Lily rushed into the room, her eyes wide with excitement."Grandfather, you need to see this," she said, shoving her phone in front of Ethan.The news blared on the screen: "Emperor Group Signs a One Billion Dollar Deal with Sophia Donald!"Ethan’s eyes widened, his hand trembling as he took the phone."One billion dollars?" he muttered, his voice filled with disbelief.His expression quickly shifted from shock to a broad grin."Sophia, you’ve done it! You’ve made our family proud!"Sophia smiled politely."Thank you, Grandfather," she replied, glancing at Elijah.She took a deep breath, preparing to tell them that the bet was made between them so she could be Elijah's wife forever.Just as she opened her mouth, the door burst open."Sophia!"May, her mother, stormed in, her eyes darting to Alan."Alan, what do you think of my daughter?" she asked.Her voice was sugary sweet as if she were showing off a prized possession."Isn’t she perfect for you?"Sophia's face turned red with embar
Alan stood in the driveway, his face ashen.He was still reeling from Lando Yale’s words when his phone buzzed again.His father, Kelvin Shaw, was shouting, his voice filled with panic and fury."Alan! The Fire Dragon Group is collapsing!" Kelvin barked."Our stock is plummeting. The Emperor Group has cut all ties, and our partners are withdrawing left and right. If this continues, we’ll be bankrupt by the end of the day!"Alan’s knees buckled."What?" he gasped."No, this can’t be happening! Father, there must be something we can do!""Fix this mess, Alan!" Kelvin shouted."Beg if you have to! Just don’t come back until it’s done!"The call disconnected, leaving Alan in stunned silence.His face turned pale as he realized the severity of the situation.The mighty Shaw family was on the brink of collapse, and it was all because of him.He stumbled forward, his legs weak."Sophia, please," he cried, dropping to his knees."I beg you! Ask Mr. Yale to spare the Shaw family. We’ll do anyth
“Marshal, everything’s set for tonight,” Doug said, a determined glint in his eyes.“The Shaw family estate is buzzing with activity. Looks like they’re gearing up for a big show.”Elijah nodded, his face cold and serious.“Good. Tonight, we reclaim what’s ours,” he said firmly.“Lava Heart belongs to the Norton family. It’s time to take it back.”Doug grinned.“Understood, Marshal. I’ll get the car ready. Are you planning to make a grand entrance or sneak in quietly?”Elijah smirked.“We’ll see how it plays out. Either way, the Shaws won’t know what hit them.”...After a long day at work, Sophia returned home, a mix of excitement and nerves swirling in her chest.She rifled through her closet, pulling out dress after dress, trying to find the perfect one for tonight’s auction.She knew the event would be tense, especially given the Shaw family’s recent downfall.As she slipped into an elegant, deep blue evening gown, she noticed Elijah leaning against the doorway, his intense gaze on
The grand hall of the Atlanta Auction House was buzzing with murmurs and laughter as Arthurton's elites gathered for the evening’s event.The Shaw family, despite their recent downfall, still commanded a certain level of respect because of Zack Shaw. His reputation as a general of the Western Legion preceded him, and many in the room came out of both curiosity and fear. Among the crowd, masked figures moved with purpose.Elijah and Doug, disguised under sleek black masks, entered quietly.Elijah’s gaze was cold and indifferent as he surveyed the room. Doug followed closely behind, his eyes sharp as they scanned the crowd."Zack Shaw may have power," Doug muttered under his breath, "but he's nothing compared to you, Marshal."Elijah gave a slight nod, his attention focused elsewhere."Let them play their games," he replied quietly."We’re here for one thing, and nothing will stop us from getting it."As they made their way through the auction house, there was a sudden shift in the atmo
Ethan walked out of the underground base, his footsteps echoing in the silence.He glanced back once, his face cold and expressionless. Zack Shaw’s threats still lingered in the air, but Ethan knew he had to do something.His mind was already working on which asset can be valuable, it’s not that he was poor but arranging such a huge amount was not a piece of apple for him.However, there was no option as saving his family was required and that stupid Sophia caused this.Back inside the base, Zack Shaw stood over Sophia’s unconscious body, his eyes filled with malice.“Take her to the other room,” Zack ordered his men, pointing to a small, dimly lit chamber down the hall.Two soldiers lifted Sophia and carried her into the room, laying her on a cold, metal chair.Zack followed closely behind, grabbing a bucket of ice water from the corner.He dumped the freezing water onto her face.Sophia jolted awake with a gasp, shivering uncontrollably.Her eyes were wide with panic, and she struggl
"Bring her out," Zack ordered, his voice sharp as he waved his hand.His men nodded and immediately went to drag Sophia from the room, her body limp and weakened from the pain.She tried to resist, her legs barely working, but they yanked her forward without care.The cold cement scraped against her feet as they pulled her through the narrow halls, leaving a small trail of blood behind.Sophia's mind was a whirlwind of fear and exhaustion.Her face throbbed from where Zack had cut her, and each step sent waves of pain shooting up her legs.She couldn’t think clearly. Everything hurt.Outside, the auction hall was alive with activity. Arthurton's elites mingled and laughed, pretending to enjoy the lavish event, but everyone knew why they were really there—to gain Zack Shaw's favor.The fake "Lava Heart" painting, damaged as it was, had just been brought out for bidding.Despite its obvious flaws, the elites were eagerly placing bids, each one higher than the last.“Forty million!” someo
"Help me!" Sophia's voice cracked as she collapsed onto the stage, her frail body shaking with sobs.Her cries echoed through the room, but no one moved.The crowd of elites, once so eager to please Zack Shaw, now watched in horror, their faces pale.The brutal display of power from the Shaw family had left everyone frozen in place.One of Zack's men approached Sophia, a knife gleaming in his hand.He smiled coldly as he crouched down, pressing the blade to her throat."This is what happens to those who cross the Shaw family," he growled, tightening his grip on the handle.Sophia’s tears streamed down her face, her eyes wide with terror as the knife dug into her skin."Please, no!" she whimpered, her voice barely audible.The crowd gasped, some turning their heads, unable to watch.The tension in the air was suffocating, and no one dared move.Zack Shaw stood nearby, arms crossed, watching with a smug expression. This was exactly the message he wanted to send—total fear and submission.
"How could I have let this happen?"Elijah muttered to himself, his eyes fixed on the fresh wounds on Sophia’s face.Her once-smooth skin was now marred with cuts and bruises, a painful reminder of Zack Shaw’s brutality.Sophia lay unconscious on the bed in Arthur Palace, her chest rising and falling unevenly.Sweat beaded on her forehead, her skin pale and clammy.She was burning with fever, her lips quivering as she muttered in her sleep, "Please… no more… Zack, please…"Each word felt like a dagger to Elijah's heart.Guilt surged through him as he dipped a cloth into a bowl of cold water, gently pressing it to her forehead."I should’ve been there," he whispered."I should’ve protected you."Sophia flinched in her sleep, her hands twitching as though trying to fend off invisible attackers.Her soft whimpers filled the room, haunting Elijah.Every sound she made was a reminder of his failure.He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small vial of golden liquid—a precious elixir he