Ace had chosen a well-tailored outfit for the job he had received from Quinn.
“I think you look rather handsome in that suit,” Luther had remarked as Ace was about to leave, but Ace waved it off.
“I don't need your snarky comments, Luther. I'm already aware of how good I look,” Ace replied with a subtle smile.
He had slept in a hotel the previous night and mentally noted that he would need to find his own place soon.
“I want to drive the car,” Ace declared as he snatched the Lamborghini keys from Luther.
“Please don’t scratch it,” Luther pleaded, his eyes wide with concern as he watched Ace open the car door with more force than necessary.
“Get another one, Luther, and let me be. If you don't see me by midnight, get reinforcements,” Ace ordered, slamming the car door shut, making Luther wince.
Ace drove to the General Chancellor's house at a leisurely pace, his expression stoic. His midnight blue suit added an air of royalty and majesty to his presence.
Ace arrived at the house a minute before the scheduled time and noticed the snarky lady waiting with her bodyguards.
“Looks like Quinn doesn’t fully trust me if he still hired these wannabes,” Ace muttered as he stepped out of the car.
Some of the guards overheard his comment and frowned.
“How dare he question our abilities? Who does this guy think he is, dressed like a pompous prince? Such men are nothing but babies in the face of true war,” one guard whispered to his colleague.
“I heard we’re supposed to be under his command,” his colleague whispered back.
Ace heard them, of course, but chose to remain silent.
Over the years, he had honed his senses to pick up the slightest sounds, but he preferred to stay under the radar.
“You’re finally here,” the girl greeted, her tone dripping with pride. Andrea was still unhappy about being babysat, but she couldn’t go against her grandfather’s wishes. After her parents' death, he was the only one who had stood by her.
“Get in the car. Tell your men not to bother me. It’s just going to be me and you in that car, no one else,” Ace ordered, getting straight to the point.
He had to admit the lady looked stunning—Lisa couldn’t compare to her beauty—but today was all about business.
“Don’t speak to me that way, Mr. Ace. I deserve respect if you want yours,” Andrea narrowed her eyes.
Ace raised an eyebrow. He could have tossed her over his shoulder if he wanted to.
“Okay then. Please get in the car,” Ace said with a small smile.
Andrea nodded and moved toward the car.
“I don’t think the mistress should be alone with you,” a young man with blonde hair stepped out from the team of guards, speaking up.
He looked rather young to be in the squad but had a stern face.
Ace glanced at him and then ignored his presence.
“Get in, Princess, so we can get to the venue as soon as possible,” Ace said.
“Call me Andrea,” the lady replied with a smile as she walked to the car.
Ace opened the door and allowed her to sit comfortably.
The young blonde, who had spoken, felt his face turn red with embarrassment and anger. It was as if he wasn’t even there.
Ace turned to the squad.
“Know your place. I’m the leader of this team. I don’t want to see any guards near the Chancellor’s daughter. Stay five arms' lengths away from her. No one needs to know she brought protection,” Ace commanded with such authority that they immediately respected him.
The young blonde scoffed and returned to his position.
“I want everyone to get proper attire for this event. We’re not going to war just yet. Meet us at the event in thirty minutes,” Ace chuckled and was about to enter the car when the blonde man spoke up again.
“I’d like to go with you,” he said.
“You’d only slow me down. I don’t need you,” Ace shut down his request and closed the car door.
“What happened?” Andrea asked when he got in.
“Nothing a damsel should worry about,” Ace answered as he started the car.
“I know you think I’m just a child because my grandfather asked you to watch over me, but I’m more than that,” Andrea chuckled.
Ace didn’t bother to respond. He had more important things on his mind.
Andrea remained silent for the rest of the ride. The watchdog annoyed her, but she had other things to focus on, like preparing for her speech.
They drove quietly until Ace noticed something was wrong.
“Is this the address sent to you?” Ace asked.
“Yes. It was sent by my secretary,” Andrea quickly replied. She, too, felt something was off about the route.
Ace let out a sigh. He hadn’t wanted to follow the address in the first place but didn’t know where the event was being held.
“What’s wrong?” Andrea asked, her voice tinged with urgency.
“We’re about to be ambushed,” Ace muttered.
Andrea chuckled, “They’re making a big mistake,” she said with annoyance.
She didn’t want to be delayed. One thing she hated was being late, and these people were about to make her late.
