Suddenly, there was only silence in the cat.


    The four ck vans had already driven away in a hurry, leaving their friends'' bodies sprawled on the asphalt. The surrounding cars, whose drivers had witnessed the scene, stayed far away, unwilling to get involved. "Hey, driver," Alex called out. "Don''t you think it''s time to move out? What are you waiting for?"


    The driver, who had been enjoying the music apanying his journey to the afterlife, slowly opened his eyes and nced around.


    A jolt of shock ran through him. The obstruction that had once blocked his path


    was gone.


    "Yes, yes, Sir."


    He hastily pushed the pedal, and as the car started moving, it bumped slightly- rolling over the bodies on the road


    Jasmine stared out of the window, her eyes lost in the blue sky and the rows of passing houses.


    "Don''t you want to ask who they were?" Alex asked, breaking the heavy silence.


    "Not really," Jasmine replied, her vo


    soft but dismissive.


    "They''re like cockroaches-keeping after me. Honestly, I''m starting to get bored of it." She tried to force a smile.


    But Alex noticed the faint tremble in her hand as it rested near him.


    "Can you help me tonight?"


    "What is it?"


    "You know that most of Kingston''s bodyguards are stationed with my father in Los Angeles," Jasmine exined.


    "The ones here are busy chasing after Chris and Bianca. So, I have no one to protect me. After what just happened, there''s no telling when the next attack coulde. I need you to be my bodyguard."


    "Personal bodyguard?" Alex raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn''t it be safer for you to stay in a secure ce?"


    "That''s impossible," Jasmine replied.


    "Tonight''s my first banquet as Vancouver''s leader-my first official appearance after my father. It''s the biggest event for me and the entire city."


    "Allies and enemies alike will be there. I''ll be defenseless, sitting duck. Maybe this will be thest time you see me?" She blinked innocently.


    Alex sighed, hesitating for a moment before nodding. "Alright, I''ll protect you."


    Even though it felt like a hassle, he knew he had to.


    He was the reason Alfred Kingston had moved to Los Angeles, and it was his duty


    to ensure everything ran smoothly. Jasmine''s rise to power could not be put at risk.


    "Many thanks, Mr. Alex." Jasmine shed a sweet smile and linked her arm with his.


    The subtle scent of her perfume filled the small space, warm and distracting.


    Chapter lis


    "Do you think we can always stay like this?” she asked, her voice as gentle as a fading melody,


    Alex stared into the distance, letting the silence speak for him.


    "Death leaves a heartache no one can heal; love leaves a memory no one can


    steal," Jasmine whispered, her words lingering like a delicate breath on the wind.


    Alex sighed, his gaze heavy witli the weight of unspoken truths.


    "We tell ourselves we''re in control," he murmured, "but we''re only small boats, adrift in the storm."


    The hum of the car engine filled the silence as the city blored past, distant and cold.


    It was an evening at the Vancouver Convention Centre, the city''s crown jewel of prestige and elegance.


    The iconic event space stood proudly by the waterfront, its vast expanse resembling a grand hotel. The modern design, inspired by West Coast beauty, featured sweeping ss walls, timber ents, and high ceilings that created an aura of sophistication and openness


    Inside, panoramic windows revealed breathtaking views of the harbor and distant mountains.


    Outside, the waterfront promenade offered lush greenery and a scenic marina,pleting the grandeur of the location.


    A sleek ck limousine glided to a stop at the entrance, its polished exterior


    gleaming under the golden glow of the city lights.


    The driver stepped out and opened the door with precision, revealing a distinguished man in a perfectly tailored midnight-blue suit, apanied by a stunning woman draped in a flowing ck evening gown.


    They emerged together-elegance personified.


    He adjusted his cufflinks, the gleam of his luxury watch catching the evening glow.


    She brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, her wless skin glowing like porcin under the shimmer of the city skyline.


    "Who is she? A famous actress?"


    "Her beauty-it''s unreal!"


    "Isn''t she the President of the Lancaster Group? The one who took over Chris Rnd''spany?".


    "Yes! She''s one of Vancouver''s top five beauties!"


    "And the man by her side... that must be Marco Ashford-the most sought-after bachelor of them all!"


    The whispers around the entrance swelled in awe as people watched Sophia''s breathtaking presence and Marco''smanding demeanor.


