Rhys stood in front of the Rhodes mansion, his fingers brushing against the iron-knobbed door. The grand estate loomed before him, a structure steeped in memories, both bitter and sweet. It had been weeks since he left, distancing himself from the chaos, from Denera, and from the life they had built together. Now, returning here felt strange, like stepping into a past he wasn’t sure he could face. His mind was still reeling from Sebastian’s visit, but his body was numb, moving on autopilot as he raised his fist and knocked.The door creaked open, and there she was—Denera. Her eyes widened with a mix of surprise and elation. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came at first. She blinked a few times, almost as if she wasn’t sure he was real. “Rhys…” Her voice finally broke the silence, and in it, there was so much emotion. Hope, confusion, longing.He saw her excitement, the way her body seemed to relax at the sight of him, as if expecting that this was it—that he had forgiven he

The city’s skyline glimmered through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Ethan’s office. The late hour draped the room in shadows, but the soft glow from his desk lamp illuminated the papers strewn across his desk. Outside, the hum of traffic was faint, a distant reminder of the world moving beyond the walls of his empire. It was almost midnight, yet Ethan was still there, working. His mind had been racing ever since he’d received confirmation that Mark Dave was betraying him. The betrayal was like a dull ache in his chest, not because he hadn’t expected it but because he had hoped it wouldn’t be true. Mark had been by his side for a long time now. Trusted. Reliable. Or so he had thought.Now, the game had changed.He stood up from his leather chair and moved toward the window, hands clasped behind his back. The city below pulsed with life, unaware of the battle quietly unfolding in his world. Ethan had always prided himself on staying two steps ahead, and tonight would be no differe

The music in the club had become a muffled hum as Jason leaned back, thoroughly intoxicated, with the two women draped over him. Their flirtatious giggles filled the air, and Jason’s sense of reality had started to blur. He was tipsy, his usual sharpness dulled by the liquor and the attention. The night was going better than he had expected, and his ego swelled further, filling his head with thoughts of how lucky he was.One of the women, the blonde, nuzzled into his neck and whispered into his ear, "Why don’t we take this party back to your room?" Her words were warm, seductive, and exactly what Jason wanted to hear.He gave them both a lopsided grin. “Yeah?” He ran a hand through his hair, barely able to control his excitement. “Alright, let’s get out of here. My place isn’t far.”The two women giggled, their hands lazily caressing his chest. The brunette leaned in close and murmured, “Perfect.”Jason staggered as he stood up, his balance unsteady from the alcohol. The two women

The soft morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room as Ethan and Sandra lay tangled in each other's arms. The peaceful rhythm of their breathing filled the silence, the warmth of their bodies still lingering from the previous night. It was one of those rare moments where the world outside seemed far away, and nothing else mattered but the comfort of their shared closeness.But the spell was broken by a persistent knock on the door.Ethan stirred, his brow furrowing slightly as the knock continued. His eyes fluttered open, and he blinked groggily, trying to make sense of the disturbance. Sandra, still wrapped in sleep, remained curled against him, unaware of the intrusion.Carefully, Ethan untangled himself from her, making sure not to wake her. He slid out of bed, his bare feet touching the cool wooden floor as he stretched, the muscles in his back tensing with the movement. The knock came again, more urgent this time, and he sighed, rubbing his

The Anderson safe house was a fortress hidden deep in the woods, its location known to only a few trusted individuals. For days, the old man and his men had been camped there, training relentlessly, refining their strategies, and preparing for the inevitable confrontation. The safe house had become their sanctuary—a place of calm before the storm. Inside, the walls were lined with weapons, maps, and tactical gear, all signs of the battle they were planning. The scent of burning wood from the fireplace mixed with the metallic tang of sweat and oil from the training sessions. The old man, a seasoned leader with a calm but commanding presence, was busy in a back room with the intelligence team. They were finalizing the details of their next move, going over routes, backup plans, and contingencies. His face was lined with years of experience, his eyes sharp and unyielding as they studied the intelligence reports in front of him. Every detail mattered, and he wasn’t about to leave a