《The Declined Card: My Ex-husband is now My Guarddog 》全部章節：第 21 章 - 第 30 章

Every breath Kasen Thorne took felt like a shard of glass scraping against his lungs.He woke up on the small, stiff mattress in his grim, run-down apartment, his body shaking with a low fever. He had to grit his teeth against the black spots in his vision just to pull his fresh shirt over his heavily taped chest. He peeled back the collar to inspect his ribs; they were bound in thick, white medical tape, the skin beneath a violent palette of purple and black bruises from the ceiling crash and the marble floor.Despite the agonizing physical toll, a small, stubborn ember of hope still flickered in his chest. Surely, now that the dust had settled, Maeva would show a shred of gratitude. He had dropped through a ceiling and thrown his own body over hers to protect her from assassins, even if her security team had the situation handled. Some part of her had to recognize his devotion.He arrived at the Sterling Conglomerate executive suite at eight AM.When he pushed open the glass doors o

The muffled sound of Maeva's soft, genuine laughter drifted through the thin wooden partition, cutting through Kasen's chest like jagged glass.He sat on the narrow, uncomfortable leather seat of the assistant's cabin in the far rear of the Sterling private jet. It was a cramped, sterile space designed for staff—a stark, humiliating contrast to the sprawling luxury of the master suite just thirty feet ahead. For two hours, Kasen had been trapped here, forced to listen to the faint murmurs of Julian Vance's charming voice and the unbearable sound of Maeva responding to him. Through the partition, Julian's low, smooth voice sounded smug, followed by the quiet, genuine sound of Maeva's laugh.His hands clutched the armrests so tightly his knuckles turned white, his bandaged ribs throbbing with a dull, heavy heat. Every laugh from the suite was a reminder of his own colossal failures, a constant torture that made his blood run hot with toxic, overwhelming jealousy.Suddenly, the jet shive

The second the blood-curdling scream echoed through the grand ballroom, Kasen didn't hesitate.He ripped the midnight-black velvet mask off his face, tossing it onto the polished floor. In an instant, the romantic partner vanished, replaced by the rigid, hyper-vigilant bodyguard. He drew his standard-issue weapon from beneath his tuxedo jacket, his fingers wrapping around the grip with practiced, lethal precision."Stay behind me," Kasen commanded, his voice deep and steady, cutting through Maeva's rising shock.He grabbed her by the wrist, guiding her through the panicking crowd. The classical music had died, replaced by gasps and murmurs of confusion. Kasen moved like a shadow, pushing through the double mahogany doors that led to the private VIP lounge at the back of the villa.He pushed the doors open, his weapon raised, but the scene inside was already stagnant.Julian Vance lay slumped on the plush velvet carpet, a dark pool of blood spreading from a severe, ragged wound on his

"Bring me the head server administrator. Now."Yuri's voice was a low, terrifying growl that promised a slow, agonizing death.Two heavily armed guards bolted from the locked-down VIP lounge. Less than two minutes later, they dragged a pale, sweating man in a crumpled technician's uniform back into the room. He was thrown onto the carpet, clawing at the plush fabric, leaving dark streaks of grease as he looked up at Yuri's imposing figure. He was trembling so hard his teeth clicked."The Monero wallet," Yuri hissed, pointing a heavy combat boot at the man's throat. "Is it yours?""Please! Yuri, please!" the administrator sobbed, collapsing in sheer terror. "They threatened my family! The Volkov syndicate... they gave me five hundred thousand dollars to disable the VIP lounge feeds for fifteen minutes! I had no choice!"Kasen stood calmly by the polished mahogany bar, his arms crossed over his chest, his face an unreadable mask of confidence. The red laser dots had vanished from his sh

"He is a tumor, Maeva, and I will cut him out myself."The words rattled the heavy double doors of the presidential suite before Kasen even stepped inside.Monday morning had arrived, but the atmosphere on the executive floor of the Sterling Conglomerate was thick with silent, heavy dread. The usually active assistants were typing in terrified silence, keeping their heads down. Kasen stood just outside the entrance, his fingers tightening on his leather briefcase. Beneath his dark suit, his freshly stitched ribs throbbed with a tight, dull ache, but the medical tape Maeva had bound him in held firm.Inside the office, Patriarch David Sterling stood over Maeva's desk, his heavy, gold-tipped cane slamming against the mahogany with white-hot fury."The Julian Vance date was a public catastrophe!" the Grandfather roared, his face contorted. "First, Victor Kaelen's Baltic sting, and now this! You defended your ex-husband in front of the world's elite on that island, Maeva! The media is ask