1 At a critical international conference, my phone blew up. It was Cole, a childhood friend I hadn't spoken to in years. When I finally called back, his tone was sharp. “Too important now? I’m getting engaged and you can’t even come help.” My work was classified. I gave a vague excuse. He grew more arrogant. “Fine. But if you want forgiveness, send a gift—a car with four rings.” Thinking he meant money, I offered ten grand. “Ten grand?” he spat. “My fiancée is Sierra Sterling, from Silveridge’s most powerful family. Don’t push your luck.” A digital invitation arrived. I opened it—and froze. There was my wife, Sierra, wrapped around Cole in a fiery kiss. “Four rings?” I whispered, my voice low. “I’ll send two.” Wreaths have rings, too. Hearing me agree, Cole was ecstatic. “Hell yeah! I knew I could count on you, brother! And hey, I’m looking out for you. Two of the new Audi R8s will be perfect. If you’re a little tight on cash, I know a guy who gives out loans. Super reliable.” Two R8s? At over a quarter-million each? Did he think I was his personal bank? A cold smirk touched my lips. I decided to test the waters. “So, you’re marrying Miss Sterling. Does her husband approve?” There was a pause on the other end, followed by the wet sound of someone swallowing. “Stop nibbling, you little vixen,” Cole’s voice came through, thick with lust. “My buddy here says you’re already married. You care to explain that?” Sierra let out a discontented moan, her words muffled. “My only husband… is you, Cole. That loser… he’s still treasuring a fake marriage certificate like it’s gold.” Aroused beyond control, Cole tossed his phone aside and I could hear the sounds of him pulling her into a rough embrace. The line was filled with a sickening symphony of moans, curses, and cries of pleasure. Each sound was a needle, stitching a pattern of agony directly onto my heart. “Oh Cole, please… I’m going to die!” I killed the call. Reaching under my bed, I pulled out the marriage certificate and immediately dialed the City Registrar. A quick search confirmed it. The certificate was a forgery. The rage was a physical thing, a black tide rising in my chest. I summoned my assistant. “Contact the District Attorney and the Police Commissioner in Silveridge. I want a full, top-to-bottom investigation of the Sterling family. Every asset, every transaction. If you find anything illegal, I want them crushed. No mercy.” “And one more thing,” I added, my voice deathly calm. “Call a florist. Order forty funeral wreaths.” After giving my orders, I stared at the cold, beautiful face on the worthless certificate and crumpled it into a tight ball. She seemed to have forgotten a simple fact. The Sterling family only existed because I allowed it to. To think she would dare humiliate a man of my standing… I would bury her entire family for this. I notified my superiors and drove straight to the Sterling mansion. I was getting my daughter. But she was nowhere to be found. I searched every room, and when I questioned the maids, they averted their eyes and mumbled excuses. My roar of fury finally broke one of them. Trembling, she led me to the backyard, to a crude, brick doghouse. I stared, confused, until she tapped on the dog bowl. A small, shivering girl in rags crawled out. It was my daughter. In that instant, the blood in my veins turned to ice. I couldn’t process what I was seeing. “Nora!” I cried out, rushing forward to sweep her into my arms. But she flinched violently, shaking from head to toe, her voice a tiny, pleading whimper. “Don’t hit me… I won’t eat anymore… I’ll go back to my kennel, I promise…” Her words were a knife twisting in my gut. I’d only been gone for a few months. What had happened here? That vile creature, Sierra… how dare she! Once Nora had calmed down, the whole horrifying story came out. In my absence, Sierra had brought Cole into our home. They carried on day and night, and to keep her out of the way, they locked my daughter in the doghouse. Whenever I was scheduled to return, they would clean her up, dress her in nice clothes, and threaten her into silence. Her small body was a canvas of horrifying bruises. Patches of her skin were scarred with cigarette burns. Cole’s handiwork. Looking at her tiny, malnourished limbs, I felt the last of my control snap. This engagement party would be their funeral. I ordered the maid to throw every last one of Sierra’s belongings in the trash, called a realtor to put the mansion on the market, and then, with my daughter safely with me, I drove toward the party. On the way, Sierra called. “Honey, the DA’s office is at the company. Can you go down there and smooth things over?” “I’m a little busy right now,” I said, my voice dripping with ice. “Stop making trouble for me.” Busy putting horns on my head? I laughed coldly and blocked her number. When I arrived at the hotel Cole had mentioned, the entrance was lined with luxury cars. I told Nora to wait in the car, locked the doors, and walked inside alone. It was just an engagement party, but it was decorated with obscene extravagance. Cole was preening near the entrance in a tailored suit, greeting guests. Behind him, a series of large displays showcased photo after photo of him and Sierra. The revealing clothes, the lewd expressions… each image was a fresh wave of disgust. My fists clenched. I wanted to tear them all to shreds. In five years of marriage, she had always played the part of the untouchable goddess. The number of times she’d even allowed me to