Sonia sat at her desk, her shoulders slumped in defeat. The prospect of negotiating with the Yale Group, a multinational corporation known for its cutthroat business practices, seemed insurmountable.
She buried her face in her hands, trying to muster the courage she knew she needed. Tyler, noticing her distress, approached quietly. "Sonia," he said gently, "what's troubling you?" She looked up, her eyes betraying her lack of confidence. "This deal with the Yale Group... I don't know if I can do it, Tyler. They're so big, so powerful. What chance do I have?" Tyler's eyes softened with understanding. He placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't lose heart, Sonia. We can do this together. I believe in you." His words seemed to ignite a small spark within her. Sonia straightened slightly, a glimmer of hope crossing her features. "Wait," she said, her voice gaining strength. "I just remembered something. My old high school classmate... she works at the Yale Group now!" Tyler's face lit up. "That's fantastic news, Sonia! Why don't you reach out to her? It could give us the edge we need." Sonia nodded, her determination growing. "I'll do that as soon as I get home. What about you? Do you have any plans?" "I'm heading back to Arthur Place," Tyler replied, a hint of mystery in his tone. "I have an idea that might help us." As they parted ways, both felt a renewed sense of purpose. Sonia hurried home to contact her old classmate, while Tyler made his way to Arthur Place. Upon arriving at the grand building, Tyler wasted no time. He approached one of his aides, his voice commanding yet calm. "Use my Dragon Marshal authority to summon Jude Yale, the chairman of the Yale Group. I want him here immediately." The aide nodded briskly and set off to carry out the order. Within the hour, Jude Yale was ushered into Tyler's presence. The moment he stepped into the room, it was clear that the businessman was far from his usual confident self. Jude's hands trembled as he stood before Tyler, his voice quavering as he spoke. "Y-yes, Dragon Marshal? How may I serve you?" Tyler regarded him coolly, his demeanor calm but radiating an unmistakable aura of power. "Mr. Yale," he began, his voice leveled, "I want you to reach a cooperation agreement with Sonia Walters. It would be... beneficial for all parties involved." The implication in Tyler's words was clear. Jude, still shaking, nodded vigorously. "Of course, of course! It shall be done as you wish, Dragon Marshal." "Excellent," Tyler replied. "You may take your leave." Jude didn't need to be told twice. He hurried out of the room, the weight of Tyler's influence still heavy upon him. As the door closed behind the rattled businessman, Tyler's thoughts turned to another matter. "Now, where's Gabriel?" he mused aloud. "He should have left for the South by now." As if summoned by Tyler's words, Gabriel appeared in the doorway. Tyler raised an eyebrow, surprised to see him still at the palace. "I'm still here, sir," Gabriel announced, his voice firm and resolute. "I've decided to stay and follow you." Tyler studied him for a moment, gauging his determination. "Are you sure about this, Gabriel? The path ahead may not be easy." Gabriel met his gaze unflinchingly. "Absolutely. Where you go, I go." A small smile tugged at the corners of Tyler's mouth. He nodded, accepting Gabriel's decision. "Very well. In that case, let's head to the Arthur family mausoleum. There's something I need to check." "Right behind you, sir," Gabriel replied, falling into step beside Tyler as they left the room. As they made their way out of Arthur Palace, Tyler's mind raced with the day's The sun was setting as Tyler stood motionless before his father's tombstone, its long shadow stretching across the quiet mausoleum grounds. Gabriel waited a respectful distance away, watching his master with a mixture of concern and curiosity. Tyler's voice, when he finally spoke, was barely above a whisper. "It's been ten years, father. Ten years since you married..." The name seemed to hang in the air, heavy with unspoken pain. Tyler's expression darkened as memories flooded back. "That woman," he continued, his voice gaining an edge, "she accused Grandfather of raping her. It was all lies, but it drove a wedge between you and him." His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles white with suppressed rage. "And then she... she pushed you to your death. The four major families used that chaos to attack. They burned Grandfather and the rest of the clan, all for the Lava Heart." Gabriel, sensing an opening, cautiously asked, "The ruby heirloom, sir?" Tyler nodded grimly. "Yes. A priceless treasure... and the cause of so much pain." A heavy silence fell between them, broken only by the soft rustle of leaves in the evening breeze. After a moment, Gabriel cleared his throat. "Sir, if I may... Tonight is the Gil family's celebration banquet." Tyler turned to face him, his eyes sharp with sudden interest. "Go on." "They're celebrating the long-term cooperation between the Fire