"I think it's best if you co with us," the taller of the two n said, his tone leaving no room for argunt.
I took a step back, eyeing both n carefully. "And if I refuse?"
The shorter man moved his jacket aside, revealing the outline of a weapon. "Then we make this difficult. Mr. Ashworth would prefer you cooperate."
So Corbin had wasted no ti. Dinner had barely ended, and he already had n waiting for . I considered my options as the back door of the Land Rover opened.
"Get in," ca a familiar cold voice from inside the vehicle.
I glanced back at the Ashworth mansion in the distance, its windows glowing softly in the night. Isabelle was in there, likely unaware of what was happening. Fighting here would only bring her into this ss.
"Fine," I said, stepping toward the car.
The interior was plush leather, dimly lit and slling of expensive cologne. Corbin Ashworth sat in the far corner, his face half-hidden in shadow.
"Drive," he commanded as the two n slid in beside , boxing in.
The car pulled away smoothly from the curb. I kept my face neutral, though my mind was racing. Where were we going? What did Corbin want?
"You're either very brave or very stupid," Corbin began, breaking the tense silence. "Perhaps both."
I t his gaze steadily. "I'm neither. I just know what I want."
He laughed, a sharp, humorless sound. "What you want? Do you have any idea who we are? Who the Ashworth family is?"
"I know exactly who you are," I replied.
Corbin leaned forward, his face catching the dim light from the dashboard. "No, I don't think you do. Let educate you. The Ashworths have been the backbone of Havenwood's economic and political landscape for generations. We have connections in every industry, every governnt office. One word from us can open doors—or close them forever."
"Is this the part where I'm supposed to be impressed?" I kept my voice even, refusing to be intimidated.
His eyes narrowed. "This is the part where you understand your place in the world, Mr. Knight. You were a nobody living as a doormat for the Sterling family not long ago. Now you've gained a little power and think you can aim beyond your station."
The car wound through Havenwood's elite district, moving away from the city center. I remained silent, watching the buildings thin out as we headed toward the outskirts.
"You know nothing about Isabelle's world," Corbin continued. "Her responsibilities, her future. The plans we have for her."
"Plans she doesn't want," I countered.
His jaw tightened. "What a child wants and what benefits the family are often different matters."
"She's not a child. She's a woman who can make her own decisions."
Corbin's laugh was cold. "Is that what you think this is about? Her independence? No. This is about what's best for the Ashworth legacy."
The car turned onto a private road, trees lining both sides. We were heading sowhere isolated. My muscles tensed, preparing for whatever might co.
"I'll be direct," Corbin said, reaching into his jacket pocket. "I want you to disappear from my niece's life."
He pulled out a thick envelope and tossed it onto the seat between us.
"Inside you'll find five million dollars and docuntation for a new identity. Plane tickets to anywhere you want to go. A fresh start, far from Havenwood."
I stared at the envelope without touching it. "You think you can buy off?"
"Everyone has a price," Corbin said dismissively. "I'm simply offering you the chance to walk away wealthy instead of broken."
I pushed the envelope back toward him. "Not interested."
Anger flashed in his eyes. "Don't be a fool. This is more money than soone like you would see in a lifeti."
"Soone like ?" I echoed, feeling my own anger rise. "You know nothing about , Mr. Ashworth."
"I know enough. A cultivator from nowhere, trying to climb the social ladder by attaching yourself to my niece. It's transparent and pathetic."
I leaned forward, eting his gaze directly. "Let be clear. I don't want your money. I don't want your connections. And I'm not walking away from Isabelle."
His face hardened. "Then what do you want?"
"Her," I said simply. "Just her."
Sothing passed across Corbin's face—surprise, perhaps, or disbelief. He recovered quickly.
"How noble," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "And completely naive. You think your little romance can survive the realities of our world? The expectations? The obligations?"
"I think that's for Isabelle and to figure out."
Corbin's eyes narrowed to slits. "You presu too much. The Ashworth mansion is now off-limits to you. If you try to see Isabelle again, you'll be removed by security."
"You can't keep her prisoner in her own ho."
"Watch ," he snapped. "And while you're dreaming about your impossible future with my niece, rember this: Dashiell Blackthorne is everything you're not—connected, respected, worthy of the Ashworth na. The marriage will happen, with or without your interference."
