Ynda kept her head bowed, feeling the weight on her shoulders like a sword about to drop. ‘I just hope I don’t mess up, she thought nervously.
After ten long minutes, Samuel finally spoke. “Ian, I’ve been searching for you for ages<b>.” </b>
“Mr. Grant, you must be joking,” Ian responded calmly.
Ian’s reply was crisp and confident; he showed no sign of backing down in front of Samuel.
It was as if the two of them stood on perfectly equal ground.
Ynda kept her head down, but she was all ears, catching every word.
Samuel set his cup down and shot Ian a look. “So, you wanna be a star now? Chasing fame, huh?”
Ian grinned mischievously and leaned against Ynda’s shoulder. “Honestly, I’d rather be her secret lover. Is that allowed?”
Ynda stiffened all over, almost tempted to drop to her knees before Samuel in sheer embarrassment.
Samuel let out a soft “hmm,” as if he didn’t know how to respond.
After another half–minute of silence, Samuel finally said, “You won a ton of cash from my gambling house back then. Never thought your real name wasn.”
“Spent it all ages ago,”n answered with a carefree shrug.
Samuel leaned back, giving a thoughtful hum. “Want to have this chat upstairs?”
“Sure,” Ian replied, getting up and shooting a look at Ynda, who was still keeping her head down.
Ian got to his feet and nced over at Ynda, who remained silent with her head bowed.
He crouched down next to her and said, “Ms. Grant, just sit tight. I’ll be back down in half an hour.”
Ynda’s mind was in total chaos; she couldn’t even bring herself to <i>look </i>at Samuel. All she could do was give a dazed nod, feeling lost and anxious.
In the study, Samuel idly turned the ring on his thumb, his presence radiating a calm maturity that maden’s wild streak stand out even more.
Ian was like a wolf who’d grown up in the untamed wilds–he desperately tried to hide the feral instincts beneath the surface, but the little things always betrayed him.
Neither of them said a word, the silence stretching out like a tug–of–war that neither side wanted to lose.
12:13 Sun<b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>21 </b>
公園
Finally, Samuel spoke. “I’ll hand over Crimson Gallery to you. Think you can handle it?”
Crimson Gallery was wheren used to fight underground. But it wasn’t just about bare–knuckle brawls<b>–</b><b>the </b>ce had a whole gambling operation too. The club was massive and famous all across Beloris, but nobody ever knew who actually called the shots behind the scenes.
Once you stepped inside, even the big shots had to y by the rules. And when you got into the ring, it was kill or be killed–nobody cared about anything but surviving.
Samuel ended up with this headache by chance, but he still hadn’t found anyone up to the job of running it.
They called it a hot potato for a reason–the ce drew people from every walk of life, most of them up to no good. Only someone ruthless enough could keep it under control.
The Grant Family was all about running respectable businesses in public, so Samuel couldn’t afford to be associated with a shady operation like this.
But Crimson Gallery was a goldmine, and Samuel was reluctant to let it go.
Samuel was ambitious–hungry for power above all.
Ian was silent for a moment, his tone even. “I want an even split. Fifty–fifty.”
“Forty–sixty. Plus, you get Yoyo,” Samuel shot back.
“Deal.” Ian didn’t even hesitate.
“Just make sure Charles stays in the dark about this. If he goes off the rails, trust me–nobody can rein him in,” Samuel warned.
Charles hadn’t noticed a thing yet. He was only acting on what he’d picked up after fifteen years of knowing Ynda.
He thought he was always one step ahead, but now the tables had turned–the hunter had be the hunted.
Ynda had no idea what those two were plotting upstairs. She was restless, barely able to sit still–especially with this being Samuel’s ce.
She swallowed hard, feeling so nervous it was like all the water in her body might just evaporate.
Sure enough, half an hourter Ian came down.
He walked up to her and said, “Ms. Grant, let’s go.”
Ynda felt a wave of relief when she saw Samuel hadn’te down.
She pulled her coat tighter around herself and was about to leave when Samuel’s voice stopped her.
He stood at the top of the stairs, his expression serious. “Yoyo, Charles will be here any minute.”
<b>12:13 </b><b>Sun</b><b>, </b><b>Sep </b><b>21 </b>
<b>??</b>?
youchers
Ynda froze. After everything that had happened tonight, just hearing Charles’s name made her heart ache.
