Meanwhile, Elijah had completed the security checks without any hassle. After driving inside, he parked his BMW M5 beside the Mazda 6, his eyes immediately drawn to the massive structure of Carmen's. As he stepped out of the car, his gaze swept over the grand restaurant, and he couldn't help but stand there for a moment, taking it all in.The sheer scale of Carmen's left him in awe—its multi-story design, the intricacy of the architecture, and the high-end aura radiating from every corner. The top floors gleamed like a crown above the bustling streets below. Elijah had seen many high-end places, but Carmen's was on another level. He felt a rush of excitement, wondering what kind of experience awaited inside.As Elijah stepped inside Carmen’s, the ambiance immediately caught his attention. The downstairs dining area was lively and elegant, with soft lighting casting a warm glow over the neatly arranged tables. The quiet hum of conversation and the clinking of glasses filled the air. E
The guard crossed his arms and explained firmly, "To dine here, you need proof of financial status. At least a $100,000 inflow into your account for the past three months. Additionally, the card grants access to this area—it’s issued only to members who meet this criterion. And, of course, we strictly monitor who can bring guests. This ensures the privacy and quality of the experience for our patrons.”Elijah, slightly taken aback, nodded slowly, absorbing the information. "I see," he murmured, his curiosity now piqued even more. Although he didn't know Carmen's had such rule he felt it was not bad for such top tier place. Elijah smirked at the explanation and asked, "How can I get this card then?"The security guard, still holding his firm stance, replied, "You just need to provide proof of financial eligibility. A transaction history showing an inflow of at least $100,000 for the past three months is sufficient.”Elijah’s smirk widened. "That’s not a problem," he said confidently.
His breath caught in his throat as he froze for a moment. First, he was struck by her undeniable beauty, which seemed even more radiant under the dim, elegant lighting of the top floor. But the second wave of shock came from the sheer coincidence of meeting her again, here of all places.He stood still, looking at her directly without saying a word, his expression shifting between admiration and surprise. Sierra, still in her own moment of disbelief, locked eyes with him, unable to look away. The brief yet intense gaze held between them seemed to suspend time for a fleeting second.Elijah’s thoughts raced as he noticed the man seated opposite Sierra, facing away from him. Is that her boyfriend? he wondered, frowning slightly as he observed the man’s confident posture and expensive suit. She does have a rich boyfriend then, he muttered under his breath, piecing together the exclusivity of the place and her presence here. Without lingering too long, he quickly shifted his focus and fou
Sierra held up a hand, cutting him off gently but firmly. “I said no,” she replied, her voice steady. “That isn’t what we talked about. You said a dinner, I honored it. Please, let’s not talk about anything else.”Daniel's eyes narrowed slightly, but he quickly masked his irritation with a forced smile. “Of course,” he said, his tone light, though there was an edge to it. “I just thought we could have a bit more fun, you know? But, no worries, I’ll respect your wishes.”Inside, however, he felt a surge of frustration. She was playing it so cool, not giving him the chance to get any closer, not even a little. It annoyed him, but he kept his face neutral, making sure she didn’t see the annoyance behind his smile.“Anyway,” he said, changing the subject quickly, “let’s just enjoy the rest of this. The night’s still young.” He took a sip of his drink. About five minutes later, Elijah’s food arrived. The waiter placed the dishes in front of him. Elijah’s eyes widened in appreciation as th
He froze mid-step, the unexpected greeting halting him in his tracks. Slowly, he turned around, and his gaze fell on Sierra.For a moment, his expression was one of pure shock. He hadn’t expected to see her again, especially here. "You..." he murmured, his surprise evident in his wide eyes.Elijah quickly composed himself, pushing aside his initial shock. "Sierra?" he said, forcing a light smile as he recognized her fully. His voice held a hint of disbelief, but he tried to mask it.Sierra walked a few steps closer to him, her smile small but noticeable. "Hi," she greeted softly, her tone polite but warm.Elijah nodded at her, his eyes momentarily studying her before speaking again. "You look...really nice," he said, gesturing slightly to her dress. "That outfit suits you. It's...beautiful.”His compliment was genuine, though he felt a little awkward saying it. His gaze lingered for a moment before he looked away, not wanting to seem too forward.Sierra smiled warmly at Elijah's compl
Daniel glared at Elijah, his jaw tightening. "I don’t need to introduce myself to someone like you," he spat, his tone dripping with arrogance. He then turned to Sierra, his frustration evident. "I come out here to check on you, and I find you with some random guy? Who the hell even is he, Sierra?"Without waiting for her response, he swung his gaze back to Elijah, his temper flaring. "If you know what’s good for you, you’ll walk away and stay out of this. She’s with me.”Sierra stepped between Daniel and Elijah, her face flushed with anger. "Daniel, what is wrong with you?" she snapped, her voice loud enough to draw more attention from the onlookers. "How dare you act like this? Who gave you the right to push someone like that?"Her eyes blazed as she continued, "He didn’t do anything wrong! We were just talking, and here you are, acting like some arrogant, possessive jerk! What is your problem?”Daniel opened his mouth to reply, but Sierra cut him off, her tone sharper now. "You
