"Grandfather, I’m back," Elijah whispered as he stood in front of his grandfather’s tombstone at the Norton family cemetery.In his hand, he held the severed head of Rick Shaw, blood still dripping from the neck."I’ve brought you a gift," he continued, his voice low but filled with a cold determination.He placed Rick’s head in front of the grave, eyes blazing with vengeance."This is just the beginning," he said."They took everything from us. But I promise you, Grandfather, I will retrieve the Lava Heart. I will restore the Norton name."Doug stood behind him, watching silently."Marshal," he said after a moment, "what’s our next move?"Elijah stared at the head of Rick Shaw, his face expressionless."First, we deal with the rest of the Shaw family. Then we go after the others," he replied."I’m not done until every last one of them pays."Doug nodded, a grin spreading across his face."I’m ready when you are," he said."The Shaw family won't know what hit them."Elijah turned away
"Elijah, I have great news!"Sophia’s voice was bright with excitement over the phone.Elijah smirked, leaning back in his chair at Arthur Palace."What is it, Sophia?" he asked."My high school reunion worked out! Linda helped me secure a potential partnership with the Yale Group!" Sophia exclaimed."We just need to finalize it in person."Elijah chuckled softly."Good job. I knew you could do it," he said."I’ll come to pick you up. Be ready in ten minutes."Sophia giggled."I’ll be waiting!"Elijah hung up the phone and called out, "Doug, get the car. We’re picking up Sophia."Doug grinned, already grabbing the keys."On it, Marshal," he replied....As they drove through the busy streets, Sophia chatted away in the backseat, her excitement bubbling over."It’s been so long since I’ve seen Linda. I was worried she wouldn’t even remember me," she said.Elijah, sitting beside her, glanced over."And how did it go?" he asked.Sophia smiled."Better than I expected. She was really helpf
"Wait for a while," Leonard's words halted their step.Leonard leaned in closer, his smile oozing arrogance."Sophia," he began, his voice low and greasy, "you don’t understand how things work around here. I’m giving you a golden opportunity. Don’t be foolish."Sophia stood her ground, her eyes blazing with defiance."I’ve already said no," she replied, her tone firm."I’m not interested in your kind of deal. Stop repeating the same thing."Leonard’s face darkened."You think you’re better than this?" he sneered."Do you have any idea how many women would kill for a chance like this?"Linda, standing next to him, chimed in, "Sophia, don’t be so naive. Think about the benefits. Think about your family. This could change everything for them."Sophia shook her head."I don’t care," she said sharply."I’m not doing it."Elijah stepped forward, his expression cold."Sophia, don’t waste your breath on these lowlifes," he said."They’re not worth your time."Leonard’s eyes flicked to Elijah,
Elijah leaned back in his seat, a sly smile on his face, calculating the answer for Sophia.She looked at him, her eyes searching."Elijah," she began, "you must be someone important to get that kind of respect from Lando Yale. Are you a big deal?"Elijah shook his head, his expression turning serious."No, Sophia," he said softly."I’m just an orphan. The Emperor's residence isn't mine. It belongs to a friend. I’m only staying there for a while."Sophia reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently."You don’t need to explain, Elijah," she said, her voice kind."I’m your family now. We’re in this together. I’ll earn enough to take care of both of us."Elijah chuckled, his eyes softening."You’re something else, Sophia," he said."But trust me, I’m not a man who needs taking care of."Sophia smiled, her eyes warm."I don’t care," she replied."You took care of me when I had nothing. Now, it’s my turn."Then she grinned by elbowing Elijah softly."C'mon, now you are my man. So, le
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