Dragon Group and the Yale Group," Gabriel explained. "It's also Don Gil's 60th birthday." A dangerous glint appeared in Tyler's eye, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Is that so? Well, we should send our... congratulations." Gabriel shifted uneasily, sensing the shift in his master's mood. "What did you have in mind, sir?" Tyler's voice was ice when he replied, each word deliberate and filled with lethal intent. "Prepare a coffin, Gabriel. We'll send it as our gift for the 'celebration.'" Gabriel's eyes widened as he realized the full implication of Tyler's words. "A coffin... I understand, sir. It will be done." Tyler turned back to the tombstone, his face set in grim determination. "It's time for justice, father. Time for revenge." As they left the mausoleum, the last rays of sunlight caught the polished surface of the tombstone, seeming to ignite a fire within the stone itself. It was a fitting metaphor, Gabriel thought, for the inferno of vengeance that now burned in his master's heart. The drive back to the city was silent, each man lost in his own thoughts. Gabriel's mind raced with the logistics of acquiring a coffin on such short notice, while Tyler sat motionless, his eyes fixed on some distant point beyond the windshield. As they approached the city limits, the lights of the bustling metropolis seemed to mock the somber mood within the car. Somewhere out there, the Gil family was preparing for their celebration, blissfully unaware of the storm that was about to break upon them. Tyler's voice, when he finally spoke, was calm and controlled. "Make sure the coffin is delivered anonymously, Gabriel. We wouldn't want to spoil the surprise." "Of course, sir," Gabriel replied, a chill running down his spine at the cold calculation in Tyler's tone. As they pulled up to Tyler's residence, the young master paused before exiting the car. "Tomorrow, Gabriel, we begin dismantling everything the Gils have built. Their empire, their reputation, their very legacy - all of it will crumble to dust." Gabriel nodded solemnly. "I'll be ready, sir."The Gil family’s grand villa buzzed with chatter, laughter, and the clink of glasses. Don Gil, the head of the most powerful of the four major families, was at the center of it all, a sly smile on his face as he soaked in the attention. He enjoyed the power, the groveling, the endless string of guests bringing gifts to win his favor. Even Lewis Walters had arrived, carrying the weight of his family’s regret. “Don,” Lewis said, forcing a smile as he offered a hand, “I hope we can set aside past differences. The Walters family truly wishes to mend the relationship.” Don raised a brow, his lips curling into a sneer.“Apologies, Lewis? Words are cheap. I’ll believe it when I see action.” Lewis nodded, swallowing his pride. He knew the danger of being on Don’s bad side, but tonight, the danger was about to come from an entirely different direction. Outside the villa, Tyler stood with Gabriel by his side, their faces hidden behind dark masks. The massive coffin Gabriel carried on his sho
The Arthur family cemetery was eerily quiet, the only sound being the soft rustle of leaves in the cool night breeze. Tyler stood before his grandfather's grave, his expression unreadable. At his feet lay the severed head of Don Gil, eyes staring lifelessly at the ground. Tyler bent down, placing the head gently on the grave. “Grandfather, I have avenged you,” Tyler murmured, his voice carrying through the stillness of the night. “Don Gil is dead, but my work isn’t done. I’ll retrieve the family heirloom and restore the honor they stole from us. I promise you.” He bowed his head for a moment, taking a deep breath to steady himself. The memories of the massacre haunted him, fueling his determination. As he straightened up, his eyes blazed with resolve. He turned away from the grave and walked briskly toward the cemetery gates, disappearing into the darkness. Meanwhile, at the Gil family villa, chaos and despair hung heavy in the air. The grand hall, once a place of opulence and pow
The morning sun barely peeked through the curtains when Tyler's phone rang. Sonia's excited voice came through the speaker. "Tyler! You won't believe it. My high school reunion - it worked! I think we might have a real shot at this partnership!" Tyler smiled, genuinely pleased for her. "That's fantastic news, Sonia. Would you like me to come pick you up? We can head to the Emperor Group together." "That would be wonderful. Thank you, Tyler." A short while later, Gabriel was navigating the morning traffic as Tyler and Sonia sat in the back of the car. Sonia's brow furrowed as she scrolled through her phone. "Oh no, did you hear about Don Gil? He passed away last night." Tyler kept his expression neutral. "I hadn't heard. What happened?" "The details are vague. Some kind of accident at a family gathering. It's terrible - the Gil family is so influential." "Indeed they are," Tyler replied carefully. "But let's focus on your good news. Tell me more about this potential partnership.
