Her words hung in the air, cutting deep into Daniel’s arrogance. Sierra’s chest heaved as she stared at him down, her anger and disgust evident. “Your money doesn’t excuse this behavior, Daniel. You’re just embarrassing yourself, and honestly, I don’t even know who you think you’re impressing right now.”Daniel’s face twisted with fury as he touched his stinging cheek, his eyes blazing with rage. “I don’t care about this bullshit!” he barked, his voice echoing through the restaurant. “How dare he lay a finger on me? I, Daniel?” He chuckled darkly, shaking his head. “Fine. I’ll give him an opportunity. Ask him to kowtow before me and beg for forgiveness. Maybe—maybe—I’ll think about lessening his punishment. If not, even God won’t save him.”Elijah, who had remained still until now, smirked and stepped forward, his calm demeanor almost unnerving. His sharp gaze locked onto Daniel’s. “Apologize to you?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.Daniel nodded smugly. “You heard it rig
The voice replied, “I’m Isla Delaney, one of the personal assistants to your dad, General Marcus.”Elijah frowned instantly, realizing this wasn’t an ordinary call. The name "Steel" was rarely used unless it involved someone from his parents’ circle. His tone became guarded. “Alright… Isla, is it? How can I help?”Isla chuckled lightly, her tone professional but warm. “Actually, Master Steel, I’m here to help you. Your father sent me.”Elijah’s brows furrowed. “Sent you? What for?”“Your father has assigned me to assist you, specifically with the new company,” she explained.Elijah’s confusion deepened. “New company? What new company? And why is your number showing this country code? Shouldn’t it be different if you’re calling from his office?”Isla chuckled again, this time with a hint of amusement. “I’m actually here already, Master Steel. In the city.”“What?” Elijah’s eyes widened. “You’re here? Really?”“Yes, Master Steel,” Isla confirmed. “Your father sent me to provide guidance
The commotion drew the attention of everyone inside the diner, their curiosity too strong to resist. Some customers hesitated before following cautiously, eager to see what was about to unfold.Sierra tugged at Elijah’s arm, her voice low and urgent. “Should we call the police?”Elijah glanced at her and shook his head calmly. “The police have no business in this. I’ll handle it the way he wants to handle it.” His grip tightened gently on her hand, offering silent reassurance. “Come on.”He led Sierra out, his composed demeanor starkly contrasting the chaotic energy around them.When Daniel emerged, his confidence swelled at the sight before him. The jeeps’ doors swung open, and one by one, ten rugged-looking men stepped out—five from each vehicle. They looked like they’d been pulled straight out of a gritty underworld.Some held baseball bats, their grips firm as if ready to swing. Others carried sickles, the sharp blades glinting ominously under the streetlights. A few had thick met
The atmosphere thickened as the ten rugged men stepped closer to Elijah, their leader sneering as he raised his bat. “Kid, time for your limbs to go,” he said.But just as they were about to lunge, Sierra suddenly ran forward, stepping between them and Elijah with her arms outstretched. Her voice trembled but was resolute. “Please, don’t harm him! It wasn’t his fault. Daniel caused all of this!”“Sierra, move!” Elijah’s voice was firm, but she shook her head, standing her ground.Daniel’s face twisted in rage. “How dare you?” he shouted, his voice booming. He jabbed a finger toward his men. “Clear her out of the way and deal with him!”she shook her head, standing her ground.Daniel’s face twisted in rage. “How dare you?” he shouted, his voice booming. He jabbed a finger toward his men. “Clear her out of the way and deal with him!”Elijah remained calm, his gaze scanning the surroundings as if waiting for something. His hands rested casually in his pockets, but his eyes darted toward
The five suited men exchanged a quick glance, their lips curving into faint smirks. One of them stepped forward slightly, nodding in acknowledgement. "Understood, Master Elijah," he replied crisply.The ten men, seeing this exchange, grew more agitated. “You think we’re scared of you?” one of them barked, raising his bat. “You’ll regret messing with us!”“Yeah!” another chimed in, gripping his sickle tightly. “You’re just playing tough, but you’re outnumbered!”Elijah folded his arms and leaned casually against the nearest surface, his expression unbothered. He turned to Sierra, who was standing nervously beside him, and said in a low voice, “Don’t worry, they’ll wrap this up quickly.”Sierra looked at him, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and disbelief. "Elijah, are you sure—"He cut her off with a slight smirk. "Relax. It’s already over.”Two of the ten men, gripping their sickles tightly, exchanged a nod before charging toward the suited man who had stepped forward. The air was thi
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
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
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 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