Victor took his time to appoint a new Board of Directors for Springfield Global Hospital. Clive Baron sent him a list of eligible candidates, and Victor interviewed them before deciding. He chose those known for their humanitarian activities and had impeccable records.One of the talented staff, Chief Resident Lou Kramer, was elevated to Medical Director. He found a suitable person to fill the Head Nurse position. Only after ensuring Edgar's absolute security and comfort did Victor leave the hospital.It was already late at night when Clive came to pick him up. "Sir, you caused massive ripples throughout the city today," he said, watching his master in the rearview mirror. "The news about the storm at Springfield Global Hospital spread like wildfire. Nobody had ever imagined that the entire management of a reputed organization would be overhauled within hours. People here are acquainted with a certain way of life and are resistant to change. Therefore, such a dramatic event has shocke
"Roger Smith," Dave replied in a defeated voice. "Do you remember him? He was prom king and dated the hottest girls in school." Victor indeed remembered Roger Smith. He was a condescending jerk from a well-to-do family. Most of the girls were crazy about him back in the school days because of his carefree attitude. Since the boy showed promise in his studies, he went on to work a cushy job in the corporate sector."Is he already wealthy enough to purchase such an expensive property?" Victor asked. Roger's background was affluent, but Prince County land prices were too high even for someone like him. Only bigwigs like Clive Baron and Claire Holt could consider the purchase without denting their savings.Dave sighed. "No, he's not buying it for himself. Roger is an executive in a big company and is scouting on their behalf." "Then what is the issue?""Roger says he is interested in the villa but needs some convincing. I hope you can talk to him since you are quite persuasive. You were
The Mayfair Lagoon was Springfield's most sophisticated hotel. It was built in 1934 by a French architect. The Holt family took over the establishment ten years back and renovated it into a world-class hotel. Today, it was the hotspot of wealth and power in Springfield, frequented by billionaires and celebrities alike. Daphne walked into the main lobby and gasped in surprise. "This place is so beautiful..." The Mayfair Lagoon had the old-world charm of Hollywood with its Persian rugs, taxidermy, and plush velvet armchairs. Uniformed bellhops stood in attention or moved around holding luggage. Lara covered her mouth and wowed everything she saw. "I heard the fifteenth floor is called the Executive Floor and is mostly reserved for top-notch billionaires and celebrities. People like us are not allowed up there. One day when I become a famous actress, I'll book a table all by myself."Roger Smith walked ahead, his chest swelling in pride. "You won't have to wait that long, Lara. I'll bo
The elevator door hissed open just then, and a dangerous-looking guy walked out. He was almost six foot six inches and wore a leather jacket with a human skull design. The man had scars across his face, meaning he had been in the army or was a local gang member. The latter was true. "Mr. Savage!" the receptionist exclaimed, leaving his desk hurriedly and greeting him with a bow. "If you needed something, you could have summoned me, sir. You did not have to come down here all the way.""Hey, isn't that Joe Savage?" Dave whispered to his friends. "The lieutenant of the Grizzly Kings?""What's the Grizzly Kings?" Lara asked under her breath."Shh," Roger replied. "They are one of the top criminal gangs in Springfield. They report directly to the Holts. I think Joe Savage is Claire Holt's personal bodyguard."The staff and bellhops took respectful stances as the menacing man entered the lobby. Even other guests gave him a wide berth. The Grizzly Kings were known for their bad tempers and
As Claire entered the hall amidst gasps of admiration from the crowd, Joe Savage's attitude changed abruptly. His menacing aura dropped, and his attack stance changed to one of respect. The hulking gangster turned from a raging beast to an obedient pup. "Madam Holt… You didn't tell me you'd come in person to meet your honored guest. I escorted Victor Damone to the Executive floor following your orders."Claire raised an eyebrow. "It didn't look like you were honoring him when I entered." Her glare burned through him like a hot knife through butter. Joe broke into a cold sweat and hung his head. Deep down, his hatred for Victor doubled. Was he being scolded because of that ordinary man? He'd never forget the insult and nurture the grudge forever. He won't think twice before acting if he ever saw an opportunity to kill him. Claire turned to Victor's group. Lara and Daphne eyed the beauty from head to toe. When Lara had first walked into the Executive floor, only a few people had looked
Claire's private chamber was an exquisite work of art. The floor was made entirely of neatly cut aquaglass marble. The walls and decor featured a nature theme with mini fountains, aquariums, and colored boulders across the room. Tiny gardens boasted decorative plants and exotic flowers. Claire settled into a royal lounge chair and motioned Victor to sit opposite him. A small fountain spouted water into neon lights. An attendant arrived and served them wine. Claire waved her hand, beckoning that she wanted to be alone with her guest. The attendants bowed and exited."So… Victor…" she said, crossing her legs. Her voice trailed off as her dress rode up her legs, exposing smooth and silky thighs. Victor felt it necessary to acknowledge the billionaire's help. "Thanks for allowing my friends into the Executive floor. I appreciate it."Claire shook her head lightly. "Don't mention it. You rescued me in a critical position when I had lost all hope. I'd be dead if it were not for you. Openi
