At home, Alexander was preparing dinner when the sound of an incoming message made him pause. Suspicious, he picked up his phone and mumbled: “Who’s messaging me?"Opening the message, Alexander’s expression darkened. He clicked the link and watched the video.In it, Eleanor was tied to a chair, unconscious with her eyes closed. She had been kidnapped.Rage flared in Alexander’s eyes as he quickly dialed the number from the message."Where’s my wife? Tell me how much ransom you want, and I’ll give it to you—just don’t hurt her!"Alexander’s voice was frantic."Oh, look how concerned you are for your wife.” a mocking voice replied: “Young Master Silva isn’t interested in money. If you want your wife to stay unharmed, come to warehouse 502 in the west. Remember, you must come alone. If you bring anyone else, your precious wife will pay the price.""Alright! I’ll come immediately. Don’t lay a finger on Eleanor!" Alexander shouted in desperation."Enough talk. You have twenty minutes. If
The scar-faced man flattered: “Young Master, you really know how to have fun. Should I pour you another drink?"“Of course, fill it up.” Scarface grabbed the bottle and topped off Rafael’s glass.“Eleanor, last time I asked you out, but you refused. Now, I’m asking if you’ll obediently drink with me. Will you comply? If not, your trash of a husband will suffer greatly. Think it over and answer me.”"Young Master Silva, it's all my fault. Take it out on me, but don't make things hard for Eleanor!" Alexander’s eyes were bloodshot as he growled at Rafael in rage.Rafael hurled the glass toward Alexander, the liquid spraying through the air and splashing across his face.The glass missed its mark, shattering into pieces beside Alexander.“Did I give you permission to speak? You worthless leech, how dare you raise your voice at me? Who gave you that courage?”“It seems just having you kneel isn’t enough. You still don’t understand my power, so I’ll have to show you.”Scarface raised an eye
Once freed, Eleanor threw her arms around Alexander, clinging to him as she wept in his embrace. Gently, Alexander patted her back, speaking softly: “It's okay now. I'm here. It's all over.""I'm not scared. But why are you so foolish? Did it hurt when they hit you? Let me check if you're okay." Eleanor's hands lightly caressed his face, her eyes filled with tender concern.Covering her hand with his own, Alexander chuckled and said: “I'm fine. It didn't hurt at all.""How could it not hurt? It must have.” Eleanor said, her voice full of affection.They gazed into each other’s eyes, both smiling, as if they could understand what the other was thinking without speaking a word.At that moment, no words were needed. Their eyes alone conveyed everything they felt.Rafael, eyes wide open, could only watch helplessly as Alexander and Eleanor shared a tender moment. He didn’t even have the strength to speak. A deep-rooted fear started to grow inside Rafael, quickly spreading through his enti
Meanwhile, at the Golden Harbor International Hospital.Rafael lay on the hospital bed, his limbs immobilized by surgery. He faced a long recovery, possibly months.Due to significant blood loss, Rafael was also at risk of complications, but surviving was already a blessing.“How’s the boy doing, doctor?” Liam Silva stood at the doorway, his face dark with concern.“Thanks to the timely arrival, we managed to save his life. However, the extensive blood loss and limb injuries might leave lasting effects. He shouldn’t engage in heavy a
Alexander was resting at home, scrolling through news on his phone. Suddenly, the screen switched to an incoming call.The caller ID displayed the name "Joshua Thomas."Alexander casually answered, and Joshua's respectful voice came through the speaker."Young Master Reynolds, it's Joshua Thomas.""Hmm.” Alexander responded with a nasal sound, indicating he had heard.Joshua, instead of being offended by Alexander’s curt response, seemed even more delighted: “We're holding an auction here, and I was wondering if you'd be interested in attending?"For ordinary people, auctions were out of reach, but for someone like Alexander, attending such events was a form of leisure."What items are up for auction?" Alexander asked casually.If the items didn't pique his interest, he certainly wouldn't bother going.Joshua immediately understood and eagerly replied: “There are some valuable antiques, high-end pearl jewelry, and a jadeite necklace in a rare green hue—a truly exceptional and rare pie
Joshua, however, felt increasingly irritated. All he wanted was to stay on Alexander’s good side, but these foolish second-generation heirs were making matters worse. If Alexander became angry, not even the highest status Joshua could attain would be enough to appease him."Who started all this?" Joshua asked coldly, his voice simmering with anger.Phineas, oblivious to the danger, quickly nodded and said: “It was me! I was the one who caught him and questioned him."Smack!Joshua slapped Phineas across the face so hard that he spun on the spot, stunned. Holding his cheek, Phineas looked at Joshua in disbelief.Nash and Pablo, equally confused, wondered why Joshua had struck Phineas."Did you two also get involved?" Joshua asked ominously.Their blood ran cold. Though they didn’t know why, they could sense that they were in serious trouble."It was all Phineas! He led us into it. We never wanted to get involved.” they stammered in unison."Yes, we even tried to stop him! We believe it
As the auction approached, groups of young elites entered the VIP rooms. Phineas, determined to win, walked alone into his private suite.He placed his bidding number on the table, checked the communication system, and ensured the live broadcast was functioning correctly.Once everything was set, he sat upright, as if preparing for a decisive contest.The auction opened with low-value items, intended to warm up the participants. The old Khang jade-green necklace, the highlight of the event, would be auctioned second to last.Phineas sat silently, maintaining a ri
After winning the auction for the jade necklace with a vibrant green hue, Alexander returned home, his heart filled with excitement and joy.As soon as he walked through the door, he heard lively voices coming from the living room. It seemed there were guests at home.Alexander walked into the living room and saw a middle-aged woman sitting next to Valeria, bearing a strong resemblance to her.“Aren’t you going to come over and say hello? What are you standing there like a piece of wood for? This is Eleanor’s second aunt, you should call her Auntie,” Valeria snapped angrily, glaring at Alexander.Valeria’s family from Golden Harbor was a small but respectable clan. Back in the day, old Mr. Jones had used his influence to build the Jones family, and now they were considered a third-tier family in Golden Harbor.In Valeria’s generation, the Jones family had two sons and two daughters. Valeria was the youngest, with an older brother, an older sister, and another brother. The guest today