Elijah walked away from Mark, the cold night air doing little to cool the fire raging inside him. Every muscle in his body was tense, his mind spinning with the truth he had just uncovered.Mark was nothing more than a pawn, a pathetic excuse for a brother who had sold out his own sister. But who was the real puppet master?The docks were quiet except for the distant sound of waves crashing against the shore. Elijah’s footsteps echoed as he made his way back to the car, but his mind wasn’t on the here and now.It was on the mystery still hanging over him like a thick, dark cloud. Someone was pulling the strings—someone powerful enough to manipulate Mark into threatening him through Sophia. But who? Elijah slid into the driver's seat, gripping the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white.He couldn’t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. Whoever was behind this had more plans. Much more.He took a deep breath, letting the cold air fill his lungs, then exhaled
Suddenly, Elijah’s phone buzzed again. He glanced down and saw a text message flash across the screen."Finally, Sophia is in our grip."Elijah’s blood ran cold. His eyes darted up to Doug, who had noticed the shift in his expression.“Doug,” Elijah’s voice was sharp, commanding. “Find out where Sophia is. Right now.”Doug didn’t waste a second, pulling out his phone to make the necessary calls.Meanwhile, Elijah’s heart pounded in his chest. Whoever had sent that message knew something he didn’t—and that was unacceptable.Within moments, Doug’s phone buzzed. He answered, his expression turning grim.“She’s not at the office. She went out for dinner, but no one knows where she went after.”Elijah’s fists clenched at his sides. He was being played, and whoever was behind it was getting too close for comfort.“I’m going after her,” Elijah said, his voice laced with determination.Doug nodded, already moving to gather more information.As Elijah stormed out of the palace, his mind was ra
Elijah walked into Olivia’s lavish farmhouse, his eyes scanning the luxurious surroundings with a calm, calculating gaze. The sprawling estate was isolated, tucked away in the corner of Atherton, a perfect place for private dealings—exactly what he needed. Olivia was already waiting for him, her eyes lighting up the moment she saw him. Dressed in an elegant pearl-white suit that hugged her figure, she looked every bit the powerful woman she was. Yet beneath the confident exterior, there was something vulnerable about her—something Elijah planned to exploit."James," Olivia greeted him warmly, her smile wide. "I’m so glad you could make it."Elijah nodded, a cool smile touching his lips."Wouldn’t miss it for the world," he said smoothly, stepping forward to kiss her cheek.He noticed the faint flush on her cheeks and knew she was hooked. They sat down at a polished mahogany table in the middle of the room, a stack of papers resting between them.Elijah’s heart raced, but his face re
The afternoon sun was casting long shadows across Arthurton, a peaceful quiet settling over the streets. Elijah leaned back in his chair at Arthur Palace, his mind still on the events with Olivia. His plan was in motion, and everything was going smoothly. Yet, as much as he tried to focus, a strange sense of unease kept gnawing at him. Something didn’t feel right.His phone buzzed. It was a message from Sophia. “Heading back home early! Can’t wait to see you!”Elijah smiled softly, but that unsettling feeling didn’t fade. He replied quickly.“Drive safe. I’ll be waiting for you.”He pocketed the phone and stood up, stretching his muscles, the feeling of tension still lingering in the back of his mind. Suddenly, his phone rang again, this time an unfamiliar number flashing across the screen.Elijah answered. "Yes?"“Is this Elijah Norton?” The voice on the other end was calm, but Elijah sensed something was wrong.“Yes. Who’s asking?”“This is Officer Grant from Arthurton PD. There’s
The hours felt like days as Elijah sat in the sterile waiting room, the cold, hard chair doing nothing to distract him from the storm raging inside. His elbows rested on his knees, head in his hands, as he replayed every moment from that morning. Sophia had been fine—smiling, teasing him about his serious mood—and now she was lying in surgery, fighting for her life. His heart twisted painfully."Why her?" he muttered under his breath, the words almost a growl. His fists clenched at his sides, knuckles turning white."Whoever did this... they won't survive."The thought of someone deliberately harming Sophia only fueled the fire that was burning in his chest. He was known for being calm under pressure, but this—this had broken him in ways he hadn’t anticipated. His anger boiled, barely contained beneath the surface.Just then, the doctor walked through the double doors, her expression unreadable. Elijah’s heart jumped into his throat as he stood, his eyes locked on her face.“How is she
Elijah’s eyes stayed locked on Sophia’s fragile form as she lay unconscious in the hospital bed. Machines beeped around her, measuring her heart rate and oxygen levels, but nothing could soothe the fear gnawing at his insides. He had to do something.This wasn’t just about waiting for her to heal—he knew the traditional treatment wouldn’t be enough. He needed to take her back to the palace, where he could personally care for her. He was a seven-star marshal, but few knew about his deep medical knowledge, honed from years of battlefield experience.Elijah stood up, determination setting in his jaw. He walked out of the room, heading straight for the doctor’s office. The doctor, a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, looked up as Elijah entered.“Mr. Norton, we’ve done all we can. Her condition is stable, but she’s in a very critical state. She needs full hospital supervision.”Elijah’s expression darkened."Doctor, I appreciate your efforts, but I have my own treatment plan in mind. I'l
Elijah stood by Sophia’s bedside, his grip tight on the phone. He stared down at her unconscious form, the soft rise and fall of her chest a stark contrast to the whirlwind of emotions swirling inside him.The oxygen mask covering her face made her look so fragile, and yet, he knew how strong she was. She had survived this far. But now it was his turn to fight for her."Marshal... what’s your command?" the voice on the other end of the line echoed again, slightly nervous. The man clearly didn’t want to get on Elijah’s bad side.Elijah’s eyes narrowed. "I want you to find out who ordered the hit on my wife. Spare no resources. I want a name, and I want it fast. Fail me, and you’ll regret it."There was a gulp on the other end of the line, followed by an immediate, “Yes, Marshal. I’ll begin the investigation right away.”Elijah hung up the phone without another word and turned his attention back to Sophia. His hand lingered over her head, his fingers brushing lightly over her hair. Ther
The soft beeping of machines was the only sound in the room as Elijah stood over Sophia’s fragile form, watching her as she remained unconscious. Her face was pale, her body still, save for the shallow rise and fall of her chest.The sight of her covered in bandages, her face marked with scars from the glass, and her arms wrapped in casts from multiple fractures, tore at him. Elijah clenched his jaw, fighting to keep the rage building inside him under control.Just then, Sophia’s phone buzzed on the table beside her. He glanced at the screen and saw the name: "~Ethan Donald". Her grandfather.His eyes narrowed, and he quickly silenced the phone. There was no time to deal with Ethan now. He had bigger problems to handle, and none of them involved the Donald family.Turning back to Sophia, Elijah carefully adjusted the medical equipment he’d set up in the room. It wasn’t just hospital-grade care—it was something far more advanced, something only a man with his knowledge and skills could