I felt my blood boil at the ntion of Dashiell. "This isn't about what's best for Isabelle. This is about your alliance with the Blackthornes. What did they promise you, Corbin? A seat on their board? Political backing?"
His montary silence told I'd hit the mark.
"You know nothing of our affairs," he finally said, his voice dangerously low.
"I know enough to see you're selling your niece for your own advancent."
The slap ca fast, but I was faster. I caught his wrist before his hand connected with my face, gripping it tightly enough to make him wince.
"Don't," I warned quietly, releasing his arm with enough force to push it back.
Corbin's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in calculation. He tapped on the partition separating us from the driver. The car slowed and turned onto a dirt path, heading deeper into the woods.
"Take him out," Corbin ordered the two n as the car ca to a stop in a small clearing.
The n grabbed my arms, yanking from the vehicle. I allowed it, curious to see how far Corbin would take this. The night air was cool against my skin as they dragged several yards from the car.
Corbin stepped out, straightening his expensive suit. "Last chance, Knight. Take the money and disappear, or face the consequences."
I pulled free from the n's grip with ease, making them stumble back in surprise.
"No," I said firmly. "I won't be threatened, bribed, or intimidated away from Isabelle."
Corbin's face twisted with rage. "Then you leave no choice." He turned to his n. "Make him understand his error. Leave him alive, but make sure he gets the ssage."
He walked back to the car, not bothering to watch what would happen next.
The two n circled , confident smiles playing on their lips. From their stance and the energy emanating from them, I could tell they weren't ordinary thugs. These were trained cultivators—Third Rank Grandmasters, if I had to guess.
"Nothing personal," the taller one said, cracking his knuckles. "Just business."
I remained still, waiting. "For you, maybe. For , it's very personal."
They attacked simultaneously, moving with the coordinated precision of n who had fought together before. The taller one ca at from the front while his partner circled to strike from behind.
A month ago, such an attack might have overwheld . Now, it seed almost laughably slow.
I sidestepped the first punch, grabbing the man's extended arm and using his montum to throw him into his partner. Both n recovered quickly, looking surprised but not deterred.
"He's faster than he looks," the shorter one muttered.
They ca at again, this ti with cultivation energy crackling around their fists. Golden light illuminated the clearing as they unleashed their power.
I didn't dodge this ti. Instead, I t their attack head-on, my own energy surging through my body. My fist connected with the taller man's sternum, sending him flying backward into a tree with a sickening crack. He slid to the ground, unmoving.
The second man hesitated, eyes widening in shock.
"What the hell are you?" he whispered, backing away. This chapter's true source is My Virtual Library Empire (*).
I advanced on him slowly. "Soone you shouldn't have threatened."
Fear replaced confidence in his eyes. He turned to run, but I was already there, blocking his path. My hand closed around his throat, lifting him off his feet.
"Your boss made a mistake," I said calmly. "He thought I was still the man who let the Sterlings walk all over him. That man is gone."
"Please," he choked out. "We were just following orders."
"Bad orders." I tightened my grip. "Tell Corbin Ashworth that if he cos after again, I won't be so rciful."
But looking into the man's eyes, I realized he wouldn't be telling anyone anything. Corbin couldn't know what I was capable of. If these n reported back, he would only send more powerful assassins next ti—possibly endangering Isabelle in the process.
I made my decision quickly.
When I returned to the clearing minutes later, both bodies were hidden deep in the woods. The Land Rover was gone—Corbin had fled, likely assuming his n would handle easily.
Rain began to fall, washing away the blood on my hands. I looked up at the stormy sky, understanding washing over like the cold raindrops.
This wasn't just about Corbin Ashworth or even Dashiell Blackthorne. This was about a system—a world where powerful families like the Ashworths and Blackthornes believed they could control everything and everyone. Where soone like was expected to know my place and stay in it.
I wasn't fighting individuals. I was fighting an entire social order.
The realization should have terrified . Instead, it hardened my resolve. If I wanted to be with Isabelle, I wouldn't just need to defeat her uncles or Dashiell—I would need to challenge the very foundations of their world.
Lightning cracked across the sky as I stood alone in the clearing, my path forward suddenly clearer than ever.
"So be it," I whispered to the storm.
Reviews
All reviews (0)