91Allvar’s breath hitched, but before he could react, his body seemed to move on instinct. He grabbed the leader by the collar and, to his own surprise, lifted him off the ground with ease. 'I didn’t know I still had it in me,' he thought, feeling a surge of muscle memory from his MMA days flood back into his limbs. “Let’s make this clear,” he growled, his face inches from the thug’s. “You either start talking... or I start breaking things that won’t heal.”The thug’s eyes widened in panic, but he clenched his jaw. "Do your worst," he rasped, trying to mask his fear.Allvar raised an eyebrow, almost amused by his own reaction time. Guess I’ve still got it. He loosened his grip slightly, sighing dramatically. "You know," he mused, "I really didn’t want to do this. But I guess you’ve left me no choice." With a swift movement, faster than he expected from himself, he slammed the thug back down onto the concrete, hard enough to knock the wind out of him. Damn, that was a clean move.Th
92Allvar’s knuckles still tingled from the blows as he climbed into his car, leaning back against the seat with a deep exhale. The small smirk tugging at the corner of his lips was almost involuntary. Derek Hawthorne. Of course, it was him. It wasn’t surprising that Derek had tried something like this, especially after that viral post, and Derek’s hatred had only grown worse since then.“Poor Derek,” Allvar muttered to himself, shaking his head as he started the car.He couldn’t wait to get home, away from the chaos of the alley and back to the quiet of his room. He prayed he wouldn’t run into Mr. Lorentz, the ever-watchful butler, or worse, his father. If either of them caught wind of what had happened tonight, they’d interrogate him until there was nothing left to hide.“Nope,” Allvar whispered, tightening his grip on the wheel. “This is between me and Derek.”The engine roared to life, and he pulled out of the alley, leaving behind the groaning thugs who’d dared to challenge him.
93Meanwhile, Allvar’s car cruised through the quiet, dimly lit streets, his thoughts still racing. He flexed his fingers around the steering wheel, his knuckles stinging from the blows. Adrenaline still hummed in his veins. It felt good to be back in action, to remind himself that he hadn’t lost his edge. But Derek’s audacity gnawed at him.Derek Hawthorne… Allvar’s fists clenched involuntarily. He’d known the guy would try to escalate things eventually, but to send thugs? That was low, even for him. Derek clearly didn’t understand who he was messing with. And now, Allvar hated him even more.“Gonna regret it, Hawthorne,” Allvar muttered under his breath.As he turned onto the street leading to his family’s estate, Allvar sighed. He really didn’t want to run into anyone tonight. Especially not Mr. Lorentz. 'Please Mr. Lorentz don't be there!'That man had eyes everywhere, and the last thing Allvar needed was a lecture—or worse, his father getting involved.He didn't want to have to
94“Sort of.” Allvar shrugged. “Look, some guys tried to rough me up. They didn’t succeed.”Mr. Lorentz’s expression hardened. “And you think that’s something to laugh about? You should’ve reported this to the authorities—or at the very least, to your father. You are not some... nobody off the streets. You’re the heir to the Falck empire.”Allvar exhaled sharply, trying to maintain his patience. “I know who I am, Mr. Lorentz. And I know how to handle myself. There’s no need to bother my father with every little thing.”“Every little thing?” Mr. Lorentz’s tone sharpened. “You look like you’ve just crawled out of a street fight, young master. This isn’t a little thing. What if something worse had happened?”“It didn’t,” Allvar insisted, his voice steady. “I’m fine. And it’s over.”The butler’s eyes narrowed even further. “You say that now, but if those men had connections—if this was more than just some random attack—”“I said I’ll handle it,” Allvar cut him off, his tone firm. “There’s
95Derek swallowed hard, his heart racing. "I won’t do anything stupid, Father," he said, his voice carefully measured.Victor stopped in his tracks and turned, narrowing his eyes. “You’ve already done something, haven’t you?”Derek froze, his throat tightening as he forced a casual shrug. "No, of course not."Victor’s gaze sharpened, his cold blue eyes boring into Derek’s. He stepped closer, his presence looming. “You better not be lying to me, Derek. The last time you acted without thinking, you almost ruined everything. I need you to be smarter than that."Derek’s palms started sweating. "I know, Father. I haven’t done anything reckless this time. I promise."Victor’s brow furrowed. “Promises don’t mean much when you’ve already broken them so many times.”Derek shifted on his feet, trying to hold his composure. "I won’t make the same mistake again. I’ve learned from it."Victor wasn’t convinced. “What exactly have you learned, Derek? That you can’t just throw your weight around wit
96Victor continued, his voice lowering, though the anger still simmered beneath his words. “You have to outthink him, not outfight him. That’s how we’ll win. If you keep acting rashly, we’ll both end up buried under your mistakes.”Derek nodded, trying to keep the rising dread from showing on his face. “I won’t act without thinking, Father. I’ve got it under control.”Victor stared at him for a long moment before turning away, gripping the edge of his desk. “No more reckless moves. The next time we strike, it has to be decisive. There’s no room for error."“I understand,” Derek murmured again, though his heart was pounding in his chest. He couldn’t go back now. He had to see this through, even if it meant defying his father.Victor gave him one last sharp glance, his voice heavy with warning. “Don’t disappoint me, Derek.”“I won’t, Father,” Derek replied, his voice firmer now, though unease gnawed at him from within.Victor lingered for a moment, eyeing his son with a mixture of doub
97“Nothing?” Victor’s brow arched skeptically, his gaze sharp and unforgiving. “You call that nothing? You’re shaking like a damn leaf, boy.”Derek forced a laugh, though it came out strained. "Just a little on edge. I didn’t hear you come in."Victor’s expression darkened. He stepped closer, his towering presence making Derek feel even smaller. "Don’t give me that crap. You’ve been acting strange ever since we talked. What’s going on?"Derek opened his mouth, then closed it, scrambling to come up with something convincing. "Just... a lot on my mind lately," he said quickly, hoping the excuse would be enough.Victor wasn’t having it. He crossed his arms, his eyes drilling into Derek. "A lot on your mind?" he echoed mockingly. "What exactly is it you’ve got on your mind, Derek? And it better not be something stupid. Because I swear to God, if I find out you’ve been up to something behind my back again—""No!" Derek cut in, his voice rising in panic. "I haven’t, I swear. I wouldn’t—"V
98 The unspoken threat hung in the air like a noose tightening around Derek’s neck. He swallowed hard, but his mind was still elsewhere—on the call from the thug, the one loose end he couldn’t afford right now. "You’re zoning out again, aren’t you?" Victor’s voice cut through his thoughts like a whip. "No, I’m listening—" Derek started, but before he could finish, his father’s hand shot forward, nearly striking him across the face. He flinched, stumbling back, his heart hammering in his chest. "Do not zone out when I’m talking to you!" Victor barked, his voice filled with the kind of rage that Derek had grown used to but never comfortable with. "This party is crucial, Derek. I don’t need you standing there like an idiot, daydreaming." Derek rubbed the back of his neck, forcing himself to focus. "I wasn’t daydreaming. I just have a lot on my mind." "A lot on your mind?" Victor repeated, his tone dripping with disdain. "What could you possibly have on your mind that’s more im