It was clear–she couldn’t leave with Ian. Ian had to go first.
Ynda bit her lip and sat back down.
Ian brushed a kiss across Ynda’s check before heading out, leaving her heart pounding.
Samuel watched everything unfold, then, aftering downstairs, took off the coatn had given Ynda and draped his own over her shoulders instead–iming her without saying a word.
Ynda’s whole body grew rigid, bracing herself in case Samuel started interrogating her.
But Samuel didn’t ask anything at all. The silence between them was thick and electric.
Five minutester, the doorbell chimed. It was Charles–Ynda instinctively straightened, nerves on edge.
Samuel’s voice was chill, seasoned with a mature edge. “You can’t hide the truth forever.”
Charles would figure it out sooner orter.
Ynda spoke softly, “I’m going to grow my studio, save up some cash, and figure out my exit n.”
‘I’ll just head overseas, anywhere really–there’s no way Charles can reach me out there,‘ Ynda thought.
Samuel shot her a look, and for a moment, it hit him–Ynda was the most innocent soul in this whole
scene.
She’d gone and tangled with Charles, and now she had the guts to poke at Ian–a total mad dog if there ever was one. If she kept ying with monsters like this, one day they’d chew her up and spit out the bones, and there’d be nothing left of her.
Samuel muttered inwardly, ‘Just how on earth would she ever get herself out of this mess?‘ <fn0821> Official source is fin?novel</fn0821>
He rubbed his temples, kept his silence, and simply told the servant to open the door.
When Charles stepped in, his whole vibe was heavy and brooding.
He locked eyes with Samuel for half a minute, then let out a soft chuckle. “Well, Samuel, looks like you’re quicker than me this time.”
Samuel’s people had managed to hold him off for forty minutes–they’d done their best.
Charles yanked Ynda over with possessive urgency, swept his gaze along every inch of her, finally zeroing. in on her lips.
Her lips were a little swollen. Charles wasn’t blind–dangerous anger red in him, his stare slicing through the room and locking cold and deadly on Samuel.
Samuel curled his lips in a bitter half–smile. “This is how I got Yoyo back.”
<b>12:13 </b>Sun, Sep <b>21 </b>
Charles’s grip tightened for a split second, then he pulled Ynda into his arms and growled out, “Mine
“Thanks,” he said coolly, not bothering to hide the edge in his voice.
Back in the car, Charles shoved Ynda hard into the seat.
Her face burned, scrambling with hands and feet to push him away.
His gaze was cold as ice. He mped her chin between his fingers. “Who touched you?”
Ynda felt nothing but disgust at that moment; she just looked away without answering him.
The air inside the car grew icy and oppressive. Charles’s face was dark and menacing, and you could see the chaos roiling in his eyes–like any second he might just snap.
As soon as the car rolled to a stop outside Moonbay Estate, he grabbed Ynda and pulled her roughly into his arms.
“Let go of me!” Ynda blurted out, panic trembling in her voice.
But she was so weak, she couldn’t put up much of a fight.
Charles set her down in the bathtub, then cranked the cold water on full st, sending chills through her until she was shaking all over.
Just then, his phone buzzed–Vivian was calling. He didn’t even nce at it, just kept dousing Ynda’s face with cold water, relentless and merciless.
Ynda couldn’t open her eyes, blindly iling; in her panic, her handnded against his cheek in a weak p.
Charles pressed his thumb rough against her lips, eyes zing red with fury. “Where else did he touch you? <i>Say </i>it!”
Ynda wiped cold water off her face, her heart thumping with fear–he was terrifying now, savage violent.
and
She knew Charles’s gentle side was nothing but a front. If he wasn’t ruthless to the core, there’s no way he could keep those scheming Sinir uncles in line.
Ynda just felt so cold, her whole body starting to tremble, weak and helpless.
“Hubby, I’m cold,” she whispered, her voice quivering with desperation.
Tears streamed down her cheeks, her face ashen and drained.
Charles stiffened–like her words had cut straight through all his anger. Instantly, the fury melted away. Without another word, he switched the water <i>to </i>hot.
<b>12:13 </b><b>Sun</b>, <b>Sep </b><b>21 </b>