Ethan practically hauled Alexandria into the passenger seat of the silver Mercedes. She was in the grip of a severe panic attack—shaking, hyperventilating, and repeating her daughter's name—but there was no time to lose.

Ethan slammed the door shut and pulled the car onto the street, accelerating to a reckless speed. He was driving, not toward the docks at Pier 17, but toward a different area of the city. His immediate plan was to contact Jason and secure the one million dollars in cash.

He reached for his phone but hesitated, pulling the car abruptly over to the side of a quiet, tree-lined street before making the call.

[Why do you doubt?]

Ethan ignored the System for a moment, gripping the steering wheel. He glanced at the $750,000 settlement cheque in his pocket.

I don't want to involve Royal Security directly yet, Ethan thought. If Celestial Garden knows that Royal is mine, it will immediately start a two-front war against me—against both Celestial and Olympus. I need to keep my assets segregated for now.

[So, you want to be a hero? Won't it be more dangerous for Alexandria's daughter if you go alone and expose them to risk?]

Ethan mentally responded, It might be dangerous, but it would be worse if I arrived with a convoy of armored escorts. That screams a threat they can't ignore, and they'll execute the hostages immediately.

He took a deep breath. He needed the money and a way to handle the situation without drawing his business assets into the direct line of fire.

Alexandria, reacting slightly to the sudden stop, looked at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. "What's happening, Ethan?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper. "Why did we stop? We have to go to the Pier!"

Ethan turned to her, offering a practiced, reassuring smile that didn't quite reach his intense eyes.

"Everything will be fine," Ethan said. "Just trust me."

Ethan then pulled out his phone again and dialed Jason, overriding the internal conflict. He needed the cash, and Jason was the only fast, trustworthy source.

"Jason," Ethan said immediately when the line connected. "I need you to divert a unit immediately to the First National Bank branch on Elm Street. I need one million dollars in untraceable cash in a briefcase. I need it delivered to a precise location in twenty minutes. Do you understand?"

"Boss, a million dollars in twenty minutes?" Jason's voice sounded tight with concern. "What the hell is going on? Are you okay? Do you need extraction? I can be there in ten with the whole team—"

"No," Ethan cut him off sharply. "You don't need to get involved. Royal Security must remain on the sidelines. This is not a company matter; it's personal. If you get too close, the political enemies I just escaped will connect everything, and we'll lose all discretion."

"I understand the discretion, Boss, but at least let me come myself, or send two guys to guard you," Jason insisted. "A million in cash means serious danger. I don't like you going in alone."

"No," Ethan said, his voice absolute. "I am handling this alone. Just bring the money."

Jason sighed, the resignation clear in his tone. "Fine, Boss. Where do you want the handover?"

Ethan gave him the coordinates for a secluded parking garage near the bank, chosen for its quick access and camera blind spots. "Be there in fifteen minutes. I'm driving a silver Mercedes sedan."

"Fifteen minutes, Boss. Be safe," Jason said, and the line went dead.

Ethan started the Mercedes again, leaving the residential area with a powerful burst of acceleration. Alexandria watched him, silent and utterly dependent on his actions.

They reached the parking garage in under ten minutes. Jason was already waiting in a black unmarked car, standing beside a heavy briefcase. The transaction was swift and silent. Jason handed the case to Ethan without a word, his expression worried.

"Don't worry," Ethan said. "I'll clean up the mess."

Ethan threw the briefcase onto the back seat and immediately sped toward the waterfront. The silver Mercedes now cut through the city like a guided missile, heading straight for the industrial gloom of the docks.

"Pier 17," Ethan murmured, his eyes fixed on the road, the thrill of the danger making his blood run cold. "Let's go see Celestial Garden's employees."

Alexandria was still trembling, but the presence of the briefcase and Ethan's fierce focus had pulled her back from total panic. She looked at him, tears welling up again, but these were tears of gratitude.

"Thank you, Ethan," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "Thank you so much for helping me. I don't know what I would have done alone, or how I would have ever gotten that money."

She grasped his arm. "I'll pay you back. I'll do anything—whatever you say. I would sell you my soul for this help."

Ethan glanced at her, his expression utterly serious.

"Don't worry about paying me back," Ethan said. "Have you forgotten that you already belong to me? Your entire body is mine to use as I see fit."

He lifted a hand from the wheel and gently caressed her cheek, his thumb wiping away a tear. "And that's not all. Your daughter is under my protection now too. I don't care about the consequences; I will take care of everyone who matters to you."

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Alexandria repeated frantically, her voice trembling with desperation. "I am yours! All yours! Just please, save them!"

Ethan lifted a hand from the wheel and gently caressed her cheek, his thumb wiping away a tear. He leaned in and gave her a quick, soft kiss.

"Calm down," Ethan said. "I promise you, everything will be fine. Breathe, try to relax. We need you to be strong to save them."

If they touched even one hair on their heads, I will screw them over like they have never imagined, Ethan thought.

[That's my champion. Save the princess, and screw her mother.]

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