A sudden noise at the door caught everyone''s attention.


    Shawn instinctively nced over. A young man stepped inside-tall, strikingly handsome, with features so wlessly sculpted they seemed almost unreal. His entire presence radiated a quiet, aristocratic confidence—he looked nothing like the kind of person you''d expect to work as a bodyguard.


    Shawn recognized him immediately. "You! Ste''s pretty boy!"


    Joshua''s dark eyes narrowed, the chill in their depths sending a wave of cold dread across the room. An invisible pressure seemed to fill the air, making Shawn''s heart seize with fear. His knees trembled, betraying his bravado.


    He tried to sound fierce, but his voice trembled. "W-what do you want? Who gave you the nerve to kidnap me? Let me go right now! If you let me walk, maybe I''ll let you live. Otherwise I''ll have you torn to pieces!"


    He sneered, desperate to regain control. "And your boss, Ste-she''s in on this, isn''t she? I''ll make sure she pays too. Maybe I''ll take her for myself, show you what a real man is-ah!"


    Joshua didn''t say a word. In a sh, Shawn was pinned to the floor, Joshua''s polished shoe grinding down on his face. The sickening crack of bone and teeth filled the air, making everyone flinch.


    The young secretary, who had just regained consciousness, let out a horrified


    scream.


    Joshua lifted his head and shot her a cold, indifferent nce.


    Her face went white. She cowered in the corner, hands mped over her mouth, not daring to make another sound.


    Just then, the door opened again. A sharply dressed young man entered, walking swiftly to Joshua''s side.


    He bowed his head respectfully. "Mr. Gardner, what do you want done with these two?"


    Joshua''s voice was calm, almost detached. "Find out who''s pulling the strings." A dangerous light flickered in his eyes. His words were ice-cold: "Cut off what matters most to him. Make him watch as his secretary is forced to swallow it." The man hesitated, his breath faltering for an instant. "Yes, sir."


    "And one more thing..."


    There was more?<fn6956> ?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? findnovel</fn6956>


    Joshua looked down at Shawn with utter disdain. "Feed the bodies to the dogs."


    With that, Joshua turned and left, not bothering to look back.


    Behind him, Shawn''s screams soon echoed through the room, raw and desperate.


    Shawn vanished without a trace.


    Because he''d disappeared during a Williams family event, the Pearce family demanded answers, convinced Ste had kidnapped him for revenge. They pressed her relentlessly demanding she return Shawn or at least exin herself.  s


    But everything changed when Haynes produced evidence of Shawn''s secret meetings with Leonard.


    "Star was drugged that night-she was unconscious in the hospital. How could she have plotted Shawn''s kidnapping? Shawn slipped her


    something despite the ties between both families. Do you really think he acted alone?"  s


    Haynes''s analysis was measured and precise. "Once things came to light, Leonard moved quickly to sever toose ends-he had Shawn and the secretary killed to cover his tracks."


    s


    "If the Williams family wanted revenge, why take the secretary too? She was the only one who could testify that Shawn set Star up."


    The Pearces were left speechless.


    Haynes''s evidence was overwhelming: security footage of Shawn and Leonard meeting at a private club, phone records, even proof of bribes and hidden deals.


    No one could possibly believe Leonard and Shawn weren''t involved together.


    Now, with both Shawn and the secretary missing-neither seen alive nor found dead-the full truth remained buried.


    But one thing was certain: whether or not Leonard ordered it, Shawn''s betrayal of Ste was beyond doubt. The evidence was irrefutable.