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BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 76
Samuel’s breath was shallow, his chest tight as he stared at the soul trapped within.His mother’s soul.He could feel it—its warmth, its pain, the faint trace of memories he thought he had buried long ago.Victoria tilted her head, her amber eyes glimmering with amusement. "You feel it, don’t you?" she murmured, her voice like silk weaving into his mind. "Her essence, her suffering. It’s all so… tragic."Samuel clenched his fists, his body rigid with rage. "You expect me to believe you have my mother’s soul?"Victoria chuckled. "Oh, Samuel. You’re smart enough to recognize real power when you see it. This is no illusion. It’s the truth." She lifted the orb slightly, making the light flicker. "And I control it."Sarah took a sharp step forward, her hands trembling. "You manipulative—!"Victoria’s gaze flicked toward her, and a gust of force sent Sarah stumbling back. Ethan caught her before she could hit the floor, his face dark with anger."Careful," Victoria warned, her voice still
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 77
The moment Victoria Brook disappeared, the air in the room shifted. The weight of Samuel’s decision hung heavy, pressing against Ethan and Sarah like a suffocating fog.Ethan’s fingers twitched, his body tense with unspent rage. "I can’t believe this," he muttered. "You actually shook hands with that—monster."Samuel didn’t flinch. His golden eyes were eerily calm, but beneath the surface, the abyss within him churned like a storm. "It was necessary."Sarah’s voice was barely a whisper. "She has your mother, Samuel… but at what cost?"His silence was answer enough.Ethan exhaled sharply and turned away, running his hands through his hair. "Damn it, man. We spent all this time fighting against the Brooks, and now you’re in bed with them?"Samuel’s jaw tightened. "I said I made a deal. I never said I was loyal."Sarah’s brows furrowed. "Then what is this, Samuel? A long con?"He met her gaze. "Exactly."The words should have reassured them, but they didn’t. The line between deception an
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 78
The city below shimmered with artificial lights, an illusion of peace masking the war brewing beneath the surface.Samuel clenched his fists. He had made it inside. Now came the hardest part—not losing himself.Behind him, the door creaked open. He didn’t turn, already sensing Victoria’s presence.“You should rest,” she said smoothly. “Tomorrow will be... demanding.”Samuel exhaled slowly. “What’s on the agenda?”Victoria stepped closer, her golden hair catching the moonlight. “My father wants to test you. Consider it an initiation.”Samuel scoffed. “Is that what we’re calling it?”Victoria smirked. “It’s a rite of passage, Samuel. The real question is—are you ready?”Samuel turned to face her, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dark. “I don’t break easily.”Victoria tilted her head, studying him with an intensity that sent a chill down his spine. “Let’s hope not,” she murmured. “Because the Brook family does not tolerate weakness.”Samuel’s lips curled. “Neither do I.”Victoria g
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 79
Samuel sat in the dimly lit room, his thoughts a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. The weight of what he had done pressed heavily on his chest. He had controlled the creature, bent it to his will—but at what cost? The darkness inside him had responded too easily, too eagerly. It felt like the line between himself and the abyss was beginning to blur.A soft knock at the door interrupted his thoughts.“Come in,” he called, his voice rougher than he expected.Victoria stepped inside, dressed in a sleek black gown that hugged her figure. She looked every bit the heiress of the Brook empire—dangerous, untouchable. But tonight, there was something else in her eyes. A flicker of something he couldn’t quite place.“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” she remarked, crossing the room with effortless grace.Samuel exhaled sharply. “Maybe I have.”She smirked but didn’t sit. Instead, she leaned against the desk, arms crossed. “What’s really bothering you, Samuel?”He ran a hand through his hair.
