Bryan’s jaw clenched, his pride bruised. But beneath his anger, a flicker of uncertainty began to grow. Oliver was no ordinary man. And now, Bryan couldn’t shake the feeling that he had underestimated him from the very beginning.“Looks like you really want me to tear your arrogant mouth,” Bryan Hanover hissed, his face red with anger. His voice trembled with rage, the insult from Oliver echoing in his head like a taunting drumbeat.Oliver stood still, his expression calm, unfazed by the threat. His eyes held an eerie calmness, as if the situation was beneath him, a mere annoyance rather than a threat. It was as if he harbored some hidden strength, something Bryan and his men could never fathom.Bryan’s fists clenched, his knuckles whitening as he glared at Oliver. The muscles in his jaw tightened before he barked again, his voice heavy with a deep, rumbling fury.“Today will be the last day you breathe, you garbage! Guards! Kill this bastard now!” he shouted.The order hung in the air
“Tonight will be the last day you draw breath," Bryan Hanover hissed with a triumphant grin after he pushed the phone away from his ear.Shortly after the call was made, a group of hundreds of men in black suits, armed with baseball bats, surrounded the entire hotel.The banquet hall door burst open, and twenty muscular, cold-faced bodyguards stormed in. Standing in two neat rows, they held their heads high, chests puffed out, and shouted Nero's name in unison."Long live the great lord NERO!"All the guards cheered in a loud, guttural voice. It made all the guests tremble with fear. Their faces were deathly pale like ants swarming and being doused with water. Everyone who had originally gathered moved away from the area to seek safety. But the tension was not only felt by the guests, but also Elena and Mr. Hoshier who saw how sturdy the guards, Nero's subordinates, were.No one dared to speak a word and the atmosphere became tense with a palpable freeze. Oliver who saw it all just st
Seeing that Oliver was not afraid of him, a murderous glint appeared in Nero's eyes."Look like you have no fear of me, huh? Don't you know who I am?" Nero's voice was low, but full of threatening and intimidating emphasis."Should I get to know you?" replied Oliver indifferently.Hearing Oliver's words, Mr. Hoshier and Elena panicked to death. Their faces turned even paler. Lord Nero had a bad temper and he was easily offended. Hearing Oliver's remarks he seemed to have no fear and arrogance, which would definitely cause bigger problems if not stopped immediately."Oliver, no... wait..." Mr. Hoshier immediately extended a hand, forcing Oliver back. Now he faced Nero and bowed respectfully. "Mr. Nero, I apologize for the impertinence of his words. He doesn't know you at all, please excuse his ignorance and he is also young," said Mr. Hoshier."Oh, really? A kid like him who can't control his mouth has dared to disturb the Hanover family to the point of summoning me here! Should I just
"What did you say?" shouted Bryan in disgust. His eyes flashed with anger. "How dare you call us trash, huh?" Bryan was about to punch Oliver in the face, but Nero's hand reached out to restrain Bryan's body."Do you know what you just said?" Nero asked. His teeth were chattering. His hands were clenched into fists, holding back his emotions. "You just refused my order?""Yes. Because I am innocent in this matter. If anyone should apologize, it's them." Oliver's words were firm and fearless, pointing at Bryan and Rudolph who stood wide-eyed.Everyone there was stunned by Oliver's words. Oliver looked very brave, there was absolutely no fear even when he was in the presence of Nero. Moreover, Oliver even dared to reply to Nero's words and refused Nero's orders firmly.In this town, there was no one who dared to defy Nero's demands, but today, this seemingly ordinary Oliver completely ignored Nero's face."You crazy bastard... looks like I'm going to have to hit you over the head with a
"That's impossible," Nero whispered with a trembling voice and wide-open eyes. His breath caught as his gaze fell on the object hanging around Oliver's neck. The antique copper necklace, decorated with intricate patterns, glistened faintly under the dim light of the grand wedding hall. It was old and ancient, and even so, its meaning was very clear.Only the Lord of The Iron Alliance was allowed to wear such a necklace. Nero's heart raced, his eyes widening as he realized what a terrible mistake he had just made.The Iron Alliance-the most mysterious and powerful organization in the world -was something that even Nero, with all his influence and connections, could only slightly understand. Even his Shadow Syndicate, known as a terrifying network, was just one of the ten branches the Iron Alliance had. Their power was unparalleled, its members were even rumored to control everything from the economy to the shadows of the criminal world. Nero was always cautious, always looking back, bu
"Mr. Nero, what's going on? Why are you defending him? I've worked with you for a long time. You should have stood by my side. He's not even a nobody," Bryan protested, trying to suppress the dirty and rude words bubbling in his throat, fearful of making Nero angry. His voice wavered, filled with frustration. "He's the one who started this problem, Mr. Nero…"Bryan's eyes darted toward Oliver, standing silently amidst the chaos. His gaze burned with resentment. He couldn’t understand why Nero—his ally and a figure of power—would suddenly turn against him. If this wedding was canceled, it would mean a colossal humiliation for the Hanover family. People would talk for years, their reputations tarnished forever. Bryan couldn't let that happen, but here was Nero, ignoring him completely.Nero’s expression remained stoic, cold as ice. He turned a deaf ear to Bryan’s pleas. His mind was elsewhere, replaying the chilling realization that had struck him moments ago. The simple, copper-colored
Oliver was quite surprised. Everyone in the room shared the same stunned expression, their eyes wide in disbelief. After all, Elena Hoshier, the young lady of one of the most prestigious families in the country, had just declared that she wanted to be his girlfriend. The elegant woman who was destined to inherit her family's vast business empire had chosen him—a man with no fortune, no standing, and no power. It seemed utterly surreal.Katie's face turned a pale shade of anger and embarrassment. Her lips trembled as she processed what had just happened. Only moments ago, she had mocked Oliver in front of everyone, ridiculing him for being a loser who would never find a girlfriend. And now, Elena, a wealthy heiress whose status was leagues above her own, had publicly confessed her love for him! Katie’s eyes burned with fury as she realized her own lower status compared to Elena’s."Elena, I’m just a poor man," Oliver said, his voice low but steady. His brow furrowed with confusion, and
Nero and his men knelt in respect before Oliver, their voices rising in unison, echoing through the grand wedding hall."Our respects, Lord of the Iron Alliance!"The synchronized shout of hundreds of men reverberated like a thunderclap, startling Oliver. His eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding in his chest. Lord of the Iron Alliance? They had to be mistaken, right? There was no way these powerful men, including Nero and his Shadow Syndicate, could be bowing to him.Oliver blinked, momentarily frozen in place. He looked around the room, half expecting someone to step forward and reveal that this was some kind of elaborate joke or mistake. But there was no one else. It was him—just him—and these hundreds of men who knelt before him, heads lowered, awaiting his command."What… What did you call me?" Oliver asked, his voice shaky with confusion. His eyes darted to Nero, the leader of the group, who remained on one knee, looking up at Oliver with an expression of awe and fear."You