AXEL’S POV:On the screen, his wife and two daughters sat inside a dark, quiet room. Their hands were bound, their faces damp with tears. The unmistakable gleam of fuel coated their hair and clothes. One of my men stood a few feet away—expression unreadable—thumb flicking a lighter open and shut.The baker choked on a breath. His knees gave out. He collapsed in front of me, scrambling to clutch the hem of my suit pants with trembling fingers.“Please—no, no, don’t—don’t hurt them. Please, I’ll do anything,” he sobbed, face crumpling into raw panic. “Please, they didn’t do anything wrong. I was stupid—I didn’t mean it—I’ll sell! I’ll sign! Just don’t hurt my girls.”I stared down at him coldly.“That arrogance of yours,” I said flatly, shaking his grip off my pant leg. “It just cost you. I’m slashing our original offer by fifty percent.”His sob turned into a broken cry. “Please…”Thaddeus stepped forward with a file containing temporary documentation. “Sign here,” I said, tapping the
Last Updated : 2025-06-07 Read more