The pendant around Tessa's neck—the Cursed-idol amulet—was no ordinary trinket. It was the supreme token, the symbol of the Supreme General himself, an item that no one else dared to carry. For her to be wearing it could mean only one thing: she was under the Supreme General’s protection.Wilfred’s face drained of all color. His confidence, his bravado—all of it melted away, leaving only raw, unfiltered terror. The Darkclaw clan, formidable as they were, held only a fraction of power compared to the full might of the Redblood organization. In that world, Wilfred’s position was insignificant, like a pawn easily discarded, and the Redblood organization was owned by one of the Supreme General's subordinates, and now he had committed a crime beyond redemption. To lay a hand on the Supreme General’s woman? It was an offense punishable by death.Tessa stared at him, caught off-guard by his sudden shift. She had prepared herself for the worst, bracing against the fear gnawing at her, only to
"Thank you so much, madam!" Wilfred's voice dripped with relief as he bowed his head low.Tessa didn’t waste a moment. “Can I leave now?” she asked, her voice tense, watching him carefully for any signs of hesitation."Certainly, this way, please." Wilfred gestured respectfully, stepping aside.Tessa didn’t trust his sudden change in demeanor, but with the Cursed-idol amulet in her possession, she knew he wouldn’t dare try anything else. She moved swiftly toward the door, but just as she reached it, a rough voice rang out."Why are you coming out? Get back in!" Albert snapped, blocking her path and shoving her backward, assuming she was trying to escape."Stop!" Wilfred's bellow filled the room. “How dare you disrespect the Supreme General’s Lady! Apologize now!”Albert blinked, startled. “Mr. Wilfred, your… your hand! What happened to it?”“I told you to kneel and apologize!” Wilfred barked, ignoring his own bleeding wound as he stared daggers at Albert.Albert’s face twisted in conf
Brenda’s eyes narrowed, her voice dripping with disdain. “I’m not wrong. Even if Mr. Wilfred’s not angry anymore, you still caused us to lose that bid we almost secured with Darkclaw Corporation.”Tessa's jaw tightened, feeling a familiar weight settle in her chest.Brenda continued, “So not only did you fail to contribute to this family, but you actually harmed our interests. You need to find a way to fix this, Tessa.”Henry chimed in, eager to echo his mother. “Mom’s right. Darkclaw’s project is crucial to our company. You’re the one who messed it up, so you have to get it back.”Their parents, seated at the head of the table, nodded in agreement. Tessa’s heart sank, but she kept her voice steady. “I don’t have a plan.”Brenda scoffed, folding her arms. “Didn’t Mr. Wilfred seem fond of you? Sleep with him a few more times. Make him happy, and the project will be ours.”Tessa’s stomach churned as her uncle, David, leaned forward, nodding in approval. “She’s right. You’ve already cros
The room erupted as a figure stormed in, his voice cutting through the tension. "Let her go!"With a swift movement, he sent the two guards who had restrained Tessa sprawling across the floor. Gasps filled the room as the Armand family recognized him."It’s you!" Brenda's eyes widened, fury blazing. "Adam! How dare you come back here!"Tessa’s voice was filled with worry and disbelief. "Adam! Didn’t I tell you to stay far from Storm City? Why would you come back?"Adam’s eyes softened as he took in her bruised face. "If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known they’d treated you like this."Richard stepped forward, his expression cold and calculating. "You injured Mr. Wilfred’s son, Adam. He’s got men scouring the city to find you. Do you realize the trouble you’ve brought us?"Brenda sneered, arms crossed over her chest. "Maybe this is a blessing in disguise. If we hand you over to Wilfred, he might just give us the project in return."Adam’s eyes narrowed, his tone sharp. "So you’re willing
"Don't come any closer!" Tessa called out, placing herself firmly between Adam and the advancing bodyguards. She glanced back at him, worry etched across her face. "They’re all highly trained. Adam, you can’t take them on. Just go, I'll try to hold them off."Adam’s eyes softened, but before he could respond, Henry sneered. "He's not going anywhere. Move in, and if she tries to interfere, feel free to rough her up as well."The guards exchanged a look before moving forward, their reluctance gone. Tessa paled but held her ground, blocking their path.Adam felt a surge of determination as he watched her standing up for him. He leaned in and whispered, "Tessa, I’m not leaving you here with them. Trust me."One of the bodyguards sneered, reaching out to shove Tessa aside. "Step out of the way, lady—"Before he could finish, Adam’s hand shot out, grabbing the guard’s wrist in a vice grip. A dangerous glint flickered in his eyes as he twisted the man's wrist until a sickening crack echoed t
Tessa stared at Adam, recalling how he’d known about Wilfred’s injury. It had happened so recently—how could he have known?She finally asked, "Adam, how did you hear about Wilfred being in the hospital?"He met her gaze calmly. "I got the news when I was working at Bulgart Industries. Word travels fast in those circles.""What did you just say? Mr. Wilfred’s in the hospital?" Richard cut in, eyes wide with alarm. "What happened to him?""Apparently, he lost control and ended up cutting off his own hand," Tessa replied quietly."What?" Richard’s face turned pale, mirroring the shock spreading through the Armand family. Even the most reckless person wouldn’t go so far as to sever their own hand.Adam smirked, glancing from one stunned face to the next. "So, don’t expect Mr. Wilfred to show up and ‘teach me a lesson’ anytime soon."Henry clenched his jaw, frustrated but unable to retort. They had brought in every backup they could, but none had managed to stand up to Adam. He looked lik
"Grandpa, please don’t cut ties with me," Tessa pleaded, tears streaming down her face as she knelt on the floor. The sight of her, vulnerable and desperate, tugged at the corners of her grandfather's heart, but he remained resolute.Gerald’s expression hardened. "You made your choice, Tessa. You wanted to defy this family, and now you must face the consequences.""That’s right, Dad. Tessa just got a bit confused. She didn’t mean any of this," Eleanor interjected, her voice trembling with desperation as she stepped forward. "Give me some time to talk to her. I can help her see reason."Richard, who had been quietly observing, finally piped up, anxiety written all over his face. "Tessa, think about what you’re doing! You’re our only daughter! If you’re cut off from the family, you’ll lose everything. We can’t let that happen."Gerald shook his head, his voice cold and unwavering. "It’s useless for you to beg. She chose this path herself, so don’t blame me for it. If you don’t want her
Adam was stunned. "Do you regret doing it?"Tessa smiled bitterly. "I don't regret anything as I didn't do anything wrong. Even if I were to get a divorce with you, I wouldn't go back and admit I was wrong.""Since you didn't regret it, why do you still want to get a divorce with me?" Adam asked in confusion."I'm no longer the Armand family's daughter or a CEO. I'm just a normal woman, so you won't benefit from getting together with me. Thus, we should just get a divorce.""Do you think I married you just to benefit myself?""What else? I can't think of any reason other than that," Tessa replied."Have you considered the possibility that I don't like you for your status or money, but for you?" Adam answered with a grin."No way!" Tessa shook her head in disbelief."Why not?"Tessa replied with a smile, "You had a chance to sleep with me, but you didn't. That's why I think you're not interested in me.""Why would you think that? You're the most beautiful woman in Storm City. If I'm no