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 80
Samuel sat in the back of the sleek black Maybach, fingers tapping against the leather seat as he stared out at the city. The neon lights flickered past, the skyline a breathtaking display of power and ambition. But tonight, it felt different.Tonight, he felt different.Desmond Hale’s terrified expression still lingered in his mind. The way the man’s hands had trembled as he signed away his fortune, his influence—his entire legacy. Samuel had seen fear before. He had caused it.But this was the first time it had felt so… easy."You're quiet."Victoria’s voice cut through the silence. She was sitting across from him, legs crossed, a glass of wine in her hand. Even in the dim light of the car, her sharp emerald eyes watched him like a predator waiting for a sign of weakness.Samuel exhaled, his fingers stilling. "Just thinking."She smirked. "Dangerous habit.""Necessary one."Rhys, who was sitting beside Victoria, chuckled. "Well, don’t think too hard. You did good tonight. Elijah wil
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 81
The silence in the penthouse was deafening.Samuel stood near the floor-to-ceiling windows, overlooking the city. It was past midnight, and yet, the world outside never slept. Neither did he.His fingers curled into a fist as he thought about the Solberg family. The warning they had sent. The blood they had spilled.They thought they could intimidate him.They thought wrong.Behind him, Victoria poured herself another glass of wine, her movements slow and deliberate. Rhys sat on the couch, tapping his fingers against his knee, restless.Elijah had sent them a clear message—retaliation was coming.But Samuel wasn’t satisfied with simple revenge. He wanted destruction."They expect us to make a move tonight," Victoria said, sipping her wine. "Which means we do nothing."Rhys scoffed. "Since when do we sit back and take hits?""We don’t," Samuel said, turning to face them. "But we don’t act like amateurs either. The Solbergs want us to react. They want us to be predictable."Victoria nod
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 82
Samuel sat in his penthouse, staring at the city below. The skyline was a maze of blinking lights, but his mind was focused on only one thing—revenge.Victoria sat across from him, legs crossed, swirling a glass of bourbon. Rhys leaned against the counter, his jaw tight with frustration. They were waiting.And Samuel hated waiting."Dominic should have called by now," Victoria said, checking her watch. "It's been twenty-four hours."Rhys exhaled sharply. "What if he backed out?""He wouldn’t," Samuel said, his voice cold. "He knows what’s at stake."Before anyone could respond, Samuel’s phone buzzed.Unknown Number.He answered immediately. "Talk."Dominic’s voice came through, smooth but laced with urgency. "We have a problem."Samuel’s grip tightened on the phone. "Explain."Dominic sighed. "I got into their accounts. But the Solbergs were ready for it. The moment I accessed their offshore holdings, their cyber team locked down everything. They knew someone was coming for them."Sil
BENEATH THE MASK: REVENGE OF SAMUEL HAYES 83
A convoy of sleek black cars sped through the streets, their presence sending a wave of tension through the city. The Brooks weren’t just another business rival—they were the only ones who could challenge Samuel’s empire, not just in wealth but in power. And tonight, they were done playing in the shadows. "They’re getting reckless," Lucas said, standing beside Samuel. His usually calm demeanor was strained, his fingers curling into fists. "They wouldn't make a move like this unless they were sure they had something to counter you." Samuel smirked, his sharp features illuminated by the city lights. "Let them come. If they think they can corner me, they’ve severely underestimated the difference between power and control." Down below, the streets were no longer just filled with mortals. Shadows flickered unnaturally, warping and twisting as figures emerged from them—warriors bound by old magic, creatures that belonged to a realm most humans had no knowledge of. Samuel recognized t
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\The road to the Vale of Remnants wasn’t marked on any map. It was hidden, buried beneath centuries of secrecy and natural camouflage. Eli had given them a tattered scroll, ink faded but still legible, containing coordinates only someone with the sigil could decipher. As they left the last paved road behind, the air grew heavier, laced with static. Trees loomed taller here, their twisted trunks like sentinels watching every move.Samuel sat in the backseat, staring out at the encroaching forest, his mind reeling. The Mark of Ascendance pulsed under his sleeve with quiet insistence, as if reacting to their proximity to the boundary. Every time he blinked, he saw that throne again—ancient and immense, its surface etched with glowing veins of light and shadow.Joey drove in tense silence. He had stopped cracking jokes two hours ago, when the GPS died and the radio began spitting out bursts of static mixed with those same whispered voices Samuel had been hearing. Sarah sat beside him, ey
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The handshake lingered longer than it should have, and when Marcus finally let go, Samuel wiped his hand on his coat, as if trying to rid himself of something foul. The warehouse hit had gone clean, precise, but that didn’t matter now. Callahan’s warning refused to quiet in Samuel’s head. The real players—the ones who truly run this city—are still out there.Back at the safe house, the atmosphere was no warmer than when they had left. Olivia was asleep on the couch, her breathing shallow but even. Rafael stood by the window, watching the street, while Evelyn leaned against the wall, arms crossed, the lines of tension etched deeper into her face.“You okay?” Samuel asked, stepping beside her.She didn’t answer at first. Then, quietly, “We just shot a man in cold blood, and I don’t feel a thing. That’s not normal.”Samuel glanced at her. “Normal left the building a long time ago.”Rafael spoke up. “We’ve stirred something up. Marcus might be useful, but he’s no ally. He plays sides, not
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'Hey, how about now? I am hungry'.There really was no other choice but to send a message to Gelael and go out with him. I couldn't possibly have to whine to Adrian, he might get really angry with me, because earlier he had offered to buy food straight away.Luckily, in no more than five minutes, Gelael arrived. I immediately got down and opened Gelael's car door when I saw that he had come with his friend. I immediately closed the front door and moved to the back. Unlucky! It's really embarrassing."Eh, sorry Emma, I forgot to tell you that I invited my brother, his name is Bon," said Gelael, Bon then extended his hand towards me."Emma," I said, shaking Bon's hand."Where are you going, sis?" Bon asked Gelael."Whatever, just a place to eat, a relaxed cafe, something delicious, if possible with live music," said Gelael.I sent a message to Gelael.'Why didn't you say that you would invite your brother, I was embarrassed because I suddenly opened the front door''Why should you be em