touch her could be counted on one hand. But here, in Cole’s arms, she was like a bitch in heat, desperate to please her master. Maybe five years ago, I never should have stepped in front of that loan shark’s knife for her. I never should have paid off her family’s debts and elevated her to a status she never deserved. “Well, well, if it isn’t my old pal Liam! What are you doing just standing there? Never seen a place this fancy? Cat got your tongue?” A jeering voice broke my thoughts. It was Cole, surrounded by a posse of our old childhood friends, strutting toward me like a king. “Hey man, I didn’t see you call my guy for a loan. So, what’s the story with the cars? I’ve been bragging to everyone. Don’t make me look bad, okay?” As soon as Cole finished, a sycophant named Leo flashed a high-end knockoff Rolex on his wrist and chimed in. “Come on, Cole, you’re putting our boy genius in a tough spot. He’s just a damn tutor at some prep school. He probably took the bus here. A car? The guy couldn’t afford a single tire if he saved for the rest of his life!” The group erupted in laughter. “Hey, Liam’s a brain, right? Maybe he can write a poem for the happy couple! He can keep the couple hundred bucks he was gonna give as a gift to pay for his taxi home!” “Liam, listen. Eat all you want, but don’t you dare try to sneak food out in a plastic bag. Cole’s marrying a Sterling, the top family in Silveridge. Don’t embarrass him.” Looking at their smug, bootlicking faces, a chilling coldness settled deep within me. “Liam, they’re just joking around, don’t take it seriously,” Cole said, clapping me on the shoulder, but his eyes were gleaming with triumph. “But let me give you some brotherly advice. In this world, money is king. What’s the use of being book-smart? If it wasn’t for my engagement, you wouldn’t even be allowed through the doors of this hotel.” He leaned in closer. “Remember all those girls you used to look down on? Now you couldn’t even lick their boots. See, that’s where I’ve got you beat. I married well. Now I run this city. But hey, don’t feel too bad. When you meet my wife later, I’ll see if I can get you a job as a security guard at Sterling Corp…” I stared at him, my expression unreadable. The higher he climbed, the harder he would fall. Just then, my phone buzzed. The wreaths had arrived. I gave the order. A moment later, a bizarre procession appeared at the end of the red carpet. A team of people, dressed for a funeral, carrying enormous wreaths, began to wail and chant, throwing the entire event into chaos. Cole’s face turned the color of week-old garbage. He screamed for security to throw them out. The florist, a cheerful man, bustled over to me. “Sir! All the wreaths you ordered have been delivered. I even threw in the full package, procession and all, free of charge. Are you satisfied?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “You did a great job. My brother gets married again, you’re the first person I’m calling.” The florist looked utterly bewildered, but Cole, finally realizing who was behind it, started shaking with rage. “Liam, you son of a bitch! I’m going to kill you!” He lunged, his fist aimed at my face. I caught his wrist, used his momentum to pivot, and sent him flying over my shoulder. He landed flat on his face with a pathetic grunt. Seeing his master down, Leo the lapdog grabbed a chair and swung it at my head. I ducked, spun, and planted a foot square on his ass, sending him tumbling headfirst into a pile of funeral wreaths. Cole scrambled up, his face a twisted mask of fury. “Liam, you have a death wish! Don’t you know who the Sterlings are in this city? You could have ten lives and it wouldn’t be enough!” I just shrugged. There weren’t many people in this world who could threaten my life. Within minutes, Cole had summoned a dozen security guards. “Get him! If he dies, it’s on me!” Emboldened by his promise, they charged. I took down the first two with quick, precise strikes, then used the chaotic environment to my advantage, weaving between tables and guests. In moments, half of them were on the floor. Cole was screaming like a madman. “You idiots! Use your batons! The first person to take him down gets a hundred grand!” The money lit a fire in their eyes. They drew their batons and came at me with renewed ferocity. I misjudged a step, and a heavy blow landed on my leg. I stumbled, and they were on me, a flurry of fists and feet. They dragged me before Cole. Without a word, he drove his fist into my stomach, twice. The pain was so intense my vision swam with black spots. “Liam! You were so tough a minute ago. What happened?” he sneered, grabbing a handful of my hair and slapping my face repeatedly, a sick, ecstatic light in his eyes. Leo handed him a wine bottle. Cole didn’t hesitate. He shattered it over my head. Blood and alcohol poured down my face, blinding me. He spat on me in disgust and pulled out his phone. “Baby, where are you? Some jealous asshole crashed our party and tried to hurt me. You have to come make him pay!” Sierra’s cold voice came through the speaker almost immediately. “Who has the nerve to touch my husband? Have the guards hold him. Cripple him, kill him, I don’t care. I’m on my way.” After he hung up, the sycophants started in again. “Damn, Cole, you’ve got the great Sierra Sterling wrapped around your little finger!” “Sierra Sterling is nothing! Back when Cole was a loan shark, he’d take any woman he wanted. Now those were the days!” Cole puffed up his