61 She recalled how calmly and politely Darius had responded, even in the face of her baseless accusations. A twinge of guilt pierced her heart. "If only I had shown him kindness instead of contempt. Perhaps then..." Her gaze drifted to Darius as he signed the last paperwork. Despite his simple attire earlier, she could not deny that he possessed a quiet dignity and poise unlike any other. And now, with his true status revealed, a new light shone upon his countenance - one of regal bearing and noble charm. "He is certainly no commoner in looks or status," she admitted ruefully. A flush rose in her cheeks as another thought came unbidden. "If only I had been courteous...maybe he would have considered me as a match." But it was too late for regrets. Darius had finished the transaction, taking back the Obsidian card back to the saleswoman with a serene smile. As he turned to leave, she steeled her nerves and hurried behind him. "Sir, please wait!" she called, reaching out a hand th
62 Inside, Darius seethed with anger and humiliation. But he knew any show of emotion would only empower these petty fools further. With immense effort, he schooled his features into polite disinterest. "Think what you like, I've no need to prove myself to the likes of you," Darius retorted, his voice steady despite the turmoil within him. He made to walk on, but Laurent, the salesman, blocked his path with a smug grin on his face. "Aww, don't be like that!" Laurent exclaimed, his eyes glinting with sadistic pleasure. "We were just having a bit of fun with the homeless urchin," he added, provoking jeering laughs from his audience. Darius clenched his jaw, feeling the weight of Laurent's mockery like a physical blow. "Your words say more about you than they do about me," he replied coolly, struggling to maintain his composure. Laurent leaned in, his smirk widening. "Bet they threw you out on your scrawny rear the second they saw your dirty mitts on the merchandise!" he taunted, his
63Shaking off the feeling, Laurent turned back to his colleagues with a cocky grin. "What a fool, thinking he's better than us! I gave him a piece of my mind." Laughter and backslaps followed, but they rang hollow even to Laurent's ears. Meanwhile, Darius settled into the plush leather seats of hi
64Nathan Lucre was pacing back and forth in his lavish office, his steps echoing in the opulent room. "How dare that bastard marry Leslie," he growled to himself, his voice laced with venom. "She's my property, not his."It had been weeks and he hadn't heard from Leslie which made him furious. Wit
65Leslie held her breath as she awaited Darius's reply, her heart in her throat. There was a long pause before he spoke, his voice hesitant."Leslie, of course you can stay with me," he said gently. "But I...I don't think my place is suitable. Let me see what I can arrange, okay?"Leslie's shoulder
66The next day, in Sanchez's company office, Darius sat across from Sanchez, their discussion taking place in the elegant surroundings of the spacious office. Sanchez, leaned forward, his eyes bright with anticipation."Listen, young Master," Sanchez began, his voice filled with enthusiasm. "There'
67Darius sighed inwardly. It seemed they wouldn't back down so easily. As much as he disliked the idea, confrontation would only make matters worse. He raised his hands slightly to show he meant no harm, then slowly opened the car door and stepped out."See, was that so hard?" said the first man wi
68Darius wasn't surprised to hear Nathan Lucre's name. He remembered their last encounter all too well. Nathan had threatened revenge after Darius foiled his plans by marrying Leslie. It seemed he was making good on that promise by sending these thugs. Still, Darius couldn't help but feel disappoi
Olivia only had eyes for Darius. She greeted him with a radiant smile and pulled him into a warm hug. "Darius, it's wonderful to see you again! I'm so glad you could make it."Her kindness toward Darius, when others had once scorned her, was not lost on those present.Darius warmly returned Olivia’s
Darius said calmly to Jason, "I have nothing to prove to small minds like yours. My keys, if you please."Sensing that Darius wasn't getting riled up, Jason gripped the keys tighter, sneering. "Admit what we all know deep down—you’re not living the high life, poor boy." Laughter echoed around them.
285But before Darius could respond, he noticed Jason approach with Brianna on his arm. Jason’s face was twisted in a sneer as he eyed Darius, clearly irritated by the attention he was receiving."Pretending to be rich now, are we, Darius?" Jason said in a mocking tone. Darius could see the jealousy
284As Darius West stepped into Chez Michel, the warm greeting from the maître d' momentarily eased his tension. "Good evening, sir. May I have the name for your reservation?""Darius West. I'm here for Miss Olivia Donna's party," he replied, keeping his voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in
283Few hours after Sanchez left, Darius' phone rang. Glancing at the screen, he saw it was his old friend Eric calling. He answered with a calm tone, despite the whirlwind of thoughts still brewing in his mind."Hello, Eric. What's up?" Darius said, leaning back in his chair."Darius, mate! Great n
282The next day, Darius woke up feeling the weight of last night's conversation with Max still lingering in his mind. His body ached slightly from the tension, but there was no time to dwell on it. After a quick, cold shower to shake off the fatigue, he dressed in his usual sleek, understated suit, his mind already racing through the tasks ahead.Stepping into his Eclipse, he gripped the steering wheel tightly, the engine purring beneath him as he drove toward the office. The city blurred by, but his thoughts were sharp. Jason’s plan, Max’s betrayal—it all simmered under the surface, waiting for the right moment to strike back.Once inside his office, the cool, modern interior did little to settle his nerves. He tossed his briefcase on the desk and immediately reached for the phone, dialing Mr. Sanchez’s number. The line rang only once before it was answered."Good morning, young master," Mr. Sanchez’s voice greeted, calm and professional as always.Darius didn’t waste time with pleas
"I don’t want any part of this," Max’s voice cracked through the phone, clearly strained. "That’s why I’m calling you. I’m out. Whatever Jason’s planning, I want no involvement. I just thought you should know."Darius stopped pacing, his brows furrowing as suspicion bubbled inside him. "You’re sudde
280Darius stormed into the villa, his mind racing as he dialed Eric's number. The phone rang twice before Eric's voice answered, sounding strained."Darius? What's up?""What’s up?" Darius repeated, his voice hard. "Why didn’t you tell me you fought Jason tonight? Are you okay?"Eric exhaled sharpl
279Just as Darius was pulling into his driveway, his phone rang again, cutting through the silence. Without glancing at the caller ID, he picked up, already anticipating Brianna's voice on the other end. His frustration boiled over immediately."What now, Brianna?" he barked into the phone, his gri