Just then, three individuals walked in through the back door. One of them was a chubby kid who looked completely out of place. He looked around anxiously. It was none other than Josh Atelier, the brat he had rescued from Drummond Tower.Donnie recognized the other two as well. One was Joe Savage, the Grizzly Kings' leader. The other was Titus Chrome, one of the top lackeys of the mega villain, the Puppetmaster. "Here comes the cavalry," Donnie spat and rose to his feet. "I had no idea that the mighty Chrome was sent to kill me!"He had to get serious as the two fighters before him were well-seasoned. Joe Savage was over six foot three and heavily built. He carried a massive ax, his signature weapon. He liked to dismember his victims. "Donnie…" Joe began, walking towards him slowly. "I need you to tell me who ordered you to free Josh Atelier from my gang. If you do that, I will give you a quick death. If not, I will chop you inch by inch while you are still alive."Donnie Tempest was
"Who the fuck are you?" Joe Savage demanded, his eyes red in a fury. How the stranger could kick a steel-reinforced door off its hinges shocked him. Perhaps it was already loose and rickety?Victor did not answer him. He walked towards Donnie Tempest, the carnival mask hiding his expression. The gangster was grievously injured, but on seeing Victor, he raised himself off the floor with a groan and knelt on one knee. "Master… I'm extremely sorry for being so weak. I will accept any punishment you decide, even death.""Rise," Victor said in a low-pitch tone. "You've served me well. However, you can't win all battles if you want to win the war. I did not expect the Blackwells to declare war so suddenly. They shamelessly sent all their forces to take down one man. Considering that, you fought bravely, Donnie."The gangster bowed his head in reverence."How dare you ignore me?" Joe Savage barked. "Do you realize you just walked into a death trap?"Victor still ignored him, which infuriated
"Who are you?" Chrome asked nervously.Victor did not answer, but his fist found Chrome's gut a moment later. A loud crack resounded, and the armored skin shattered like glass. Chrome fell back with a bleeding abdomen. "How…?" he groaned. "My skin was impenetrable…"Victor loomed over him and took off his carnival mask. "You pathetic insects have no strength and have to depend on tricks. Now face retribution for all your sins, Titus Chrome. Your master will see it soon."Chrome sputtered blood from his mouth. His internal organs had been damaged. "Who are you…? Please answer my question before you kill me… It is my last wish… Even killers like you must have the honor to allow death wishes…"Victor took off his mask and cast it aside. "I am Caesar. The Emperor of the New World Order."Chrome's eyes widened. He remembered the much-feared name—the legendary man who ended the Pacific World War. The one touted to be peerless among assassins and fighters worldwide. His name was spoken in hu
Claire and Victor were ushered into the Ribald Corporation building with an entourage. Holt Industries was one of the top five companies in Springfield, comparable with Clive Baron's conglomerate. Therefore, Claire's arrival was eagerly awaited. The deal of the century was about to happen between the city's bigwigs, which would change the landscape of Springfield for years to come.Executives stared at the gorgeous Claire Holt as she cat-walked down the corridor with a tall bodyguard by her side. Her hips pressed lightly against her business suit, accenting her voluptuous figure. She was known as the billionaire goddess in corporate circles—beautiful and powerful like a goddess. Billionaires sought Claire's favor relentlessly, but she rejected them all. As she traipsed down the Ribald Corp. corridor, many Vice Presidents and top executives greeted her, but she ignored them."Do you see how every other man desires me?" Claire asked Victor boastfully. "This is not my company, but the em
Victor glared at his schoolmate. Since his promotion, the young man had developed a narcissistic personality, and even his subordinates hated him. He needed to be taught a lesson. Daphne spoke up. "Why is Dave's well-being so important to you, Victor? You're just a guard dog now. Stay in your place!"Lara piled on. "Yeah, go away, loser! Tell you what, I have an audition with Tristar Entertainment tomorrow. Once I become a famous actress, you can tell your bodyguard friends you were a classmate of mine. Or maybe don't. I don't want people to know I had a trash schoolmate like you. It will be bad for my celebrity status!"Victor ignored the insults and turned to Roger. "I had warned you of dire consequences if you didn't pay Dave his commission. Are you prepared to face them?""Shut the hell up, you peasant!" Roger fired back in anger. "I'm not paying a cent to your beggar friends! What will you do if I don't? Huh? Get on your knees and plead? Why don't you do that? Maybe I will consid
Gregory and Dale stepped back in shock. Victor Damone was a name they had never heard. Was such a bigwig hiding in plain sight? Was Victor the wealthiest man in the world? Why was he dressed in simple clothes and working as a bodyguard for Claire Holt?Roger looked as if he had seen a ghost. He felt as if he was dreaming. What the hell was going on? He just saw the two billionaires, Baron and Shannon, kneeling before Victor!Gregory nodded at Clive. "I see, so he is the boss you've been talking about. Mr. Damone… My apologies for failing to recognize you. You are welcome at my humble company, Ribald Corp."Dale Johnson bowed his head. "It is a privilege to meet you, sir."Victor acknowledged them both with curt nods. He never intended to reveal his identity to so many people. But perhaps Clive could no longer hold the secret under the present situation.Claire was awestruck. She wondered what Victor's real background was. Was he such a big deal that the entire city must bow to him? Cl
"Stop staring at her," Claire whispered to Victor. "Is she so much to your liking? Is Rose your type?""What? Is her name Rose?" Victor asked. "I thought she was somebody else."Gregory Ribald spoke up. "Mr. Damone and dear friends. Let me introduce our beautiful guest. She is none other than Rose Atelier, the President of Honey Resorts. Her company built most of Springfield's new resorts and inns over the past three years. They have worked reputably throughout the country as well. Rose has a proposal for the Springfield Rapids Project."The brunette turned to Victor but failed to recognize him. He raised an eyebrow. Rose Atelier? Was she related to Carol somehow? That would explain the resemblance. However, she looked so identical to his ex-wife that it was uncanny. If Rose was a relative of Carol, why had he never heard of her before? Was she a distant cousin? Even direct cousins didn't look that similar. The only difference between her and Carol was how she wore her hair; at five f
The duo were exiting the Ribald Corp premises in Claire Holt's Bugatti Chiron. Rose was intimidated by the expensive vehicle initially. She owned a few cars, but none were as expensive as a Bugatti Chiron. However, she was exhausted and needed to rest."Where do you live?" Victor asked as the vehicle swerved to the main road."Prince County…" she answered weakly. "I recently moved in."Now that Rose was inside the car and it gathered speed, she leaned back on the plush seats and closed her eyes. The beauty had worked tirelessly, developing an expansion plan over the last week. Once she learned about the Springfield Rapids Project, she had limited time before the triumvirate met for collaboration. Now that she accomplished her goal, fatigue caught up to her.Victor figured Rose had only recently become a billionaire after years of hard work. Her net worth was a small fraction of Clive Baron. However, considering her sharp business acumen, she had a bright future. After implementing the