The brawny men couldn’t wait any longer. At Selena’s command, they surged forward, their eyes gleaming with eagerness as they closed in on Tessa.“You vile woman! I’ll have your life!” Adam’s roar thundered, filling the entire hall. The sheer intensity of his voice seemed to shake the very foundation of the place. His fury was unlike anything anyone had ever seen.His outburst was more than just sound. The power laced in his voice sent a shockwave through the crowd. Those from the Wilfred family who had yet to reach the Warrior Realm fell to their knees, clutching their heads in agony as blood trickled from their noses and ears. Even the warriors among them staggered, their senses overwhelmed, trying desperately to block out the ringing in their heads.Selena’s face went pale. “Celestial Realm?” Her voice wavered, her confidence shaken. “That’s impossible!” The shock in her eyes betrayed her surprise. Reaching the Celestial Realm was a feat so rare that only a handful in history had m
Selena’s smirk deepened, her eyes narrowing with a look of cold calculation as Adam lunged at her. She moved with practiced precision, sidestepping his attack and countering with a powerful swipe of her sword, sending a rippling wave of energy his way. The force of her strike echoed through the room, and her confidence was evident—she knew Adam was weakened and assumed victory was within her grasp.Behind her, the Four Guardians moved in unison, their massive swords raised as they prepared to strike Adam from all sides. Each step they took was deliberate, their coordination flawless. These were the Deadskull Organization’s most elite fighters, and they had every intention of finishing the job.Adam, however, had prepared for this. Rolling to the side, he revealed a handful of thin, glinting silver needles hidden in his hand. This was one of his secret weapons, a last-resort tactic he’d developed to catch even the most vigilant opponents off guard. With a quick, forceful flick of his w
Adam didn’t bother to chase after Selena, who had already fled the scene. Instead, he pulled out his phone, his fingers trembling with urgency. Just as he was about to call Hammer, his phone rang.“Hammer, any news on Tessa?” Adam’s voice was thick with worry, his exhaustion evident. He’d activated an emergency signal just moments earlier, a direct line to Hammer, hoping his message had reached him in time. After he saw Wilfred take Tessa away, he’d seized a quick chance to press the button, alerting Hammer to her location.“Supreme General, rest assured,” Hammer’s voice came through, steady and calm. “I’ve rescued the madam safely and captured Wilfred and the other traitors. I’m awaiting your orders.”A rush of relief washed over Adam, loosening the tightness in his chest. “I’m still at the cafe. Come here,” he said, ending the call and exhaling a long breath. He had endured more than he’d anticipated. Not only had he lost the Seraphic Tear Pendant, but both his legs were badly injur
“Why are you two here?” Tessa was surprised. She’d only encountered Stacey when she first woke up, and she hadn’t informed her family about her whereabouts.Eleanor raised an eyebrow. “Did you forget that the Armand family holds shares in this hospital? The dean notified us as soon as he found out you were admitted. He mentioned you were drugged. Are you alright?”Tessa shook her head, brushing it off. “I’m fine, Mom. But Adam… he had both his legs broken.”Eleanor cast a disdainful look at Adam and scoffed. “Serves him right. Always stirring up trouble—he’s lucky to still be breathing.”“It was Mr. Wilfred who did this,” Tessa murmured.“Of course it was,” Eleanor replied without surprise. “After what happened to his son, it was only a matter of time before Mr. Wilfred retaliated. He’s actually being lenient by only breaking Adam’s legs.”Richard nodded in agreement, adding, “Your mother’s right. Staying with someone who attracts disaster like this… You should divorce him immediately
The Armand family had convened an emergency meeting in the opulent family mansion, though the grandeur of their surroundings felt hollow given their current crisis. Gerald sat at the head of the table, his usually firm posture sagging, an undeniable weight etched across his features."As you all know," he began gravely, "we invested every cent we had into the Darkclaw project. And now, with the Darkclaw Group's collapse and the project forced to halt, we're staring bankruptcy in the face."A heavy silence settled over the room, punctuated only by Gerald's weary sighs. His once sharp eyes, now dimmed, reflected a man burdened by the looming threat of financial ruin.First to break the silence was Wendy, who leaned forward with a look of disdain directed at her cousin. "Grandpa, this entire fiasco is Tessa's doing! If our Armand family goes bankrupt, she'll be the one to blame for it.""Absolutely!" Brenda, Wendy’s mother, chimed in with fervor. "She’s brought this calamity on us. She s
“Let her in,” Ethan commanded, a trace of smug anticipation flashing in his eyes. As he spoke, he discreetly reached into his desk drawer, extracting two small pills. Swallowing them, he felt a sharp, invigorating kick—an artificial edge to mask his weakness. These pills were powerful drugs to help his manhood, a temporary fix with dangerous side effects if overused. But at this moment, Ethan didn’t care; his pride demanded it.The assistant scurried out, and within moments, Tessa entered the office. She looked composed, but he could sense the tension radiating from her, as if she were a deer stepping into a lion’s den. She hesitated by the door, her gaze flickering uncertainly over him.“Leave us,” Ethan directed to his assistant. “Close the door. No interruptions.”The room fell silent as the assistant hurried out, leaving Tessa alone with him. Ethan leaned back, crossing his legs leisurely, eyeing her with a smug grin. “Ms. Armand, you finally grace me with your presence. I’ve invi
