‘EXTERNAL THREAT DETECTED. SYSTEM SUSPENDING RESURRECTION OF HOST,’ the voice notified, using nanoseconds to react to Henry's attacks. It continued, ‘COMMENCING PROTECTION BYPASS. DONE. SCANNING FOR THIS WORLD'S BEST PROTECTIVE TALENTS. MARTIAL ARTS INFERRED. HARNESSING THE TALENTS OF THE WORLD'S BEST MARTIAL ARTISTS: IP MAN'S WING CHUN, BRUCE LEE'S JEET KUNE DO, MIKE TYSON'S HEAVYWEIGHT BOXING, MASTER CHOI'S TAEKWONDO. ALL TALENTS HARNESSED. COMMENCING FULL CONTROL OF HOST'S BODY.’Thereafter, energy coursed through Jason's veins like bolts of electricity, causing his body to twitch. His left arm, once still and silent, abruptly jerked back to life, grabbing Henry 's gun and pushing its barrel upward, changing the direction of the bullet before the shooter could react. The bullet, hot and piercing, blazed out with a resounding bang, grazing Henry 's face and taking some of his flesh. He stumbled, falling backwards. ‘What just happened?’ while his pain-filled grunts ricocheted over th

No, no, no. He refused to believe it. It wasn’t her fault. Yes, it wasn’t her fault. Rachel was going through with this because she believed he had passed. If he could prove otherwise, she would jump back into his arms, and everything would be back to normal. Blinking back tears, the newfound motivation bolstered Jason as he sprinted away from the cheering crowd, bumping into many, determined to get his beloved wife back.“Rachel!” Jason screamed. The distance between them was still too great for her to hear. He closed the gap and tried again, this time with all the breath in his lungs. “Rachel, it’s me, Jason! Don’t go through with the engagement! I’m not dead.” It worked. She heard him, but so did everyone else. The volume of his words had drawn the attention of all the guests, bringing the once festive atmosphere to an awkward silence.Rachel pivoted, her eyes bulging in terror at the sight of Jason. She wasn't the only one taken aback—Dominic Stone was equally stunned but managed

Mister Stone had been at it for minutes with no change. Operatives were supposed to be resolute; he understood that. But Jason was something else entirely. He sounded convincing and refused to crack, despite the torment. However, getting him to talk hadn’t been the priority; having fun was. Mister Stone pulled away, flinging his hand in disgust, and adorned his lipless smile. He then raised his iPad to Jason’s face.Jason cringed at the blinding close-up light but blinked away the blurs in his vision to see a familiar hospital room. Then, he saw a familiar girl with a beanie who seemed to be making what looked like anniversary gifts. Jason's chest tightened, and he began to hyperventilate. That was his sister, in her Rothschild Hospital ward. They had brought his sister into this. His anguish morphed into adrenaline, and he thrashed against his restraints, shouting anything that resembled pleas. Dominic, witnessing the scene, transformed his expression from maniacal to mournful. His

ROTHSCHILD’S ESTATE. 10 minutes BEFORE EXPLOSION. Heels clacked against marble floors with a furious tempo. Rachel made her way to her mother’s study, struggling to control her anger. She slammed the door open and immediately spotted two people inside - her mother, nonchalantly pruning a pot of flowers, and the brat of a brother. “Mother!” Rachel began, her voice firm but trembling with rage. “We had a deal: I would marry Stone, and in return, you would get Jason and his sister out of the country with reasonable compensation. So why did he suddenly appear at the engagement party, claiming I thought he was dead? Did you try to have him killed?” The matriarch snubbed her. “Answer me!” Rachel screamed. The outburst caught her attention. Colton laughed. “Wait, Mother, you tried to kill the pauper?” he asked, incredulous. “You shouldn’t have gone through all that stress. Honestly, if you’d paid me a fraction of a grand, and I would have happily—” Rachel cut him off, yelling, “Shut the h

Alexander slipped into a restroom and donned one of the outfits. For the first time, he saw his reflection. He had ocean-blue eyes, a symmetrical face, clear skin, rosy full lips, and a sharp, bearded jawline that perfectly complemented his now tall, lean, and muscular physique. He was beautiful. No wonder those women threw themselves at him.Acquiring some minor equipment, he left. A Rolls-Royce screeched to a halt at Greystone’s biggest hotel. Alexander elegantly stepped out, with envious eyes trailing after him as he strolled into the luxurious lobby. It smelled of lavender and was illuminated by diamond chandeliers that reflected off the diamond floors, crowded with elites. He made a mental note to buy a hotel. “I would like a suite,” he said to the receptionist. “We have the—” he cut her off. “I want the best.”From behind her glasses, her eyes scanned him, starting with the gadgets he held and moving down to his face. He passed the elite's check. She cleared her throat. “Well, t