Victor interlaced his fingers and observed Claire intently. "Your proposal isn't sudden at all. I think you decided to hire me the very first time we met."The beauty smiled. "Well, nothing gets past you, it seems. But that should not matter. Just tell me, what do you say to my offer?""I have a lot of things to do."Claire nodded. "Let me put it this way, and lay out the map for you. You need a job now that your company is sinking. At least for appearance's sake. If you work for me, your wife will think you got your life back in order. And finally, acting as my bodyguard will give you an excellent cover for whatever your true identity is… For whatever you do secretly..."Victor's lips bent into a thin smile for the first time. "You seem to have thought this through. Impressive."Claire shrugged and grinned. "I'll pay you fifty thousand per month, and many of my resources will be at your disposal. Does that sound like a good deal?"Victor considered it for a moment and then spoke up. "
Chloe's eyes widened in shock. She kept checking and rechecking the latest message on her phone."You have received 1 million dollars in your account," it read.Beside her, Josh Atelier's jaw dropped. It was not an everyday occurrence to receive a million dollars in one's account.The Grizzly Kings abducted the couple, took them to Drummond Towers, and locked them in a room. Draken Towers was the headquarters of the Grizzly Kings and was a front for all their illegal activities. Its rooms also served as safe houses."Who transferred one million dollars to you?" Josh asked in shock."I don't know…" Chloe mumbled. Actually, she knew very well who had given her the money. It happened precisely after she asked the mysterious rich guy to help her. However, Chloe wasn't willing to share that information with Josh.Even though she considered him a temporary boyfriend, revealing that she was involved with another guy would be foolish. When the time was right, she'd break up with Josh and run i
Victor checked the time on his Cartier watch. It was a Valentine's gift from Eva. He wondered what she'd be doing right now—probably still awake, waiting for her lover. Even though the duo were intimate just a few hours ago, he already missed her warm, slender body., and her naughty smile.Victor had spent all night hunting down criminals—drug peddlers, child traffickers, rapists, and burglars. They were petty offenders but still made Springfield unsafe. He would be back home already if he hadn't followed Kate to the abandoned asylum."First things first, Raven," Victor began. "Why did you call me a monster? What was that uncalled-for outburst all about?"Kate crossed her arms and gave him a quizzical look. Did Roadkill seriously not know? Was the psychopath clueless about his own murderous tendencies?"I will not fall for that," she replied defensively. "You're trying to find whether I have gathered any evidence to incriminate your brutalities. Once you know everything, it will be co
Kate's grip loosened a bit on her knives. Did the stranger say he was Roadkill? Why was the name so familiar? A moment's reflection brought back her doubts and anxiety.Of course! The poster vigilante, Roadkill! He was so popular among the youth that cosplayers dressed up as him in comic-con. Teen girls loved him so much they got the tattoo 'R' over objectionable parts of their bodies. There were steaks and drinks named after him!Kate ground her teeth in disgust. The Raven used to be Springfield citizens' poster heroine and sole protectress. That ended when Roadkill arrived. However, the female vigilante wasn't really upset that he stole the limelight from her. She was more disturbed by how he did it.Kate went through the newspaper articles, online blogs, and witness reports of cases in which Roadkill was involved. Even though the police department publicly denounced him, they made no attempts to curb his vigilante activities. On the other hand, the Raven was painted as a hobbyist a
Kate jumped from rooftop to rooftop undetected in the darkness, her beastly green eyes glowing in the night. She was light as a feather and agile like a feline. She used parkour moves, advanced gymnastics, and physical resilience to traverse buildings.Kate was trying to put some distance between herself and the crime scene she had recently visited. Less than ten minutes later, she found a group of drunkards harassing an innocent lady. The latter was returning from shopping and somehow missed the curfew time.The villainous group ambushed her in an alley and surrounded her. After robbing the lady of her belongings, they went too far. Inebriated and stoned, they attempted to tear off her clothes and rape her.Luckily, Kate heard her cries and jumped down from the building for a rescue. She offered no warning to the perpetrators. Her powerful chops, jabs, and slams floored them in a minute. The end result was that the men needed hospitalization to survive.After making an anonymous call