“Mr. Blackwood, no, please!” Tessa gasped in horror, her voice trembling as she backed away from Ethan. Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly assessed the situation, knowing she had to act fast. Fortunately, she had prepared for this moment. In a flash, she stood up, her mind racing, and grabbed the nearest object—a vase from a nearby table. Holding it tightly, she pointed it toward Ethan, her grip firm despite the fear coursing through her veins. “Don’t come any closer!” she warned, her voice shaky but resolute. Ethan’s expression darkened, and his eyes narrowed with fury. “Tessa, do you still want the money or not?” His voice was low and threatening. “Put the vase down, and let me have my way with you, or the Armand Group can kiss their business goodbye.” Tessa’s breath hitched at his words. The weight of the situation bore down on her as she tried to steady her shaking hands. She had no choice—her family’s survival depended on her making this deal. “I’ll do whatever you
Wendy glared at Tessa, her anger seething as she pointed a trembling finger at her. "Grandpa sent you to please Mr. Blackwood, and what did you do? You didn’t just fail to cheer him up, but you’ve gone and ruined everything! You've even injured his... Do you realize what you've done? You're going to destroy all of us!" Tessa stood frozen, horrified by the harsh words and the cold stares from everyone in the room. Her heart pounded in her chest. "What are you trying to do, Tessa? What did you think would happen?!" Gerald’s voice boomed with fury. "Do you really want the company to go bankrupt just to get your way? Is that what this is all about?" The accusations kept coming. Every word, every harsh tone made her feel smaller, like the walls were closing in around her. They were all angry—furious at her failure, at her actions, and at the situation she had unknowingly walked into. "How could you be so reckless?" Wendy shouted, her voice sharp. "This isn’t just about you anymore, Tess
“I’ll take it then,” Reeves said, his expression lighting up with satisfaction. In fact, he looked almost gleeful as he turned to the staff and asked, “How do you feel after I’ve bought your dog for five million?” “Mr. Reeves, are you serious?” the staff member stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief. Reeves nodded confidently and wrote a check for five million dollars right away. When the staff took the check from his hand, she still seemed stunned, unable to process what was happening. Clement was so elated that he turned to Stacey and said, “Ms. Gold, can you do me a favor? Tell your hotel staff to have the dog killed and retrieve the pill from its stomach.” Stacey hesitated for a moment but then nodded. She quickly called two hotel employees over to take the pug away. It was only then that everyone in the room seemed to grasp what was going on. The initial fight between Clinton and Reeves over the dog hadn’t been about the animal at all. Instead, it was about the pill the pu
“I’ll take it then,” Reeves said, his expression lighting up with satisfaction. In fact, he looked almost gleeful as he turned to the staff and asked, “How do you feel after I’ve bought your dog for five million?”“Mr. Reeves, are you serious?” the staff member stammered, her eyes wide with disbelief.Reeves nodded confidently and wrote a check for five million dollars right away. When the staff took the check from his hand, she still seemed stunned, unable to process what was happening.Clement was so elated that he turned to Stacey and said, “Ms. Gold, can you do me a favor? Tell your hotel staff to have the dog killed and retrieve the pill from its stomach.”Stacey hesitated for a moment but then nodded. She quickly called two hotel employees over to take the pug away.It was only then that everyone in the room seemed to grasp what was going on. The initial fight between Clinton and Reeves over the dog hadn’t been about the animal at all. Instead, it was about the pill the pug had
Clinton looked utterly heartbroken, his shoulders sagging as disappointment swept over his face. Stacey, standing nearby, mirrored his dismay, her lips pressed into a thin line.“Ms. Gold, Mr. Clinton, Mr. Reeves—what are you doing?” Gerald asked, his confusion evident.Clinton sighed deeply, his expression darkening. Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, his eyes lit up with urgency. He turned toward the pug sitting innocently nearby and pointed at it. “Whose dog is this?”A staff member hesitantly stepped forward, her face pale with nervousness. “It’s mine, sir. I… I’m terribly sorry for bringing him here. It was unprofessional of me.”Stacey shot her a sharp look but quickly softened her tone. “Let this be the only time. Don’t let it happen again.”“Yes, Ms. Gold. Thank you!” The staff member bowed repeatedly in relief, but just as she began to leave with the pug, Clinton raised his voice.“Wait! Hold on!” he called out urgently.The staff froze mid-step, her heart racing. “Y
