121The weekend arrived with a weight of anticipation and uncertainty for Darien. As he prepared himself for Cynthia's party at the Leveling Fiesta Bar, his mind was consumed by conflicting emotions and unanswered questions.Arriving at the bar, Darien couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu as he stepped through the familiar entrance. The pulsing beat of music and chatter of the crowd surrounded him. His heart pounded in his chest, nerves and anticipation intertwining within him. As Darien scanned the room, his eyes darted nervously, searching for Cynthia amidst the crowd. He spotted her in a corner, surrounded by friends, but his attention was abruptly diverted when he felt a gaze burning into him. He turned slowly, dread pooling in the pit of his stomach, to find Ryan's eyes locked onto his.Ryan's presence was like a dark cloud overshadowing the room, his disdain for Darien palpable even from across the bar. Darien clenched his fists, trying to quell the surge of anger that threat

123"Yes, I’m positive. I personally witnessed it!” the manager affirmed, his tone grave with concern.“Who would have expected that he revealed his true colors so quickly?” Nat, his right-hand men in The Usatti Army, narrowed his eyes, scanning the room suspiciously.Darien spoke up, his brows furrowing in contemplation. “Ron, are you sure about this? He spiked her drink?”The manager nodded solemnly, his expression mirroring Darien's concern. "Yes, I saw it with my own eyes."Nat leaned in, his voice low and assertive. “Hades, you should not let this slide. Do you need me to teach him a lesson?”“No, I will handle this myself.” Darien's jaw tightened as he made up his mind, his resolve unwavering.With a determined nod, Darien got up and left the booth immediately, his steps purposeful as he headed towards Ryan.Meanwhile, across the table, Ryan passed a glass of wine to Cynthia. “Cynthia, this is a token of my apology. Cheers!” He lifted his glass with a charming smile.“Alright. A

125Burning with anger, Darien clenched his fists tightly to restrain himself from lashing out at Ryan. The sight of Ryan's smug smirk only fueled his fury further. As he turned away, he couldn't shake off the feeling of betrayal gnawing at him. Cynthia's pleading eyes haunted him, but he couldn't bear to hear any more lies."Darien, what's going on?" Ron's voice cut through the tension as he emerged from their booth, concern etched on his face."Forget it, Ron. I was just meddling where I shouldn't have," Darien replied bitterly, his frustration evident in his tone."Ryan has always been a troublemaker, stirring up trouble wherever he goes. Don't let him get to you," Ron advised, trying to offer some solace."The problem isn't just Ryan, it's Cynthia too," Darien sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "No matter how hard I try, she's just too stubborn to see reason.""Darien, don't waste your time on one woman. There are plenty out there," Ron said dismissively, a confident smirk

127Marco's lips curled into a predatory smile, his eyes glittering with malice. "Ah, yes. Camilla," he mused, his tone dripping with mockery. "She's quite the prize, isn't she?"Darien felt a surge of anger rise within him at Marco's callous words. Without a word, he took a step forward, his fists clenched at his sides."Enough games, Marco," he growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Release her, or face the consequences."Marco's smile widened, his gaze flicking between Darien and Amelia with amusement. "Oh, I intend to release her," he said, his voice dripping with insincerity. "But first, let's see if you're willing to pay the price.""You admit to holding Camilla hostage because she caused a scene at your party?" Amelia's voice quivered with barely contained rage, her fists clenched at her sides.Marco chuckled, his eyes glinting with malice. "Your sister was a nuisance, destroying my property and insulting me in front of my guests. She deserves to be punished for her actions."A

129The outcome surprised Marco's men, who now saw Tegan's strength and skill firsthand, realizing why he was the Fairchild family's key fighter. The audience, too, was in awe of Tegan's abilities, despite his somewhat cocky demeanor."Looks like the Fairchilds aren't to be underestimated," one of Marco's men muttered, his eyes narrowed in newfound respect for their adversaries.“Who would have expected that Mr. Stavenger was so strong? It’s no wonder he is the key fighter of the Fairchild family!” one of Amelia's men said“With Mr. Stavenger on our side, we will definitely be victorious!” another one replied.The audience was whispering in excitement. They were all in awe of Tegan’s fighting ability. Even though he was a little brash, he did have the abilities to back it up.“Who else wants to fight against me?” Tegan sized up the rest of Marco's men.“This explains why this bitch of Amelia agreed to the match so quickly. She brought in outside help.” Marco scratched his chin in surp