12The old man stood alone in the empty parking garage, his hostages bound and gagged nearby. He kept a tight grip on his pistol, eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" He called tauntingly. "You want your boys back in one piece? Then get down here, unless you're too chicken!" Minutes passed with no response. The old man began to wonder if he'd been stood up. But then, faint footsteps echoed through the cavernous space. The gang brothers emerged with few men, rifles trained. "We're here you old coot," one brother spat. "Now where are our guys?" "They're right here," the old man replied calmly, gesturing to the hostages. "But they ain't goin' nowhere till we hash this out like civilized folk. Now order your pups to stand down so we can talk."The brother hesitated, then barked an order. "Lower your weapons, but keep 'em ready. This ain't over yet, old timer."With weapons lowered, a tense silence fell. The old man sighed and lowe

14 The old man looked up calmly into the barrel of the gun, his hands still raised in a gesture of peace. But inside, his heart pounded in fear. One wrong move and this volatile woman could end him without a second thought. "Ma'am, please listen to reason," he said in a low, steady voice. "Put the gun down before someone gets hurt that doesn't need to." Cersei's eyes blazed with fury and pain. "Don't tell me what to do!" she screamed, her hands shaking. "You've caused enough trouble already." Her hands shook with adrenaline and rage. Cersei glared down at the old man who was pleading in front of her. The cold steel of her gun pointed directly at his heart. His eyes were wide, filled with a mix of fear and desperation. He was trembling, but not from the chill of the underground garage. "Please, ma'am," the old man, Darien, pleaded, his voice hoarse and broken. "You have to understand. It's for my granddaughter. She's sick, very sick. I heard...I heard that the Golden Apple could

16After wrapping up her press conference, Cersei headed straight for the Mayor's office, her mind racing. As cunning as she was, anger and greed often got the better of her. She saw people as playthings to be manipulated for her own gain. Upon her arrival, the Mayor welcomed her with open arms, "Miss Smith, it's a relief to see you unharmed after such an ordeal!" he exclaimed, his eyes reflecting his sincere worry.Cersei offered a slight, almost imperceptible smile, hiding her big feelings of anger and greed raging within her. 'This man has no idea how simple it will be to deceive him,' she thought. Aloud, she played her part flawlessly, "I was lucky to escape. But it's made me realize we can't wait any longer. We should speed up our plans for the Golden Apple project."The Mayor's brow furrowed in confusion, his tone reflecting his bafflement. "Speed up the plans? We've not even settled on a price, and the gala is still days away." Cersei's eyes sparkled with cunning and she sp

18"You think you can fool everyone by hiring an actor? This old fool can't prove anything! ""It is true that he alone is not enough, but what if you add this! "A video with Darien's words from was played on the big screen behind Cersei, Cersei's icy voice came out from it. Her coldness, her mockery of the old man, all things were laid out for all viewers to see."Oh my god! ""How could she do that. "There were bursts of emotion and whispers from the crowd, a sceptical gaze swept over Cersei, forcing her to continue speaking:"This isn't real! You guys have to believe me-"A heavy gunshot interrupts Cersei's pale defence, and the video behind her plays just in time to show her firing the gun and then spitting on the old man."Pathetic."The word silenced everyone in the room, and Cersei, under the big screen, looked like a sinner being judged by the crowd.The silence of the crowd weighed heavily on Cersei, like a mountain pressing down on her shoulders. She fixed her gaze on Dari

20As the spotlight shone on Darien, surprised murmurs rippled through the crowd. Darien stood tall yet calm, meeting Lavinia's steady gaze with gratitude. Lavinia turned to Cersei, her eyes hard. "You have shown your true colors, Cersei. Accusing an honest man while peddling your own lies." With a swift motion, Lavinia raised her hand and struck Cersei across the face. The sharp crack of impact rang out across the silent plaza, followed by collective inhales of surprise from the gathered crowd. Cersei cried out, more in shock than pain, as she reeled backwards. Her hands flew up instinctively to clutch her reddening face, unable to believe what had just transpired. Warm tears sprang unbidden to her eyes, spilling unrestrained down her ashen cheeks. This was no mere slap - it was a brutal blow, charged with venomous fury. Cersei's skin burned as if branded, the heat spreading through her entire being. She had felt Lavinia's wrath once before, just days prior, but this strike far