chest, basking in the praise. He picked up a heavy, steel serving fork from a nearby table and, with a vicious grin, stabbed it straight through the palm of my hand. The agony was blinding. A scream ripped from my throat as cold sweat drenched my body. Nora, worried that I’d been gone so long, had slipped out of the car and into the hotel. She ran in just in time to see the fork impale my hand. She let out a terrified cry and threw herself at me. “Leave my daddy alone! Stop hurting my daddy!” she sobbed, spreading her tiny arms to shield me. Cole froze, stunned by her sudden appearance, then his face hardened into a cruel mask. “You little mongrel. Who let you out of your kennel? Get back there right now before I whip you!” Seeing the terror in my daughter’s eyes, remembering the scars that littered her small body, the hate inside me detonated. I ripped the fork from my palm and, with every ounce of strength I had left, lunged at Cole, plunging the steel tines into his chest. It only went in an inch before he kicked me away. “You piece of shit! You and the mutt you spawned aren’t leaving here alive today!” After a guard crudely bandaged his wound, Cole took out his rage on me, kicking and punching until he was out of breath. He leaned down, his hot, foul breath in my ear. “You know, Liam, I have to thank you. You raised a fine wife for me.” He chuckled. “She is so, so wet.” My blood ran cold. I stared at him. “You knew.” Cole threw his head back and roared with laughter. “Of course I knew, you idiot! Why do you think I set you up with her? For the thrill of it! You were married for five years, and I was fucking her for five years. She was so used up by me, she wouldn’t even let a loser like you touch her.” A red haze descended over my vision. I flailed at him, but he easily dodged my clumsy attacks. “Why?” I choked out. “I treated you like a brother. Why would you do this to me?” There was no remorse in his eyes, only a deep, festering hatred. “Because I hate you! I hate the way you always looked at me with pity, like you were tossing me scraps! So I decided I’d take everything from you. Everything. I’ll even make your daughter my dog!” “You animal!” I struggled to my feet, but before I could move, a sharp slap sent my head spinning. “What bastard dares—” My words died in my throat when I saw her. Sierra. For a split second, I saw panic in her eyes. “What are you doing here?” she demanded. “You have the nerve to ask me that? You filthy, degenerate whore!” My words erased her panic, replacing it with cold fury. She slapped me again, so hard I nearly fell. By the time I looked up, she was draped over Cole, looking down at me with utter contempt. “You want to know why?” she hissed. “Because you make my skin crawl. You disgust me.” Her revulsion was a blade, carving me up from the inside out. Nora, trembling behind me, tugged on my hand, trying to pull me away. But Sierra’s sharp eyes noticed her. She wrinkled her nose. “What’s that smell? Oh, the little mongrel is here too. You didn’t really think this pathetic loser of a father could protect you, did you?” Cole laughed, sliding his hand up Sierra’s dress and squeezing her. He brought his fingers to his nose and inhaled deeply. “Let’s just take out the trash. Get rid of these two pieces of filth today.” He waved his hand, and the guards pinned me to the floor again. “Sierra, you will regret this!” I roared. “Regret it? I think you’re the one who’s going to have regrets,” she sneered. She ground her heel into my wounded hand and snatched a bottle of vodka from a table. She poured it directly onto the open wound. The pain was beyond anything I had ever felt. It was like being torn apart. The veins in my neck bulged as I thrashed against the hands holding me down. Nora’s screams were heart-wrenching. She tried to push Sierra’s foot off my hand, but Sierra kicked her away. Nora crawled back, sobbing, and started banging her small head on the floor at Sierra’s feet. “Mommy, please… please don’t hurt Daddy…” This only enraged Sierra further. “Who’s your mommy, you little bitch? I’ll kick your teeth in!” She raised her pointed high-heel and stomped it down on my daughter’s mouth. Blood gushed from Nora’s lips. My vision went red. I was helpless, pinned, able to do nothing but scream curses. “Are you even human?! That’s your own daughter! I never should have saved you—” Cole kicked me hard in the ribs, cutting me off. “Since you two are so keen on sharing everything, I’ll be happy to oblige. Hold that little bitch down and pour the rest of that vodka down her throat!” As Leo pried open my daughter’s mouth, I let out a desperate, primal scream. “You can’t touch her! I am a National Scholar of the Research Institute!” The room went silent for a beat, then exploded with derisive laughter. “A National Scholar? You look more like a national embarrassment! Yeah, and I’m the Archmage!” “Dude’s been reading too many fantasy novels!” “Touch her, and you are all dead men!” I bellowed, my eyes bloodshot with rage. The only answer I got was another hail of kicks and punches. “The man who can touch me hasn’t been born yet!” Cole snarled, grabbing the bottle himself and forcing it into my daughter’s mouth. The next second, the entire glass front of the hotel shattered inward as several military jeeps plowed into the lobby, followed by a dozen police cruisers, sirens screaming. The hall was instantly flooded with armed officers, surrounding everything.
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