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"Why did you bring your brother? That's really cool," I asked."He was the one who wanted to come, he said he was bored at home, lazy about being told by his older brother, so I just invited him, do you feel bothered?" Gelael asked back."No, it's up to you, whoever you want to invite," I answered.Gelael smiled, he kept looking at me, I became uncomfortable."What now?" I asked Gelael."Nothing, I'm just happy to see you again, forgive all my stupidity yesterday, I think I was possessed by the ghost of a woman, that's why I acted so annoyingly," said Gelael."There's no need to discuss it any further, just assume that if you're crazy, I understand," I said.Gelael laughed, he looked back at me while supporting his chin. A very annoying pose for me, I ignored it and immediately played with my cellphone.Adrian sent photos of the food being served at Sandra's house, lots of it. It looked like they were having a luxurious party, Sandra was also seen smiling holding a lobster. I'm gratef
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“Why, just because I said something wrong earlier? "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it, don't be angry like this, we can discuss other things that are more interesting," replied Gelael."What else can I discuss with you?" I asked."What, I don't know either, there are many things I could tell you but you won't hear them, you understand what I mean," said Gelael, he looked at me sharply."Yeah, thank you, I don't want to hear it one bit," I answered.Gelael raised his eyebrows, he then opened his cellphone. Likewise with me. I also kept myself busy by opening my cellphone.I looked around, people seemed to be chatting with each other, sharing stories, laughing, and making memorable memories. Meanwhile we were both just busy with our own affairs. There are no more words, no more stories that we can talk about, it's all over.Likewise with this relationship, it should be completely over, it cannot be forced. Between the two of us we still have wounds and hopes, I have wounds that have not yet h
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Adrian sat on the sofa in front of the television, leaned his head against the sofa cushion, he closed his eyes, from his expression I could tell that Adrian felt very tired and depressed."Sandra apologized to me earlier, she told me about how all this could happen, I was very touched," said Adrian, still with the same expression."That's all he said?" I asked.Adrian opened his eyes, he squinted at me."What else did he tell you? Is there anything else?” Adrian asked me with a confused and curious face."Yes, she told me how she broke up with Hudson, and how all this madness started," I answered, I sat next to Adrian.“Hudson? What did he tell you? "He just said that, all of this has nothing to do with me, all the mistakes that exist are proof that he was guilty and negligent, he was just being hit by anxiety and worry about his life, so he finally chose a shortcut to calm himself down," said Adrian."I don't want to talk about this problem because it is Sandra's personal matter, bu
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"Whoever is stressed, it seems like he is talking about himself," I said quietly. I then closed the door and locked it.What should I do now, it was still very early, I looked in the refrigerator, there was some ice cream that I hadn't eaten. Because I was hungry, I decided to cook instant noodles.After a few minutes, the instant noodles I made were ready and I brought them in front of the television. I turned on the television and ate the noodles I made. It's really delicious.Days like this are sometimes very enjoyable, maybe you know what I mean, I haven't lived a normal life like someone without problems for a long time, so this sometimes becomes an interesting habit.Gelael sent me a message saying good morning, I ignored it. I've really decided to keep my distance from Gelael, I don't want to have to play with everything at my young age all the time.By the way, it's December 28th, it's great that Adrian is still working at the end of the year, what a busy businessman. Sometime
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We arrived at the mall where Gelael and I met again for the first time after we separated."Let's just go straight to the salon, okay? My head feels very heavy," said Sandra, she then took my hand and we started walking along the mall."So how did that happen, I really can't comment reading what you just showed me, I'm very happy," I said, Sandra's smile couldn't hide her feelings which were also very happy."Why did I ask Adrian to come home last night? Because I really opened my mind, I apologized to Adrian and asked him not to think about all the things I did, I thought there were things I had to finish before it was too late. So after Adrian came home, I immediately called Tommy and talked to him. Including my meeting with Adrian, Hudson and what just happened, maybe we talked for almost three hours, I have become relieved and open since telling you, so I am really grateful that because of you I can have the courage to admit those things. At first I was hesitant to call Tommy, but
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The safe house felt colder than usual. The air was thick with tension, the kind that settled in your bones and refused to let go. Samuel sat in the corner of the dimly lit room, his fingers lightly tapping against his knee. Evelyn was across from him, tending to Olivia, who lay on the couch with a blanket wrapped around her.Damon paced near the window, his agitation barely contained. “This doesn’t feel like a win,” he muttered. “We took out Vincent, got Olivia back, but something feels... off.”Samuel knew exactly what he meant. The words of the dying man at the warehouse still echoed in his mind. There are worse monsters coming.“We don’t have time to celebrate,” Samuel said finally. “Vincent may be dead, but that doesn’t mean we’re safe. Power like his doesn’t just disappear—it shifts.”Evelyn looked up, her expression tired but determined. “Then we make sure no one else takes it.”Damon scoffed. “That’s a nice thought, but how? We’re just four people against an entire city of crim
