7

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 shoulder added to the menacing aura that surrounded them.

Gabriel looked at Tyler, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. “Think they're ready for a funeral, boss?”

Tyler’s voice was cold, filled with deadly intent. “They’ve been living too long without consequences. It’s time to pay.”

Without a word more, Gabriel flung the coffin with all his strength, sending it crashing through the front door of the villa.

The wood splintered and shattered, the deafening sound echoing through the grand hall. Conversation died instantly, replaced by gasps of horror as the coffin slid into the center of the room.

Don’s face twisted with rage as he stormed toward the commotion, his eyes blazing. “What the hell is going on?!”

The guests parted, all eyes turning to the doorway where Tyler and Gabriel stood, their masks making them look like death itself. Gabriel stepped forward first, his voice dripping with mockery. “Special delivery, Don Gil. Your coffin’s ready.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?!” Don spat, his voice shaking with anger. “You dare bring this into my house?!”

Slowly, Tyler removed his mask, his cold eyes locking onto Don’s. “Remember me, Don?”

Don’s eyes widened, fear flickering across his face for a split second before he quickly masked it with bravado. “Tyler Arthur,” he sneered. “I thought you were long dead.”

“Not dead,” Tyler said, stepping further into the room. “But I brought a coffin just in case you need it tonight.”

At that moment, Issac Gil, Don’s nephew, strutted forward, a mocking grin on his face. “Well, look who’s playing the tough guy. You’ve got a lot of nerve coming here, Arthur.”

Without warning, Tyler moved like lightning, grabbing Issac by the arm. The room gasped in horror as, with a single brutal twist, Tyler tore Issac’s arm clean off, blood spraying across the floor. Issac screamed, collapsing to the ground in agony, his body convulsing.

Don’s hand flew to his waist, fumbling for the gun hidden beneath his coat, but his fingers froze as Tyler’s gaze bore into him. The sheer intensity of Tyler’s presence made Don’s hand tremble.

“I wouldn’t, if I were you,” Tyler said calmly. “Unless you want to join Issac in hell.”

Don’s eyes darted around the room, looking for help, but no one dared to move. Even Lewis stood frozen, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend the violence that had just erupted.

“Is this about the Arthur family?” Don asked, his voice wavering slightly. “That’s old news, Tyler. It’s over.”

Tyler’s jaw clenched, and his voice dropped to a deadly whisper. “Over? You think what you did to my family is over? Do you have any idea how many years I’ve waited for this moment?”

Don swallowed hard, trying to maintain control, but his bravado was crumbling. “Tyler, we... we can talk about this.”

“No more talking, Don,” Tyler growled, stepping forward until he stood towering over the man. “You took everything from me. My family, my future... now, I’m here to take something from you.”

Don’s knees buckled, and before he could stop himself, he fell to the ground, kneeling at Tyler’s feet. “Please... Tyler, I can make this right. I swear.”

Gabriel snorted from the sidelines. “Now he’s begging. Pathetic.”

Tyler’s voice was like ice. “There’s no fixing what you’ve done. You destroyed the Arthur family, and now, I’m going to destroy yours.”

Panic flared in Don’s eyes as he shook his head. “No! Tyler, please—”

But Tyler’s hand shot out, gripping Don’s throat with an iron grip. “Did you beg for mercy when you slaughtered my family? Did you care when you ruined everything I loved?”

Don tried to answer, but Tyler’s grip tightened, cutting off his air. His eyes bulged as his face turned red, terror written across every feature.

“I’ve waited years for this,” Tyler whispered, leaning in close. “And now, Don Gil, you die like the coward you are.”

With a swift, brutal motion, Tyler twisted Don’s head, snapping his neck with a sickening crack. The room fell deathly silent as Don’s body slumped lifelessly to the ground.

Tyler stood over the corpse, breathing heavily, the weight of his vengeance finally lifting. He looked around at the stunned faces of the Gil family and their guests, his voice cold and final. “Anyone else want to stand in my way?”

No one dared to move. No one dared to speak.

“Good,” Tyler muttered, turning on his heel and walking toward the door. As he passed Gabriel, he gave a simple nod. “Let’s go.”

Gabriel grinned, following closely behind, his eyes lingering on the coffin they’d left in the middle of the room. “Guess Don won’t need it after all.”

With that, they disappeared into the night, leaving the Gil family shattered and broken, just as Tyler had always planned.