    Sophia''s eyes scanned the grand entrance, her lips parting slightly in admiration.


    "I never imagined the Vancouver Convention Centre would be this grand," Megan eximed as she stepped out behind them.


    Megan, the former vice director of Chris Rnd''spany, now served as Sophia''s personal secretary- a role she clung to with fierce determination.


    Terrified of losing her job, she was desperate to win Sophia''s favor and prove her worth.


    Sophia absorbed the breathtaking scene, her keen eyes tracing the panoramic view of the harbor framed perfectly by the Convention Centre''s towering ss walls.


    The soft, golden glow of the city lights shimmered across the water, while the low hum of conversation among Vancouver''s elite-the very people she had only read about in newspapers or admired from afar-mingled with the distant rhythm of the


    waves.


    Despite her cultivated taste and discerning eye, she couldn help but be awestruck.


    This ce was a masterpiece of elegance-sophisticated, timeless, and almost dreamlike.


    Marco leaned in, his voice warm and steady. "Sophia, you belong here. Don''t be so surprised-and never look down on yourself."


    Sophia suddenly remembered,


    ''We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?''


    "Mr. Ashford," Megan chimed in, trying to sound humble but desperate.


    "You''re the real elite here. You have to help us navigate this so people won''t look down on us."


    Marco let out a soft chuckle. "Don''t worry. With me here, who would dare to disrespect you? I''m here to support both of you."


    "Support us?" Sophia raised an eyebrow, confused by his sudden eagerness.


    Marco straightened his jacket, his smile widening. "I heard that the Lancaster Group is in talks to be one of the Kingston family''s partners. But nothing is set in stone until the contract is signed. That''s why I''m here-to put in a good word for you. This will boost your chances of sealing the deal."


    "You know them personally?" Sophia asked, her curiosity piqued.


    "Of course. I''ve been friends with the Kingstons for years." Marco''s voice brimmed with confidence.


    "That would be incredible! Thank you, Mr. Ashford!" Megan''s eyes lit up with hope.


    If the deal was signed, it would not only elevate thepany''s status but also solidify Megan''s own position as Sophia''s trusted right hand.


    Marco gave a modest shrug. "For Sophia? It''s no trouble at all." He shot her a deliberate smile.


    "Of course-we''re practically family already," Megan added with a wink, trying to mirror his charm.


    But Sophia wasn''t listening. Her attention had shifted to the luxurious car that had


    just pulled up at the far end of the entrance.


    A tall figure stood beside it.


    Her heart skipped a beat.


    "Could that be Alex?" she murmured to herself.


    As the figure came into view, her breath caught in her throat.


    It was Alex. The sharp cut of his suit, the confident posture-everything was undeniably him. But bef could call out to him, she noticed the woman standing beside him.


    she


    The woman was breathtaking, dressed in a skin-tight, fiery red gown that entuated her tiny waist and stunning curves.


    Her porcin skin seemed to glow under the city lights, and her features were


    impossibly perfect, carrying an air of regal beauty.


    Jasmine Kingston.


    There weren''t many people who could make Sophia feel inimidated, but Jasmine


    was one of them-perhaps the only one.


    "She was the storm wrapped in beauty-


    A woman who walked like lightning,


    And left silence in her wake."


    And she knew, she could never be like jasmine.


    As Sophia approached, Alex''s gaze caught hers for a fleeting moment-just long


    enough for her to witness the warmth vanish from his eyes.


    What reced it was a distant coldness that stung more than any harsh words


    could.


    "Ms. Lancaster," he said formally, his tone razor-sharp with politeness.


    "How can I help you?"


    Sophia''s carefullyposed fa?ade wavered.


    She hade prepared with a heartfelt exnation, yet now every word she''d practiced felt hollow in the face of his detachment.


    She forced a small smile. “What a coincidence seeing you here," she managed,


    her voice betraying her uncertainty. His unyielding stare seemed to pierce straight through her, causing her to question everything.


    The man who once weed her with warm, steadfast smiles had disappeared, leaving only a cold stranger in his ce.


    A tightness gripped Sophia''s throat as Lyra''s warning echoed in her mind: "You''ll


    lose him... and that regret will haunt you."


    Now, she felt the full weight of that heartache-and it was shattering. 1