The bright lights emanating from the golden chandelier complimented the restaurant perfectly, the luxurious atmosphere was a sight to marvel at. “This place is so gorgeous, how did Lucia discover a place like this”. Sonia spoke in awe. “You must be Sonia Walter, I'm Jude, managing director of Yale group”. He spoke in a soft tone holding his hand out. His aura was one which commanded respect yet gentle. “Oh yes, I am and this is Tyler. He's my—” Sonia got interrupted by Tyler's phone ringing. “I should take this, I'll be back”. He spoke striding out of the restaurant. “This way”. Jude gestured. Sonia saw the familiar faces of Richard and Lucia. “Hi Sonia”. Lucia spoke in a very excited tone. Jude excused himself while the three of them began to chatter away. Richard stood in front of Sonia with a smug grin, his arms crossed, clearly trying to intimidate her. Lucia, his partner in crime, stood beside him, her eyes gleaming with greed. It wasn’t the first time they had tried to ma
Sophia couldn't help but imagine what her father would look like when she presented her accomplishment. Tyler on the other hand had other plans, he wanted to give his wife a gift for her achievement, his perfect woman was so happy and he'll do anything to keep her happy.He took out his phone, planning a special day. Candle lit dinner, a path of roses, the perfect melody of a violin and saxophones. Tyler wanted to recreate the night he proposed to her but this time, a tad bit extravagant, this time he wanted her to have her perfect proposal. He had stumbled on her dairy revealing her perfect proposal. Sophia had dreamt of walking on a trail on rose petals, with candles beautifully scattered around the terrace, revealing the pretty stars. How she would walk down the path, seeing her perfect man on one knee, asking her to marry him.Tyler took all that into consideration, Sophia wore a red floral dress, with little to no make up, she didn't need to cover her burns. She stared at hersel
As Tyler examined the note on the stone, the cleaners went into the room to do their jobs and Sophia went to clean herself up."Your Wife will pay" was boldly written on the paper, with what seemed like blood. He knew it was a threat and his house was no longer safe for Sophia. He ordered the maids to pack her bags and made plans to move to another safe house. Packed up and ready to go, Sophia didn't want to leave but she knew something was wrong."What's going on my love?" She questioned.Tyler looked at her with guilt, not wanting to show her the side of him that he had kept hidden from her. "It's nothing, just political danger". He replied blankly. Sophia understood that Tyler was not ready to open up to her. The drive to the safe house was long and silent, they soon arrived and began settling in to the new house. The environment was strange, it was nothing like Sophia's father's estate or Tyler's vicinity, this was different. It was quiet as though the place lacked life, lonel
Sophia got up excited, happy to show off her success to her father. A billion dollar contract was no child's play. Tyler got dressed and had breakfast while waiting for Sophia to finish up leaving hera toast and a cup of coffee. Sophia walked down the stairs, an embodiment of beauty and gentleness. Tyler couldn't get his eyes off her.Watching her closely, walking gracefully. Tyler had never been so intrigued by a woman, he never understood the concept of love until he met Sophia. Tyler always made sure to hold open every door, that was one of his many love languages..They got in and left for Walter House. They drove down a circular path decorated with beautiful rare flowers. As they arrived, Sophia became nervous. Tyler looked at her and noticed the beads of sweat, trailing down her face.He held her hand, "hey, you've got this okay?"She looked at it and took deep breaths before walking into the house calling the attention of the family who were seated at the dining table having
Sophia woke up in a room which looked like it was decorated by a five year old. She felt a small hand on her leg startling her."I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you". The little girl spoke. Sophia looked at her like she had seen a ghost. The little girl was extremely beautiful, her lush white hair complimented her emerald green eyes. She looked really young. "She couldn't be above five years old" Sophia spoke inwardly. "I'm not a child. I'm way above five years old ", the little girl answered correcting Sophia's thoughts, sending chills down her spine."I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that out loud"."But you didn't". The girl retorted. "Here, drink this. It'll help with the pain you're feeling ".Sophia took the cup from the girl's hand not trusting the content."I didn't poison you, I saved you. You wondered into the wrong side of the forest. My name is Maya ". The little girl spoke with excitement."Maya, it's a nice name. I'm So—" a loud screeching sound filled the room causin