"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
Elijah stood in the dimly lit kitchen, pouring himself a cup of coffee. He savored the moment of calm, the rich aroma filling the air as he stirred the steaming liquid.Suddenly, a soft, fearful voice called out from the other room."Elijah…"He froze, the spoon clattering to the counter.Without hesitation, he rushed toward the sound, his heart pounding.Sophia's voice was fragile, like a broken bird’s song. When Elijah entered the room, he found her sitting up in bed, her face pale with worry.Her hands trembled as she clutched the sheets.“Sophia, what’s wrong?” Elijah asked, his voice low with concern, immediately sitting by her side.He reached out, gently taking her trembling hand."I… I’ve brought too much trouble on you," she whispered, her eyes filled with fear."The Shaw family… they’ll never stop until they destroy us. You need to leave, Elijah. Divorce me, leave the city. Save yourself."Elijah's chest tightened at her words.He looked into her tear-filled eyes, feeling a
The next day Elijah took Sophia on a long drive to lighten her mood. But nothing was working.“Why are you so quiet, Sophia?” Elijah asked softly, glancing at her as they drove through the streets of Arthurton.Sophia sat in the passenger seat, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery.Her eyes were distant, filled with sadness."I’ve lost everything," she whispered."My family... I don’t belong anywhere anymore."Elijah clenched the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white. He hated seeing her like this—broken, defeated.“You still have me,” he said firmly.“We’ll fix this. Together.”Sophia turned to him, her eyes glistening with tears.“I don’t know, Elijah... I don’t think my family will ever accept me again.”Elijah’s jaw tightened.He didn’t care much for the Donald family’s approval, but he knew how much they meant to Sophia.And for that reason, he’d make sure they regretted turning their backs on her.“We’re going to see Ethan,” Elijah said, his voice steady.“They don’t deser
"Look at this place!"Reno's eyes widened as he and Hague stepped out of their car, staring up at the massive, luxurious Arthur Palace in disbelief.Hague whistled under his breath, shaking his head."This is where Sophia lives now? I knew things were going well for her, but this..."He trailed off, his face turning sour with jealousy.Reno scoffed, crossing his arms as he glared at the palace."No way she earned this on her own. She must be getting help from someone like Lando Yale. Otherwise, how could she afford this mansion?"His voice dripped with contempt."And to think she’s the one getting special treatment in business while we’re left begging her to come back."Hague nodded, still looking at the palace."Whatever deal she’s struck, it doesn’t matter. We’re here to bring her back to the family, no matter what."They exchanged a look, then marched up to the grand entrance.A butler opened the door, and they stepped inside, their shoes tapping against the marble floor as they we
“Please, Sophia,” Hague said, his voice uncharacteristically soft as he stood at the entrance of Arthur Palace.Reno was beside him, looking anything but proud. “We need you to come back to the family.”Sophia crossed her arms, her expression cold.“And why should I believe either of you? After the way you treated me, you expect me to just walk back in?” she scoffed.Reno glanced away, his jaw clenched in frustration, but he said nothing. He knew that arrogance wouldn’t help them now.The tides had turned, and they were at Sophia’s mercy. “Sophia, you brought back 15% of the company shares?” her brother exclaimed, his eyes wide with disbelief.His hand trembled on the door handle, and he immediately stepped aside.“Come in, come in! I didn’t realize… I didn’t know you’d be able to do that.”Sophia hesitated for a moment, feeling the sudden shift in her brother’s attitude. Moments ago, he had practically slammed the door in her face, but now, his tone dripped with fake warmth.He led them inside, a grin plastered on his face.“I knew you’d come through for the family, Sophia,” he said, his voice oily.“This changes everything. We’ll be able to afford that new car I’ve been eyeing for months.” He rubbed his hands together, already lost in thoughts of luxury.Sophia bit her lip, uncomfortable with the sudden attention. Just moments before, she had been on the brink of being kicked out, and now, her brother couldn’t hide his greed. She looked over at Elijah, who gave her a nod, silently encouraging her to remain steady.AsThe Unstoppable Dragon Marshal 24. The Veil of Shame
"You dare lay a hand on me?!" Kate's voice echoed through the restaurant, her cheek flushed red from the slap Elijah had delivered.The entire room fell silent, all eyes on the unfolding confrontation. Elijah stood tall, his face cold and unreadable, while Sophia, still sitting, clenched her hands in her lap, her eyes filled with shame and pain.She could feel the stares on her scarred face, the murmurs of disgust spreading through the room like wildfire. "You’ve disgraced my family in front of the entire city!" Kate hissed, her eyes burning with fury.She stepped back, nursing her wounded pride as if it had been shattered beyond repair.Elijah’s gaze didn’t waver."You should think twice before attacking someone defenseless, Kate," he said, his voice low but sharp enough to slice through the tension in the air.Kate’s expression twisted into a sneer."Defenseless? That scarred face of hers deserves it!" she spat. "And mark my words, Elijah, this isn’t over. My family won’t forget t
Doug stepped closer before he continued, his expression dark."They’re trying to take over what’s left of the Shaw family's assets—particularly the Lava Heart. The Winters have already started absorbing the Shaw family's business connections, and William Winter got his sights set on the Nortons’ heirloom."Elijah’s eyes flashed with anger at the mention of the Lava Heart. "That belongs to the Norton family," he muttered, his hands tightening into fists. "The Shaws stole it. I was going to take it back."Doug nodded. "And now the Winters are moving in. Kate’s been going around bragging that soon, the Lava Heart will belong to the Winters."Elijah’s jaw clenched, his thoughts racing. "Additionally, Sophia isn't safe either. Kate won’t stop until she gets what she wants," he muttered. "And William Winter won’t let this slide. He won’t let anyone get away with slapping his daughter in public."Doug’s eyes flickered with unease. "You made a powerful enemy today, Marshal. William Winter isn