Jasper’s eyes were now practically spitting fire, but before he could respond, the atmosphere shifted. A large, imposing figure appeared behind Jack. Big Tom, his broad shoulders blocking the light, stood with a scowl etched deep into his face.“Enough, Steel,” Big Tom growled, his voice low and dangerous. “You’ve got the nerve to disrespect Mr. Sullivan in my presence?” He turned to Jack, offering a brief nod of respect before slapping Jasper across the face with a force that made the room go silent.Jasper recoiled in shock, his hand flying to his cheek as he stumbled back, eyes wide with disbelief. His jaw dropped as he realized what had just happened—Big Tom, the enforcer known for his brutal strength, had just slapped him like a child. But that wasn’t the most shocking part.“Wait… Mr. Sullivan?” Jasper muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. His brain scrambled to connect the dots. His gaze flicked from Big Tom to Jack, his eyes widening with realization. “You... you’re the

As the final seconds of the ten-minute countdown ticked away, the room was filled with a heavy silence, broken only by the faint hum of nervous whispers. Frank Rolex, focused and precise, carefully placed the Evergreen Formula onto a small stand, his hands steady as he completed the refinement process. The crowd watched in rapt attention, eager to see the results.Finally, Frank stepped back, and the moment of truth arrived.The formula shimmered slightly, glowing faintly with a soft, ethereal luminescence. A powerful, intoxicating aroma filled the air, rich with the scent of expertly refined herbs. Gasps spread throughout the auction hall. Even the most skeptical onlookers couldn’t deny the transformation. The Evergreen Formula, which had once been a simple concoction of herbs, now seemed like something far more potent.One of the experts, an elder in the field of medicinal refinement, stepped forward, inhaling deeply as he examined the formula. His eyes widened in astonishment. “Thi

“I can’t believe this,” Charlotte muttered under her breath, her hands clenched tightly around the armrests of her chair. She had prepared for this auction, carefully budgeting between $700 million and $800 million to secure Seven Oaks Apothecary’s assets. But Frank’s formulas were skyrocketing in price, pushing well past anything she had ever anticipated. “We’ve been outplayed.”Jessica, who had been sitting beside her, turned toward her with wide, anxious eyes. “We can still get more funds. We could talk to investors, raise additional capital…”Charlotte shook her head sharply, cutting her off. “It’s useless, Jessica. We can’t compete with this. Frank’s formulas are worth more now than we could ever afford, and it’s only going to get worse.” She turned to look out the window, watching the auction in the distance. Her mind was racing, but the numbers didn’t lie. Frank had completely crushed Garrett, and now he was going to make a fortune off his formulas. There was no way they could

“Mr. Sullivan,” Frank said, voice steady but brimming with reverence. “You didn’t just save my business today—you saved the legacy of Seven Oaks Apothecary. Without you, Charlotte would’ve sliced this place up and sold the pieces to vultures like Garrett.”Before Jack could respond, Frank suddenly dropped to one knee. Then—one after another—his disciples followed suit. Twelve pharmacists and alchemists, respected figures in Westport’s medicinal community, knelt before Jack like knights swearing fealty to a king.“You are our savior,” Frank declared. “From this day forward, everyone under Seven Oaks—doctors, pharmacists, researchers—we serve you. Whatever you need, we’ll make it happen.”Jack raised a brow, slightly amused by the dramatic gesture. “You sure about that, Frank? You know I’m not exactly the warm and fuzzy type.”Frank smiled. “We’re not pledging loyalty out of emotion. We’re doing it because you earned it. You saved us from extinction with one hand tied behind your back.”

Lucas’s voice dropped to a low, dangerous tone. “We’ve still got the Hawthorne connection.”The name hit like a gunshot.Charles sat upright in his wheelchair, eyes wide. “You don’t mean that Hawthorne family? The ones running the defense contracts out of Carson City?”Lucas nodded. “The very same. They’ve got enough pull to silence senators and flip city councils. They’ve had their eye on Westport for a while. They just needed the right excuse to get involved. Jack Sullivan gave it to them.”Charles’s lips curled into a slow, cruel grin. “Well, well… Looks like we’re not finished after all.”Lucas stepped back, adjusting the cuffs of his uniform. “No. We’re just getting started.”Back in the hidden chamber beneath Seven Oaks Apothecary, Jack exhaled through his nose, steam rolling off his body like mist from a forge. His bare chest rose and fell slowly, skin darkened to a faint, metallic bronze. His blood roared through him like a freight train.His bones had hardened. His body had e