Ethan walked into the room, taking in the pale, wounded man and the tight, ready guard.

"Rhodes," Ethan said, his voice cold, devoid of surprise. "You look like hell."

Axhel managed a strained smile, a mask over his pain. "To what do I owe this unexpected visit, Mr. Blake?"

Ethan glanced pointedly at R1, raising an eyebrow. Before Ethan could ask, Axhel immediately provided the clearance.

"Relax," Axhel said. "This is R1, my right hand. You don't need to be careful what you say around him."

Ethan let out a short, cynical laugh. "You misunderstand me," Ethan said. "I was just thinking that your other cat—a certain Alpha, the idiot who attacked me on your orders—might be here. I don't know your name, R1, but you should be careful. These bastards change bodyguards like a whore changes panties. You won't last long."

R1 remained absolutely motionless, like a statue, refusing to show any reaction. Axhel laughed again, a dry, grating sound. "Don't try to sow discord, Blake. You can't. My men are absolutely loyal."

"Fine," Ethan said, taking a slow sip of the champagne he'd brought with him. "Don't say I didn't warn you. Since we've dropped the masks, let's be frank: I came here to request compensation."

Axhel's smile vanished. "Compensation? I don't recall owing you anything."

"Ah, true, true. Perhaps my memory is failing me," Ethan mused, pretending to ponder. "Did you, by any chance, not steal a house from me worth $150 million?"

"No," Axhel said with a sneer. "Your house is right where it has always been. I don't know why you haven't wanted to visit it recently. Perhaps you found a better residence."

Axhel was clearly referencing Ethan's stay in prison, using it as a deliberate taunt.

"Hehe, it's true, it's true. I had a little vacation, but I'm back now," Ethan said, completely unfazed. "So, I'll be direct: $200 million in compensation. $150 million for the house's full value, and $50 million for my car, my injuries, and compensation for my emotional trauma."

Axhel's face twisted in uncontrollable fury. He yelled, his voice cracking from the strain on his injured torso. "Don't push your luck, Blake! Go screw yourself!"

"Well," Ethan said, his voice calm and reasonable, "if you don't want to pay, that's entirely your decision. I'm not here to force you. It's just that we will have to tell a great many people that your organization attacks its own residents—even selling their personal information to your enemies. I don't think anyone will trust Celestial Garden after that."

Axhel spat on the floor near Ethan's shoe. "You're a damn snitch! A rat!"

"I owe you nothing, Axhel, so you can go to hell for all I care," Ethan said, finishing his champagne. "Now decide: do you pay my bribe, or do you go to ruin?"

Axhel Rhodes stared at Ethan, his chest heaving under the bandages. The pain was nothing compared to the cold reality of his situation: Ross Bailey was upstairs, waiting for him to fail, and Ethan had just offered him a chance to save face—at an exorbitant price. He needed time to regain control of his branch and his dignity.

After a moment of agonizing silence, Axhel forced the word out. "Fine. You win. I accept."

Ethan smiled, a predator's grin. "Excellent. A wise choice, Axhel. I knew you were smarter than your former friend, Vance.... You know the account"

Axhel gritted out. "It will be there within the hour."

"And is there anything else you might require?" Ethan asked, his voice dripping with false concern. "I hope this is the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership."

"Ha!" Axhel scoffed, though the sound was weak. "Of course, Blake. Get out.... please"

Ethan gave a final, dismissive nod and walked toward the door.

Ethan exited the room and returned to the lavish reception hall, moving through the crowd once more.

Inside the sterile room, Axhel immediately slumped against the wall, breathing heavily.

"R1," Axhel rasped.

"Sir?" R1 responded instantly, moving closer.

"Why did I pay him?" Axhel choked out, running a trembling hand over his face. "Tell me, R1, why did I just hand over a quarter of a billion dollars to that psychopath?"

"Sir, you needed to buy time," R1 said, his eyes scanning the door nervously. "You need to save what little operational value you have left. If you had gone through with the ambush, and Thompson had followed through on Blake's threat, the Central Office would have been forced to intervene... and you would be dead right now, at the hands of the envoy."

"Exactly," Axhel said, his voice laced with venom. "I needed to save myself from that bastard, Bailey. Blake is a distraction, R1. He's a problem for tomorrow. Tonight, I needed to survive the night."

Ross Bailey POV

Ross Bailey, the ruthless enforcer from Celestial Garden's Central Division, sat serenely in a private lounge on the upper floor of the mansion. He was sipping a cup of exotic herbal tea, surrounded by antique furniture. Spread neatly across the coffee table in front of him were various operational reports and financial ledgers—all detailing the failures of Axhel Rhodes.

The door opened quietly, and a precise, efficient-looking secretary entered.

"Mr. Bailey," the secretary said, holding a file folder. "It appears we have something that might serve to finish Axhel Rhodes once and for all."

Ross Bailey calmly set down his teacup, his eyes cold and unwavering. "Tell me. I'm listening."

The secretary placed the folder squarely on the table and opened it, revealing pictures and documents. "It concerns this subject."

"What are you referring to?" Ross Bailey asked, gesturing to the open file with a dismissive wave of his hand.

The secretary leaned forward slightly. "It is the young Blake whom we have been monitoring—the resident Axhel lost control of. His name is Ethan Blake, and the intelligence reports indicate he is far more than just a resident. He is the man who just forced Axhel to pay $200 million for silencer

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.