He paused, as if reconsidering, but instead of finishing his sentence, he shook his head and stormed off, leaving the washroom hall in silence.As Daniel stormed off, Sierra quickly turned to Elijah, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She looked down for a moment, gathering her thoughts, and then said shyly, "I’m really sorry about that. Daniel…he’s just so proud and arrogant sometimes. He overreacts, and I didn’t mean for this to happen.”Elijah studied her for a moment, his expression softening. He shook his head and offered her a reassuring smile. "It’s not your fault, Sierra. You don’t have to apologize for someone else’s behavior. Don’t worry about it."Sierra looked up at him, a hint of relief in her eyes. "Thank you," she said softly, grateful for his understanding.Elijah shrugged lightly. "People like him are everywhere. You just have to let them be. Are you okay, though?"She nodded, her smile returning faintly. "I’m fine. Just embarrassed by the whole scene.""Don’t be
Elijah glanced at the money in her hand and let out a soft chuckle. "Sierra, really, it’s fine. Keep your money. I’m not worried about it.""But I am," she insisted, holding the money closer to him. "You just paid 18,850 dollars because of me. That’s not something small I can just brush off. I’ll pay you back."Elijah looked at her determined face and sighed, realizing she wasn’t going to let it go easily. "Alright," he said, raising his hands slightly in surrender. "How about this—you keep your cash for now, and if it’ll make you feel better, we can talk about settling it later. Fair?”Sierra hesitated, clearly wanting to insist further, but eventually nodded. "Okay. But I mean it, Elijah. I’m going to pay you back every cent."Elijah smirked lightly and replied, "We’ll see.”After settling the bill, Elijah and Sierra walked toward the exit together. The soft hum of conversation and clinking glasses from the restaurant faded as they made their way down the grand staircase.Halfway d
The house wasn’t bare anymore. It was... alive.He wandered into the kitchen, where shiny new utensils were neatly arranged. Foodstuff lined the shelves, and a delicious aroma wafted through the air. Curious, he lifted the lid of a pot on the stove to find perfectly cooked jollof rice. Beside it, there was a separate pot of stew and a tray of meat.“Damn,” he muttered, impressed, before moving on.The fridge had been brought in and stocked with bottled water and an assortment of drinks. Even the wine bar was arranged with a selection of wines, most of which had low alcohol content. He inspected everything—plates, glasses, and small touches that made the space feel like a home.He returned to the living room, glancing at Sierra with a soft smile. She’d done all this. Kneeling beside her, he murmured, “You must be tired,” and gently reached out to touch her cheek.Before his hand made contact, Sierra yawned and stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She blinked, startled by the pair of eyes
Meanwhile, Sophia was still happily talking to Damian when they saw Laura walk over. As Laura approached, her expression was cold and filled with restrained anger. She locked eyes with Sophia, who returned the look with equal disdain. For a moment, the tension between the two women hung thick in the air.Damian glanced between them and frowned. "Laura, I thought you should be working. What do you want here?"Laura took a deep breath, standing her ground. "Boss Damian, I need to discuss something important with you.”Damian crossed his arms. "What is it?"Laura hesitated, her eyes flicking to Sophia. "With you and me only. Not her."Sophia raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms smugly, while Damian shook his head. "You can say whatever you need to right here. Sophia isn’t going anywhere."Laura clenched her fists at her sides but managed to keep her composure. "Fine," she said, lifting her chin. "I want to talk about the promotion. I believe there’s been a mistake.”Sophia frowned heari
The room erupted into a mix of applause and astonishment, with several workers looking at each other in surprise. Sophia, standing among them, froze for a moment, her heart racing although she was aware she was the one to be promoted. She felt dozens of eyes turning to her.Damian extended his hand toward her and said warmly, "Miss Bennett, please step on stage.”Sophia inhaled deeply, smoothing her already pristine office wear as she walked forward. Her heels clicked against the polished floor, and the applause grew louder. As she reached the stage, she turned to face the crowd.Damian gestured for her to stand beside him. "Ladies and gentlemen, this promotion is not just a reward but a reflection of consistent effort and excellence. Congratulations, Miss Bennett."Sophia nodded politely, her lips curving into a gracious smile as she acknowledged the crowd. "Thank you," she said, her voice clear and steadyAs Sophia stood on stage, basking in the applause, the murmurs among the worke