Clearly unsettled, Eva tried to get up from the bed. But she failed because her legs and arms were bound. The young woman had been stripped and made to wear a hospital gown.What was going on? Didn’t she lose consciousness in the restaurant? Where the hell did they bring her? Or was she asleep, having a nightmare?Eva heard a few voices talking but couldn’t recognize them.“The fresh specimen has a bun in the oven, sir…”“What? Is the woman pregnant? Now, that sounds like good news. We can have both her grey matter and her uterus. Jackpot!”Eva’s heart froze in horror. What nonsense were the strangers blabbering? Then, the realization hit her. She had been abducted!“Where am I?” Eva called out to the voices. “What’s going on here? Answer me! I am the Mayor’s executive assistant! You guys are in a lot of trouble! The military police will barge in at any moment and gun you down!”Eva heard footsteps. Moments later, three smiling faces loomed over her. “Ah, the specimen is awake,” a mid
Eva stopped eating her food and stared at the young man. He looked innocent, probably fresh out of high school, a college freshman. Was he a fan of Victor Cromwell?“How did you know it was me?” she asked apprehensively.“Please don’t be alarmed, ma’am,” he replied, joining his hands. “I am George. I am actually a big admirer of Mr. Victor Cromwell and the wonderful work he has been doing for Springfield. You’re always by his side in meetings, conferences, and photo ops. Therefore, it isn’t irregular for commoners like us to recognize you.”Eva was still unconvinced. “You are a fan of Victor’s work? Are you okay with military rule? Most of the city appears to be against it.”“Yes, of course they are against it!” George exclaimed. “Governments rise and fall all the time. Governance styles also change. Springfield is becoming a military-industrial complex, and people must get with the times.”Eva nodded, reassured that the boy was a modern arts student, an idealist. Why else would he tr
Eva Atelier stepped out of the shower, looking resplendent. She wore only a white bathrobe and smelled of lavender and honey. The beauty just had a long, warm, and luxurious shower. However, the timing could have been better since it was past midnight.Victor had gone out after an hour-long lovemaking session, leaving her yearning for a thorough cleansing. Perhaps he would return soon, and they could go at it again. She was already horny thinking about her man.Victor usually disappeared every night and returned before dawn. Eva never asked him about his whereabouts. She assumed he was meeting important people and hatching plans for Springfield's betterment. The girl equated herself with a superhero's girlfriend, never disturbing his high-stakes, clandestine nightlife.It had been a month since Eva started living with Victor at the Mayor's mansion. It was now public knowledge that the two were dating. The media picked up the news on the first day and played it until the entire city kn
Haley B stumbled out of a high-end liquor store with a vodka bottle in her hand. She was clearly inebriated. The young, beautiful celebrity had fallen off the wagon and had been drinking every day since Victor died.Haley B had postponed all her movie and concert schedules indefinitely and wasn't accepting any more offers. All she wanted to do was bury her sorrows in alcohol. When her media team tried to convince her otherwise, she fired them.At the moment, with a liquor bottle in hand, and wearing a loose hoodie and track pants, Haley was in disguise. If the paparazzi found her intoxicated, she would be on national news, and the internet would break. Not that she cared much about her celebrity status anymore.Haley looked around at the pedestrians and drunkard crowds. Nobody gave her a second look. People probably thought she was a homeless woman.Her Mercedes stood outside with a chauffeur and two guards. Haley eyed them from a distance with blurry vision. Indeed, she had had a lot
Dear Readers, Thanks for staying with the story this far. You're all awesome. I have tested your patience with slow updates and such tests will be less frequent in the future. About the story: The Invasion Arc ends with the last chapter. It will be followed by the Dark City Arc, that will introduce new characters and spring many more twists. Victor Damone is now Victor Cromwell, the legal heir of a royal family. However, escaping his past won't be as easy as he thought. Let's see how the Peerless Man deals with the upcoming dangers. Stay tuned!
Victor recognized the vigilante named Roadkill because he was, in fact, Roadkill. When he first arrived in Springfield as Victor Cromwell, he immediately noticed the societal change. People were bolder, more outspoken, and political. On the other hand, something was uncanny about the steep rise of both crime and criminals.Even after the military boosted security and restored the economy, public order continued to worsen. It meant certain forces were actively inciting crimes. Robberies, burglaries, and murders were frequent.As soon as the sun set, a hush fell over the city. People were scared to go outdoors in the dark. Anti-social elements hung out in the alleys. Drugs, smuggling, and trafficking were at an all-time high. It was dangerous for women and children to go out alone after dusk.Victor decided to take matters into his own hands. He walked the streets and alleys himself to investigate the cause of this anomaly. Since he couldn't publicly reveal his identity and face, he dis