“Get ready. There’s a gun under your seat—take it and hide it well. We don’t know if these people are heavily armed,” Ace spoke with caution.
It wasn’t surprising to see how desperate these people were.
“You need to fire your secretary,” Ace smiled as he looked in the mirror, seeing her drop her phone.
“I already did,” Andrea replied.
“What did she say?” Ace was curious. The mood, even after realizing they were about to be ambushed by hardened criminals, was surprisingly light.
“She wished I would die,” Andrea laughed out loud.
Just as they were about to make a U-turn, two cars and five motorcycles surrounded them.
“It seems they’re here,” Ace’s expression turned serious. He gripped the steering wheel tightly, making a sharp swerve on the road.
“I found two guns,” Andrea said, ignoring the screeching tires.
“Keep them close,” Ace loosened his seat belt and turned off the car engine when he saw the criminals stepping out.
Andrea wanted to ask if he needed a gun, but Ace had already exited the car.
The leader of the group frowned and looked at the guy to his right.
“I thought you said she’d bring a whole squad, but it’s just one man. I could have left some guys behind. We brought too many people for this one guy,” the leader cursed at the waste of time.
A loud laugh echoed through the area. The man who stepped out of the car was laughing at them.
“Why is he laughing?” one of the thugs asked his neighbor.
“Do you think they’d bring a madman to guard such a wealthy lady?” his neighbor replied.
They were baffled by the way this young-looking man was laughing. It seemed like he was actually enjoying himself.
Ace suddenly stopped laughing and stared at them.
He assessed their weapons and physical builds, and a sharp glint appeared in his eyes as a wide grin spread across his face.
He was going to enjoy himself today.
“I’m sorry to say, but it’s you guys who are outnumbered,” Ace declared loudly.
***
“What is he saying?” the gang leader asked the person beside him.“He said that he alone is more than all of us here,” the person answered.The leader burst out laughing and pointed a finger at Ace. “You should be in the circus for your funny behavior. How can you say that one of you is more than the thirteen of us here?” The leader snarled in disgust.Ace ignored the remark and looked at his watch. He needed to be at the event before Andrea's speech.“Hurry up with whatever you're planning. I'm running behind schedule,” Ace said coolly.The gang leader’s anger flared. He had taken time to come out here, and this guy was acting like it was nothing.“Who do you think you are? Get him, boys!” he ordered, and they rushed at Ace with their knives and weapons, ready to cut him down.Andrea, who was sitting in the car, couldn’t clearly see what was happening behind the tinted glass, but she saw them rush at Ace.Suddenly, her car door was yanked open, and someone forcefully dragged her out.
Even the media was drawn to the sweet sound of Andrea’s laughter.“Ace? Poor? You must be mistaken. You’ve lost a good man,” Andrea said to Lisa, recalling the scene of Ace saving her during the ambush.“I don't care. He never gave me anything, and he has nothing. I don't want someone who is nothing,” Lisa’s ego took a hit from Andrea's comment, and she retaliated.“Ace? He's a million times better than your current man,” Andrea replied with a smirk.Andrea knew that Ace would disappear after completing his job, but her curiosity got the better of her; she didn't want him to leave just yet.“How do you know that?” Lisa asked, glancing at Ace and then back at Andrea. “Have you two been seeing each other?” Lisa questioned.This time, Ace stepped forward.“Not everyone would stoop as low as you have, and furthermore, what I do with my life is no longer your concern,” Ace retorted sharply.“How dare you speak to her like that?” Richard rushed forward, ready to punch Ace, but Andrea's voic
"Sir, please forgive me, just one..." Julius desperately knelt on the ground, his trembling hands clutching at Ace's pants. His face was full of remorse, cold sweat running down his forehead. His voice was choked, as if he had only one last glimmer of hope left in his despair.Ace bent down, his icy gaze locking onto Julius without a hint of expression. “Forgive you? Do you think you deserve to say that? Do you remember how I begged you during the scholarship decision?”Julius trembled, desperately searching for something in Ace's eyes, but found nothing. His hands slowly slipped away, his head bowed in defeat. “I… I was wrong… but please…”“Shut up.” Ace cut him off, his voice like cold steel. “You had your chance, and you betrayed my trust. Don't think I will be merciful this time.” He turned his back and walked away, leaving Julius collapsed on the ground.Julius had nothing left to say, kneeling there quietly in shame and regret, watching as Ace left him behind. In the distance, Q
