' Now that you're being put in your place, you call it 'rude.' You just can't stand not having the upper hand, can you?"The nature of our relationship is none of your concern, Samantha. I suggest you worry about yourself. Before you criticize others, you might want to check if you're even in a position to do so."Samantha's smile froze.Victoria had warned her that Thomas had a sharp tongue, but she hadn't expected him to be this cutting.Being dressed down so publicly made her cheeks burn with humiliation. If he weren't the head of the Ferrero family, she would never have tolerated such di
Samantha said softly, "That's what the kidnappers claimed, but I can't be certain it was truly them."Scott shot a long, meaningful look toward where Sharon had been standing before asking, "Then why specifically target her hands?"Unaware of the complex history within the Kalen family, Samantha missed the insinuation in his tone."The doctor confirmed Victoria's hands will make a full recovery," she explained. "There's no permanent damage. It won't affect her violin playing, her racing, or her career. I suppose they focused on her hands purely to inflict pain."Scott fell silent, the words dying in his throat.The medical report was clear: Victoria's bones and vital organs were unharmed. The injuries to her fingers, while painful and gruesome to look at, would heal completely with proper care.Having paid her obligatory visit, Sharon didn't linger. She left the hospital shortly after.She had just stepped through the main entrance when a sweet, lively voice called out from behi
A resounding slap echoed through the room.No one even saw Thomas put any real force into it, but Silas was sent stumbling, collapsing in an undignified heap at Sharon's feet.Thomas feigned surprise, his voice a lazy drawl. "Silas, weren't you just about to teach her a lesson? What's with the sudden kowtow? Feeling a pang of guilt toward your late mother?"Rick and Scott's faces darkened, but they remained silent.When would Silas learn? Every time he raised a hand to Sharon, he was the one who ended up humiliated.Especially with Thomas in the picture. The man's skills were unnerving. Richard himself had once remarked how, during a standoff with an armed oil tycoon, Thomas had disarmed the man in the blink of an eye. His speed and precision were on another level entirely.The fiery sting on his cheek finally jolted Silas back to his senses. His bloodshot eyes burned with pure hatred, locked on Sharon.Scott stepped forward to help him up. "Silas, you're exhausted. Go home an
Jamie’s brow furrowed in frustration.If he had gone himself, he might have spotted the trap. But he had chosen to rescue Victoria first, delegating Johanna’s crisis to his most trusted aide.His cold instruction permitting the kidnapper to do whatever they wanted hadn't been born of cruelty, but of strategy—a calculated move to mislead the kidnappers into thinking he didn't care, buying time for his team to surround the villa undetected."Report," Jamie demanded. "What's Johanna's status?"His assistant's voice was tense. "We tracked them to a secondary location, a villa quite a distance from here. But it's been cleared out. All surveillance along the route was wiped. We've lost the trail. Johanna's current whereabouts are unknown."Jamie's expression darkened. "Useless! We're in Marcentine. This is our territory, and you can't catch a few kidnappers?!""Sir," the assistant replied, a hint of defensiveness in his tone, "all our elite units were deployed per your orders to find M
When Johanna arrived at the hospital, everywhere she walked—through corridors, past waiting rooms—patients, nurses, and visitors alike were all talking about the same thing.From a nurse's chatter, she learned which ward Victoria was in.At that moment, Johanna looked a mess. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes wrinkled, and her entire bearing radiated exhaustion and humiliation. Anyone could tell she'd been through something unspeakable.Yet not a single person noticed her.The entire hospital staff was occupied with Victoria. Every doctor, every nurse, every aide was attending to her needs. Even patients in critical condition were being asked to wait—the great Victoria Kalen took precedence.Once, Johanna had thought nothing of it. She had always believed that women like her and Victoria—privileged, superior, born under brighter stars—naturally deserved special treatment, deserved to stand above the rest.But now…Something dark twisted inside her chest.Why?Why was she th