At that juncture, the elderly man, abed, erupted into a violent cough, his breath rattling harshly through the tense air.“Grandfather!” Tears effortlessly breached Evelyn’s eyes as worry constricted her heart."No further delay can be afforded!"Dr. David, with syringe in hand, advanced purposefully.In this instance, Evelyn’s mind became a cavern of void, unknowing of what action to take.Her grandfather’s condition precipitously degraded, the scenario veering toward the dire; she could only witness as David plunged the syringe into the main artery.Moments later, the elder's breath softened and even a tinge of rosiness returned to his complexion.Evelyn, softly agape, scarcely believed.Witnessing this spectacle, Issac, triumphant, chortled: "Effective with a single dose, how about that?”“Zelda, you are young, susceptible to the deceptive words of others, easily misled.”"In the future, you must learn to perceive people truly, to steer clear of miscreants who exploit others!"Conc
By the time Ethan reached home, evening had settled. Amanda Fred lounged about the mansion, wallowing in boredom.Upon Ethan's arrival, she instantly pestered him to teach her martial arts.Having been preoccupied of late, he hadn't had the time. But now, Ethan imparted a few moves.Seeing her in short shorts, a high ponytail, executing each move with precision, Ethan nodded in approval.She was a fast learner, destined to become a martial arts maestro soon.That night, Londyn was in high spirits, a radiant smile gracing her face.She occasionally expressed to Ethan her astonishment at the sudden change in demeanor of her old schoolmates during their recent gathering.Their attitudes had transformed to warmth and respect, a stark contrast from that day at the karaoke bar.Curiously, she wondered if something transpired on the night she was inebriated.Ethan smirked and shook his head.He playfully suggested that perhaps after he outdrank them, their earlier arrogance had vanished in a
"Who would have thought? My very own Sean James has been embezzling company funds for quite some time, and not a single cent is retrievable now!" "The clock has ticked past twelve, and because of the colossal loan, the interest doubles daily." "At this moment, the combined principal and interest have reached a staggering 500 million..." "They've taken my mother, threatening to slice off her fingers..." By the tale's end, tears streamed down Londyn's beautiful face. Ethan's heart raced, disbelief coursing through his veins. He never anticipated the scenes he'd imagined during the auction would materialize in real life. At that time, he had felt the James family lacked the means to bid high for that necklace! "Do you now seek to negotiate with the loan sharks?" Londyn's head bobbed up and down vigorously in agreement. "I shall accompany you." With those words, Ethan sprang from the bed, dressing hurriedly. Once inside the car, their Maserati accelerated with fervor. "My mothe
The siblings worked tirelessly through the night, but with the first light of dawn, the James mansion's door was abruptly kicked open. A band of menacing thugs, wielding cudgels and clubs, stormed in. The sight of this sent shivers down the spines of the mansion’s stewards, who quickly alerted the patriarch of the James family, Pierce James. "Who are you all?" "How dare you intrude into private property? Do you want me to call the police this instant?" Pierce James, alongside the younger members of the eminent James lineage, locked their eyes intently on the figures before them. The outcome was foreboding; the man leading the opposing faction brazenly displayed stocks certificates and debt papers, a malevolent grin twisting his features. "The James household, I presume? Here lie the stock certificates of the James Conglomerate. Feast your eyes." Stepping forth, Pierce scrutinized the documents, and his visage instantly contorted in disbelief. "James... Lily owes 500 million an
Once it was confirmed that Ethan could indeed replace her in the gruesome act of finger-chopping, a maniacal glee overcame Lily. "I'll deceive them all!" she exclaimed. She then hastily rang Londyn, feeding her a fabricated tale of a failed 100 million deal, and the impending doom awaiting her in the subterranean bar. She begged for both Londyn and Ethan's intervention. ... Inside the opulent chambers of Wind Isle's Chamber of Commerce, Toby received a call from the bald moneylender. "Young master Lopez, just as you predicted, that woman is trying to use her precious son-in-law as a pawn." "Excellent!" Toby laughed gleefully. "Tomorrow, send me the video of his fingers being chopped off." Across the table, Issac joined in the laughter: "You truly are a genius, ha ha ha!" "By doing this, not only can we deal with that wretched woman, but we can also severely torment that arrogant brat. Brilliant, simply brilliant!" ... After investigating throughout the day, Ethan finally stu
The harrowing screams echoed throughout the three subterranean levels. Little did they anticipate that Ethan could so casually command the usually arrogant and imperious Vincent. Once the brawl seemed relatively subdued, Ethan signaled with a casual wave and approached the battered bald man, looking down at him in dominance. "Ready to talk now?" The bald man's once discernible features were now grotesquely distorted. Lying twisted in agony on the cold ground, he pleaded in utter terror upon seeing Ethan: "Speak, speak, I'll tell you everything. Just stop the beating!" Positioning himself regally on a large chair, Ethan awaited the confession. "It was all orchestrated by Toby from the Lopez clan... We simply couldn’t refuse him." This revelation indeed resonated with their prior investigations. Amused, Ethan looked into a camera, a mischievous grin playing on his lips: "So, he wanted you to record the mutilation of my fingers?" The bald man, gasping in horror, managed a nod. W
Each time she envisioned Ethan being treated with such brutality, tears carved deep trails on her face.This cruelty was inflicted on him because of her mother. Would it be sheer selfishness on her part if she knew and didn’t agree?Yet, every time the disconcerting demand of Toby crossed her mind, she felt that consenting would be an ordeal even worse than death itself.Ethan... What should I do?Seeing Londyn's hesitation, Toby feigned impatience. His brows knitting, he uttered: "I never expected such dishonesty from you all. If that's the case, forget it!"Having said this, he stood up, gripping the check, ready to depart.Witnessing this, Lily immediately exclaimed: "Londyn, you cannot be this selfish!""Do you intend to doom Ethan?"The mere statement: "Do you want to kill Ethan?" left Londyn completely aghast.Memories flooded her mind - times of crisis when this very man would invariably appear as her knight in shining armor.Over the days, he had aided her through countless tr
In an opulent room on the 50th floor of the Star Hotel.Observing the still-struggling woman, Toby Lopez's entire body burned with impatience and anticipation."So, what will it be? Seems you've yet to grasp the meaning of regret." he taunted.Pretending to make a call, he ordered: "Baldie, sever the kid's leg for me!""No!" The sheer horror almost caused Londyn to faint.Noting the effectiveness of his pressure tactics, Toby's lips twisted into a sinister grin: "Do it at once. I want to watch the video!"London echoed with tension. Londyn's face was an ashen palette, her tears tracing endless paths down her cheeks."I... I... I agree with you.""You must order them to cease immediately!"She was defeated.Surrender was etched in her eyes.Every fleeting thought of Ethan potentially being harmed brought her a pain so profound, it pierced her very soul.Yet, she had agreed.With a smirk, Toby commanded: "All of you, halt for now."He pocketed his phone, his eyes greedily taking in the