Ace rushed into the thick smoke, the heat from the blazing fire scorching his skin. The explosion moments ago didn't just shake the entire building, but also sent electrical sparks shooting through the dark hallway, making everything unstable.All around were the creaking sounds, like signs of an imminent collapse. Everything was terrifying!In an instant, Ace glanced back and saw Luther had safely led Quinn away. But that didn't stop him from charging towards the burning room. "Julius, where are you?"His voice choked, as if swallowed by the crumbling space, echoing without any reply.Ace's steps didn't slow down. He knew that if he didn't move fast, Julius would be burned alive in the very prison his own mistakes had created. Ace's heart pounded loudly in his chest, time felt like it was shattering.But deep inside, Lisa's voice echoed like a silent plea. "My father .. please, save my father."The smoke thickened, obscuring his vision, but Ace was used to this feeling. His eyes lock
“How dare you…” Richard roared, but as soon as he realized it was Andrea, he immediately swallowed his words, reverting to a respectful attitude. “Miss!”“Get out of here! And remember, Richard, keep your bitch under control. Don’t make me angry!”Andrea spoke with a veiled threat, but everyone understood its meaning. No matter how angry Lisa was, she had no choice but to swallow her pride and walk away. Compared to Andrea, she was nothing.“Andrea…” Before Ace could finish his sentence, she had already pulled him into a tight embrace. He could hear soft sniffles by his ear. Was she… crying?“Wait, what’s going on?” He still didn’t understand what was happening.A moment later, Andrea regained her composure and let go of Ace. She spoke clearly, “I found out about the recent attack. Thankfully, my grandfather is safe.”“That’s it? Well, that’s good. I thought it was something more serious…”She was slightly taken aback by his indifferent attitude. Does he not care?“My grandfather told
Ace stepped closer to Oliver, his eyes fixed on the older man, unblinking. The entire room was thick with tension as everyone’s gaze followed the two of them.“How do we know you’re the real Ace?” Oliver’s sneer curled his lips, his sharp eyes gleaming with suspicion. His tone was laced with the intention to apply pressure. “A man who vanished for years suddenly reappears… It’s more than a little suspicious.”Ace remained unfazed, staring straight into Oliver’s eyes. “You doubt me? After all these years, you still don’t believe that I’m the only one capable of running My Lady?”Oliver scoffed, stepping closer to Ace, their distance shrinking by the second. “Anyone can fake the identity of a dead man. We need more than fairy tales to rely on.”“A dead man?” Ace chuckled coldly, his voice echoing ominously through the room. “Is that what you think? Let me remind you, Oliver, that it was my signature on the contract that saved you from bankruptcy. Is there anyone here who dares to deny t
Ace stepped into the grand lobby of the My Lady hotel, the luxurious atmosphere surrounding him in stark contrast to the simple life he had lived for many years. He had grown accustomed to staying in the shadows, living a humble existence, far removed from the wealth and power of this world. But now, returning to My Lady, Ace knew he had to confront both his past and present.As he exited the elevator and walked toward the entrance, Ace quickly noticed the stares from people around him. A group gathered near the reception desk, chatting animatedly, but they all went silent the moment they spotted him.A voice suddenly called out from behind, pulling Ace back from his thoughts.“Hey, isn’t that Ace? The broke kid from school?”Ace turned around, locking eyes with a familiar face—though not someone he had ever been particularly close to. It was Jack, someone who had attended the same school as Ace, but they had never really been friends. Standing beside Jack was a group of his friends,
Ace stood beside his car, his gaze fixed solemnly on the road ahead. Night had settled over the city, and the glow from the My Lady Hotel cast a faint light on his face, accentuating his already steely expression. Just as he reached for the car door, a voice broke through the silence.“Ace! Wait!”Lisa’s voice was desperate as she hurried up behind him, her breaths coming in short, rapid bursts. Ace turned slowly, his cold eyes meeting hers without a trace of warmth. “What else is there to say, Lisa?” His tone was icy, his demeanor guarded.She hesitated for a moment, then stepped closer, her face softened with regret. “I… I know I was wrong, Ace. Please, just… forgive me.” Her voice trembled, her eyes glossy with unshed tears as she looked up at him pleadingly.Ace didn’t flinch. His gaze remained steady, and yet, deep within, an old wound seemed to stir, recalling the bitterness of her betrayal. “Forgive you?” he scoffed, a slight sneer forming at the corner of his mouth. “Do you re