The men remained silent, their shame deepening under Victor's harsh words. One of them finally stammered, "S-Sir, we tried our best, but that man... he wasn’t ordinary. His men... they were like machines—""Enough!" Victor roared, slamming his hand on the armrest, making some of the men flinch. "Excuses don’t interest me. You’ve embarrassed me and my son!"Daniel stopped pacing, his face twisted with fury. "They’re pathetic, Father. I told you they were useless! Elijah humiliated me in front of everyone, and these fools couldn’t even defend me!”Victor leaned back in his chair, his expression darkening. "I underestimated this person," he said, his voice low and calculating. He turned his gaze back to the kneeling men. "Get out of my sight. I’ll deal with your incompetence later.”“Sir,” one of them began, clutching his injured shoulder, “we… we need some money to treat our injuries.”Lawrence’s expression darkened, and without a word, he rose from his seat, the golden necklace around
"Save it!" Daniel interrupted, pacing back and forth as his anger boiled over. "You think this is minor? Do you know how badly this has gone? Do you know how humiliated I am?! You're the one who sent men and now look! It's a disaster!”The bystanders who hadn’t already dispersed began whispering amongst themselves, their curiosity growing at Daniel’s outburst. Daniel’s father sighed heavily on the other end of the call. "Listen to me, Daniel. Don’t make things worse for yourself. Leave the place now.""But Dad—!" Daniel began, his voice shaking with frustration."Enough!" his father interrupted, his voice sharp and commanding. "I’ll send someone to pick up those ten useless men you hired. They’re of no use to you now. Just leave before you embarrass yourself further."Daniel gritted his teeth, but he couldn’t argue with his father’s authority. "Fine," he muttered, though his tone was far from calm."And as for this Elijah," his father continued, his voice colder now, "don’t worry abo
Minutes later, Sierra walked out of the fitting room, and Elijah’s attention immediately shifted to her. The dress she had chosen fit her perfectly, its simplicity complementing her natural beauty. She adjusted the hem slightly, brushing a hand down the fabric as if to get used to the feel of it. Elijah’s lips curled into a subtle smile as he watched her approach. “Looks good on you,” he said sincerely. Sierra glanced at him, her expression soft but slightly self-conscious. “It’s just a dress,” she muttered, trying to downplay it, though a faint blush crept onto her cheeks. Brandon, still standing at the counter, looked at Sierra and then at Elijah, visibly holding back his words. It was clear he hadn’t expected Sierra to actually leave the fitting room with a new dress that had been paid for. Elijah picked up the bags of clothes and sneakers, holding them effortlessly. “Ready to go?” he asked Sierra casually, as though the tension in the air from earlier didn’t exist. She nodded,
As Elijah reached the counter, he immediately recognized Brandon. His lips curled into a light smile, and he greeted politely, “Good afternoon.”Brandon, however, wasn’t having it. He crossed his arms and frowned deeper. “What do you want, please?” he asked with obvious irritation in his tone.Sierra noticed the hostility immediately, her brows furrowing. “Is that how you frown and speak to customers?” she questioned sharply, her voice carrying an edge.Brandon shot her a glare, clearly unbothered. “Customers?” he scoffed. “He came here yesterday and lied about buying clothes. After picking out $28,000 worth of items, he didn’t even have the money to pay. I’m yet to hang them back!” Brandon’s voice dripped with condescension as he turned his eyes back to Elijah. “Did you come to waste my time again?”Before Brandon could continue, Elijah cut in calmly, “Yesterday, there was a fault with my bank. Don’t worry, everything is working now. The clothes are still available, right? Just hand
The head of staff hesitated, still processing what had happened. "Uh... I—I think it’s around $15,000, sir. That includes the tables, chairs, glassware, and a few damaged fixtures."Elijah nodded and looked back at Daniel, his eyes cold and unyielding. "You heard her. Fifteen thousand dollars. Pay it now."Daniel’s face flushed red with anger and humiliation. "Fifteen thousand? Do you have any idea who I am? Why should I pay—"Slap!Elijah delivered a sharp slap to Daniel’s face, cutting him off. The crowd gasped, and even Sierra flinched slightly. Elijah’s voice was low but firm. "I’m not asking. You caused the damage, and you’ll pay for it. Or do you want me to call my men back to convince you?"Daniel swallowed hard, his fear evident. His hands trembled as he reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He opened a payment app and shakily asked the head of staff for the restaurant’s account details.The head of staff quickly provided them, and within moments, the transaction wa
Elijah’s cold gaze settled on the four remaining suited men. His tone was calm but carried an edge of command as he spoke. "Join him. All of you. Take those seven down together. I want to hear screams. Break their bones… and do it well."The suited men nodded sharply, no hesitation in their movements. One of them smirked, cracking his knuckles. “It’ll be over before you know it, Master Elijah.”Without another word, the five men advanced like predators closing in on prey.The seven men with weapons, now visibly shaking, tried to stand their ground. “Come on! We’re not scared of you!” one shouted, though his voice cracked.The air erupted into chaos as the suited men reached them. Screams pierced the evening, echoing through the area.“No! Please—ARGH!” one of the seven howled as his arm was twisted unnaturally, the sickening crack of bone splitting the air. Blood spattered the ground as another man tried to swing his bat, only to have it ripped from his hands and shattered across his