The silence in the penthouse was deafening.Samuel stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the city. It was past midnight, and yet, the world outside never slept. Neither did he.His fingers curled into a fist as he thought about the Solberg family. The warning they had sent. The blood they had spilled.They thought they could intimidate him.They thought wrong.Behind him, Victoria poured herself another glass of wine, her movements slow and deliberate. Rhys sat on the couch, tapping his fingers against his knee, restless.Elijah had sent them a clear message—retaliation was coming.But Samuel wasn’t satisfied with simple revenge. He wanted destruction."They expect us to make a move tonight," Victoria said, sipping her wine. "Which means we do nothing."Rhys scoffed. "Since when do we sit back and take hits?""We don’t," Samuel said, turning to face them. "But we don’t act like amateurs either. The Solbergs want us to react. They want us to be predictable."Victoria nod

A convoy of sleek black cars sped through the streets, their presence sending a wave of tension through the city. The Brooks weren’t just another business rival—they were the only ones who could challenge Samuel’s empire, not just in wealth but in power. And tonight, they were done playing in the shadows. "They’re getting reckless," Lucas said, standing beside Samuel. His usually calm demeanor was strained, his fingers curling into fists. "They wouldn't make a move like this unless they were sure they had something to counter you." Samuel smirked, his sharp features illuminated by the city lights. "Let them come. If they think they can corner me, they’ve severely underestimated the difference between power and control." Down below, the streets were no longer just filled with mortals. Shadows flickered unnaturally, warping and twisting as figures emerged from them—warriors bound by old magic, creatures that belonged to a realm most humans had no knowledge of. Samuel recognized t

Lucas adjusted his coat, watching the inferno with a smirk. “Never thought I’d see the day the Brook family fell.” Isabella, standing beside him, let out a slow breath. “We should be careful. A family like theirs doesn’t disappear without consequences.” Samuel remained silent, his gaze fixed on the destruction. He knew Isabella was right. This wasn’t the end—only the beginning of something far more dangerous. The Brook family had allies, connections that spanned across continents. Someone would come looking for retribution. And he would be ready. Before he could speak, a voice echoed through the smoke. “Samuel.” They all turned. From the remains of the estate, a lone figure emerged. Bloodied, barely able to stand, yet his eyes still burned with unrelenting rage. Damian Brook had survived. Samuel tilted his head, amused. “Still breathing?” Damian coughed, his hand pressed against a wound on his side. “You think this is a victory?” His voice was hoarse, but his determin

The darkness twisted around them, shifting and morphing into grotesque figures. Shadows came alive, forming humanoid shapes with glowing eyes, their movements eerily fluid, like smoke given form. The air hummed with unseen energy, sending shivers down Samuel’s spine. Lucas swore under his breath. “I hate magic.” Victor smirked, but his hand was already on his cane, a sure sign that things were about to turn violent. “Then you’re going to have a miserable time, my friend.” Samuel stepped forward, his muscles coiled, ready for whatever this cursed place threw at them. “Enough stalling. If they want a fight, we give them one.” The shadowy figures lunged. Samuel reacted instinctively, dodging the first strike as a clawed hand slashed through the air where he had been standing. He countered with a punch, his fist connecting with something solid despite the creature being made of pure darkness. The thing screeched, recoiling, but more of them were already closing in. Isabella mo

Sophia leaned back in her chair, her piercing blue eyes scanning each of them as a slow smirk formed on her lips. “Breaking into the Brook estate is suicide. You do know that, right?”Samuel didn’t flinch. “We don’t have a choice.”Sophia chuckled, shaking her head. “There’s always a choice, sweetheart. The problem is, you don’t have the luxury of picking the easy one.”Lucas groaned, running a hand through his hair. “Can we skip the dramatics? We know you’re the only one who can get us in. So either you’re in, or we find another way.”Sophia tilted her head, amusement dancing in her gaze. “There is no other way. And lucky for you, I hate my family enough to consider this insanity.”Isabella crossed her arms. “Then let’s get to it. How do we bypass the estate’s defenses?”Sophia stood, walking toward the window. “The first layer of protection is the bloodline wards. That part is easy for me to bypass since, well… I’m one of them.” She glanced over her shoulder. “But the second layer i