LOGINCharlie’s gaze darkened.
His throat bobbed.
Lowering his head, he found her mischievous lips and kissed her—gentle yet scorching—like he wanted to devour her whole. The fierce desire made it nearly impossible for her to resist.
In the midst of their deep, lingering kiss, he suddenly let go of her lips, scooped her up in his arms, and carried her straight to the bedroom.
In the bathroom—
The large rain-style showerhead poured water dow
Bang! Bang! Bang!The shots rang out in rapid succession, like a string of firecrackers with a lit fuse. What started as a single crack exploded into a relentless, unstoppable rhythm that shattered the silence of the enclosed cabin.Outside, the guards’ expressions twisted in horror. One man lunged forward, desperate to check the interior, but he hit the floor before he could even blink. A bullet had found its home directly between his eyes. He was dead before he felt the cold steel.No one else dared to offer up their head to the slaughter.Inside the cabin’s lounge, the scene was a tableau of carnage. Six men were sprawled across the floor in various states of ruin. Five were dead; the sixth clung to life, clutching a shattered arm and a mangled leg, his muffled screams filled with abyssal terror.The fear in the survivor's eyes was absolute.From the moment one of them had his weapon snatched away, the "Yama of Death" had begun swinging his scythe. They thought their reactions were
Edward looked at Gabrielle on the floor, his heart sinking even further.She had been unconscious ever since her finger was severed. Had they injected her with some strange sedative when they took her? Her wound had been bandaged, so it shouldn't be a case of excessive blood loss.Earlier, he had attempted to negotiate—offering himself as a replacement if they would stop hurting her—but these people were like robots. No matter what he said, they gave no response. From the moment Gabrielle was taken until now, not even a leader had shown their face.Edward shifted his gaze from the floor to Rex, who was sitting on the steps with a foul expression. *Hey, kid, any way to take them out?*Rex jerked his chin toward the front, back, left, and right.In three directions around the living area stood two masked gunmen each, six in total. Though their faces were hidden behind grotesque masks, the tension in their bodies was palpable. They were on
Dante opened his mouth to explain, but Charlie raised a hand to cut him off. "Show everyone the video.""This—" Dante hesitated, lowering his voice. "I think it’s better if we..."Charlie’s gaze turned sharp as a blade, instantly severing Dante’s protest. Left with no choice, Fletcher reluctantly took out his phone. By now, the surrounding guests had sensed from their expressions and hushed whispers that the situation was far more dire than initially thought.The crowd pressed in closer.Dante had his men project the video onto a large screen in the hall. Following Charlie’s lead, he said nothing and let the footage speak for itself. As the video played, gasps and sharp intakes of breath echoed through the room.Weren't they told only the two Lawrence sisters were in trouble? Why were so many people tied up? What on earth was going on?The guests were all people of significance; despite their shock, no one screa
Despite his internal resistance, Dante found himself with no choice but to concede. His voice was heavy as he spoke, "Mr. Clemens... you truly are thorough. Thank you for being so... considerate of my situation. We’ll do it your way."The words "thank you" sounded as if they were being ground between Dante’s teeth.Charlie remained impeccably mild and humble. "You're very welcome."Dante looked ready to suffer an internal hemorrhage on the spot.The others exchanged incredulous glances. *Wait, he surrendered just like that? Is Mr. Fletcher's resolve really that fragile?*In the world of power, a "strong dragon" usually struggles to suppress a "local snake" on its own turf. When Charlie made his demand, everyone had broken into a cold sweat. What if Dante flipped the table? Even if he didn't, why would he hand over his authority so easily?Only now, watching Charlie navigate the man with a mix of coaxing, misdirection, and veiled
Candice leaned in to get a closer look. Sophia, Bianca, and Jerry also stood up and crowded around.The video showed a lavishly decorated hall. Several people were sitting on the steps and sofas; upon closer inspection, it was indeed Edward and the others. Every person in the frame had their hands and feet bound.* **Edward** sat on a long sofa, with **Ollie** beside him.* **Mike** was positioned slightly behind them on an armchair.* **Rex** sat on the steps in front of them.* **The female bodyguard** was seated on the carpet.All of them were expressionless. It was normal for the others to look grim, but Edward was the type of man who would still crack a joke even if his car was totaled and he had a hole in his chest. Despite the dire circumstances, they were still alive—this stoic silence simply wasn't his style."Where is Gabrielle?" Candice muttered.They scanned the screen and finally spotted a figure tucked under
The sound of hurried footsteps snapped Candice’s attention away. She turned toward the door, and both Charlie and Kyle followed her gaze.Several familiar figures appeared at the entrance. Sophia was in the lead, looking deathly pale, followed by Bianca and Jerry."Something happened!" Sophia rushed in, her voice trembling. "Edward and Gabrielle have been kidnapped! Rex and Gabrielle’s bodyguard went after them!""...Kidnapped? To where?" Candice’s back straightened as she stood up and walked toward Sophia.They weren't on land; they were in the middle of the ocean. Where could anyone be taken? Furthermore, where were Mike and Ollie?Charlie looked at Jerry, signaling him with a sharp gaze to explain exactly what had transpired.Jerry looked just as shaken. "The four of us were searching along the path. We didn't find Mr. Lawrence, but his tie and shirt buttons were scattered along the way. At the time, we thought he left t
Caroline Jenkins heard her silence and gave a light cough.“Seven o’clock tonight. If you don’t show up, we stick to the previous agreement—ten billion.”With that, she hung up without waiting for a reply.Candice slowly lowered her phone, staring at the screen, deep in thought.Sophia’s warning ec
She frantically replayed their conversation in her head.He said he came back to sleep, and she said the same—so...So what?!How was she supposed to respond to that?Just moments ago, she had been the fierce, dazzling woman dominating the banquet hall. Now, those foxy eyes of hers shimmered with c
“You’re suggesting Miss Hale take a secretary job? Are you out of your mind?” someone immediately objected.“Our Miss Hale is the full package—brains, beauty, and a stellar track record. Every CEO out there is eyeing her. If she ever hit the job market, headhunters would be all over her like sharks
Candice finished eating and curled up on the sofa.She opened the chat window with Jim, typing and deleting several times, only to give up in the end.What did Charlie mean, anyway?He gave her the suit measurements, but now it seemed like he didn’t even want the suit? Was he just messing with her?