“Enough with the nonsense. You just got lucky with your guess. Don’t think you’re all that,” Henry said, rolling his eyes. Despite his dismissive tone, his fidgeting fingers betrayed his growing panic. David, sensing the tension, stepped forward with a scoff. “Even if Mr. Diamond’s painting is fake, it doesn’t change anything. He was deceived! He spent over ten million dollars on it—that’s worth far more than whatever trash you’re calling a gift.” Adam chuckled, his voice tinged with sarcasm. “Trash, you say? You’re calling the pill trash?” David snatched the small bottle from Adam’s hand, shaking it aggressively before pouring out a single black pill into his palm. “Look at this!” David held it up for everyone to see. “Who in their right mind would dare eat something like this? It’s nothing but a scam!” “Dad, look at this nonsense,” he added, handing the pill to Gerald. “Why should I waste my time looking at trash?” Gerald replied coldly, his face twisting in disgust as he
Stacey quickly understood Adam's intention and turned to an elderly man seated not far away. “Mr. Spark, you’re an expert in paintings. Could you help us authenticate this piece?”The room fell silent as all eyes turned to Charles Spark. Known as a renowned art expert, his opinion carried significant weight.One guest chimed in, “Mr. Charles Spark is a leading authority in the art world. If anyone can authenticate this painting, it’s him.”Another nodded in agreement. “But do we even need to go that far? Mr. Diamond wouldn’t dare gift a fake painting. He has a reputation to uphold!”“Exactly,” someone else added. “Ten million dollars is nothing to someone like him. Why would he risk his name over a counterfeit?”The murmurs of agreement spread through the room. Brian, however, felt a bead of sweat forming on his temple. His confidence wavered as he realized the scrutiny was about to intensify.Feigning nonchalance, Brian scoffed, “Authenticate it? That’s rich. But the painting has alr
Brian sneered with an air of superiority. “Well, brat, did you notice anything? Or are you just bluffing again?” Adam didn’t respond immediately. Instead, a playful smile danced across his lips as he picked up a glass of water from the table. He swirled the water in his mouth, as if savoring it, but he didn’t swallow. In a sudden, unexpected move, Adam sprayed the water directly onto the painting. “What are you doing?!” “How dare you?!” The room erupted in chaos. Wendy’s face turned beet red as she jumped to her feet, her finger shaking as she pointed at Adam. Brian was equally furious, his fists clenched tightly. Even Brenda, Gerald, and several other guests stared at Adam in disbelief. “You lunatic!” Wendy’s voice trembled with rage. “That painting is worth millions! How dare you destroy it? You must pay for this, or I swear you won’t leave here alive!” Tessa’s expression shifted from shock to anger as she shouted, “Adam, what are you doing? Are you out of your mind?” She gr
“Adam, I’m begging you. Please, just stop spreading these rumors.” Tessa’s voice trembled with a mix of frustration and disbelief, her gaze fixed on Adam with evident disappointment.She had always thought Adam had a tendency to boast, but this was different. This wasn’t mere exaggeration; it was crossing a line. Her chest tightened as the reality sank in—she was beginning to lose faith in him.Adam, however, remained calm. His sharp gaze locked onto Brian as he asked, “If you’re so confident it’s not a fake, would you allow me to inspect it?”Wendy, unable to hide her irritation, scoffed. “Inspect it? Do you even hear yourself? That painting is worth millions! How dare someone like you even think of inspecting it?”“Exactly!” Brenda chimed in, her arms crossed in disdain. “You have no right to touch something that valuable. If you so much as leave a smudge on it, you’ll be paying for it for the rest of your life!”Brian smirked arrogantly, adjusting his pristine designer watch as he
Gerald’s expression darkened further, his patience wearing thin. If it weren’t for Adam’s association with Stacey, he might have lashed out already. He clenched his fists, suppressing his growing annoyance.Meanwhile, Brian, oblivious to Gerald’s restraint, sneered disdainfully. “How shameless can you be? Offering this junk as a gift? It’s downright embarrassing.”“He’s absolutely right,” Wendy chimed in, her tone dripping with contempt. She rolled her eyes dramatically and added, “Just look at Mr. Diamond. His gift is worth millions, while yours is nothing but a worthless trinket.”Adam let out a quiet chuckle, his smirk widening. “I’ve been holding back, trying to ignore the two of you. But you’ve pushed me too far. Since you seem so eager, I have no choice but to expose the truth.”The sudden shift in his tone caught the room’s attention. Brian and Wendy exchanged uneasy glances but quickly masked their unease with indignation.“Expose us? You?” Wendy scoffed, crossing her arms. “W
“What? How dare you curse me?” Gerald’s voice thundered through the hall, his expression darkening with fury.“I’ve told you before—he’s nothing but an ungrateful wretch. Do you believe me now, Grandpa?” Brenda sneered, seizing the opportunity to pile on the insults.“How dare you curse Grandpa? Apologize to him immediately!” Richard roared, his face contorted with anger.“What are you waiting for?” Eleanor shouted at Adam, her voice trembling with rage. “Do you want to drag us all down with your reckless behavior? Apologize now!”Their frustration was palpable. Despite their disdain for Adam, he was still tied to their family through marriage. If Gerald's anger boiled over, it would spell disaster for everyone associated with him.“Adam, you’ve crossed the line this time! Apologize to Grandpa right away,” Tessa demanded, her face flushed with anger and embarrassment.The crowd, sensing the mounting tension, erupted into a chorus of condemnation.“What kind of son-in-law dares to curs