Chapter 228 Chapter 228
The hospital reeked of antiseptic and despair. Jericho Kane shoved the double doors open with the rage of a god uninvited
He froze.
There she was-Be, his daughter.
His golden girl.
Mangled beyond recognition.
Her once-radiant face was flow a ruin of blood and shattered bone Her arms?
Torn like wings from a fallen angel.
Her legs? Bent in ways only nightmares could dream.
He staggered a step back, his lips trembling. Then-
"Who did this?!"
The roar cracked through the ward like a gunshot.
Nurses flinched. A bodyguard limped forward, face pale, one eye swollen shut.
"Sir... it was Alex," he rasped.
"Jasmine Kingston''s... boy toy."
Jericho''s knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists, fury dancing in his eyes.
"Alex? That son of a bitch again. He has the audacity toy a finger on my daughter?"
He red at his guards, eyes zing. "Why didn''t you protect my daughter?!"
The guard swallowed hard, bracing himself.
"He''s... stronger than we expected, Sir Kane."
Jericho seized the guard by the throat so violently the man''s feet left the floor.
"Stronger than you expected? How about you protect my daughter or die trying? Instead, youe crawling back here with excuses? How dare you look me in the eye?"
"S-Sir, please-"
The sound of bones snapping cut off the guard''s plea.
Jericho tossed the limp body aside like garbage.
Around them, doctors and nurses gasped in horror, but none of them dared move.
He turned, slowly, deliberately. His jaw clenched so tight it might''ve turned to stone.
He stepped closer to Be, the scent of violence suddenly thick in the air.
"I''should''ve drowned that stray dog when I first heard his name. But no... I let him breathe. And now-hes my daughter apart like she''s nothing?"
"That son of a bitch Alex," Jericho hissed. "I want him brought to me alive so I can tear him apart personally."
He whirled on the rest of his men, who were half-hiding behind medical equipment.
"Everyone in Vermont is now on my payroll for this. Spread the word. And if the Kingston family tries to shield him, we''ll rain hell on them too. Understand?
Yes, Sir!" they answered, scuttling away in haste to carry out his orders. Jericho''s rage only intensified.
"And the Lancasters-kill them all. I don''t care if it''s man, woman or child."
"I want that bloodline wiped off the face of the earth. Be gets hurt because she roughs up Sophia Lancaster? Fine. The Lancasters can pay for that in full!"
Vet edged closer, his own face pale.
He spoke carefully, trying not to provoke Jericho''s wrath.
"Sir, that Alex is no average fighter. He''s... extremely skilled. You might consider the Vermont Elite."
Jericho''s jaw tightened, eyes narrowing. "You''re suggesting I unleash my father''s old nightmares on these Kingston fools?"
Vet nodded, "Yes, Sir. We can''t underestimate this guy. Word is, the Kingston family might rally behind him. We need every advantage, especially if you n on taking them all down in one swoop."
Jericho nced once more at Be, fury and sorrow colliding in his chest.
All right. Send for the Vermont Elite. All of them. Tell them it''s time."
He paused to brush a hand across Be''s hair, face contorting in anguish for a heartbeat before locking back into unbridled rage.
"No one touches my daughter without paying the ultimate price. The Kingstons want to stand in my way? We''ll tear their throne apart."
"And by tomorrow morning, I''ll hand Vancouver to my daughter."
Meanwhile, across town at the Kingston mansion, Jasmine Kingston paced the ornate living room, chewing on her lip.
"So let me get this straight," Jasmine said, a disbelievingugh escaping her. "Alex destroyed Be Kane in public? Just... went absolutely ballistic on her?" Kelly replied, her voice t and emotionless.
"He ordered every one of Be''s guests to p that woman. They obeyed without question. He''s absolutely ruthless."
Jasmine''s brow furrowed. "Honestly, I''m surprised. Alex doesn''te off as the reckless type. There must be a reason."
"Apparently, Be Kane had publicly humiliated Sophia Lancaster his ex-wife. Guess he lost it."
Jasmine shrugged like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"I''d have done the same. Be Kane thinks she''s untouchable, Good for Alex."
Kelly baffled. “That doesn''t bother you? Come on, Jasmine, you like him, right? He''s out there risking everything for some
other woman."
"Kelly, chill. They only just got divorced. Of course there are lingering feelings-it''s normal."
Jasmine gave her a cool stare. "Besides, if Alex had stood by and done nothing, I would''ve lost all respect
im."
Kelly shook her head. "I still think it''s weird. If my guy was going berserk over his ex, I''d flip out."
She paused for a moment, an unspoken envy flickering in her eyes. In truth, part
of her wondered if Alex might someday fight that fiercely for her.
Far from the chaos, in a luxurious hotel suite perched above downtown Vancouver, Charles Kingston exhaled contentedly, leaning back against satin pillows.
ra, her hair tousled, sprawled across his chest, both of them flush from recent indulgences.
Their moment was shattered by Charles''s ringing phone.
He snatched it off the nightstand, scowling. As he listened, his scowl twisted into a
sly grin.
"So the rumors were true, he muttered under his breath. "Alex challenged Be Kane at her own party, and she got mauled.
Now Jericho wants war. Perfect."
ra, half-sitting up, gazed at him with anguid smile. "Something good?"
"Oh, very," Charles purred, stroking a hand across her cheek.
"Turns out this ruckus might be my golden opportunity. Kane is pissed, and soon enough he''ll be taking on the entire Kingston family Tensions are high-ripe for me to step in and seize control."
Charles swinging his legs off the bed.
"Get dressed. We need to get to Vancouver''s underbelly and start pulling the strings. This might be bigger than we dreamed."
At Vancouver Hospital, Alex walked into Sophia Lancaster''s room.
He found Florence, Jack, and the rest of the family gathered around the bed. The moment Alex stepped into the room, the air turned sharp with tension.
"You!" Jack snarled, fists clenched at his sides. "Who the hell invited you here?"
"I came to see how Sophia is doing," Alex said.
Florence''s eyes burned with fury.
"Get out! We don''t want you anywhere near her! It''s always you every time you appear, something terrible happens. You caused this to Sophia, didn''t you? You''re
a walking disaster. Why can''t you just disappear from our lives?"
Alex swallowed a retort, forcing himself to remainposed.
"I suggest you ask ra what happened at that banquet. It''s not something you want me exining."
Florence''s brow furrowed. "ra? She went to the party with Sophia-why isn''t she here? Is she hurt too?"
Alex exhaled. "I doubt it."
"Stop dodging," Jack demanded. "Just tell us: who did this to my sister? If I find
out, I swear-
"You''ll do nothing," Alex cut him off. “Not if you value your lives. Because the
person who hurt Sophia is Be Kane."
Silence descended, thick as a funeral shroud.
"Be Kane,” Florence repeated numbly. "Jericho Kane''s daughter..."
"Why would she hurt Sophia?" Jack stammered, stepping away from the bed as if
the air had suddenly
"There''s no rivalry between us and the Kanes! We are just an ant to them."
Alex let out a hollow chuckle.
1 toxic.
"Be doesn''t need a reason. She''s Jericho Kane''s brat-thinks she''s
unstoppable. She was humiliating Sophia in front of
everyone, and from what I saw, she went way too far.''
The Lancasters fell silent, dread etched across their faces.
Blindsiding an average family was child''s y for Jericho Kane-veryone in
Vancouver knew that.
If the Kanes strike, there''s nothing left to do but kneel... and pray they don''t break you with the first blow.
The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.
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