"Everyone, hold it right there," Sophia barked, her voice slicing through the bem like a whip.


    She''d already heard Florence''s frantic version and everyone elses-about how Alex had wrecked everything and how Charles was supposed to swoop in and save the day.


    She didn''t want to listen to another second of it, but shutting her ears was impossible.


    Still, she needed to hear Alex''s side of the story.


    "What''s going on, Alex? Cafe to enlighten the rest of us?" Sophia gave him a single, razor sharp chance to defend himself.


    "Be was acting like an unruly brat, so I put her in her ce," Alex responded without a hint of remorse.


    "Did youy a hand on her?" Sophia frowned, her eyes narrowing in disbelief.


    "I only pped her once," Alex shrugged. "After that, the other guests joined in with their own ps


    "You all heard that, right? Heid hands on her first, so he started this entire mess! It''s his fault the Lancasters got banned!" Florence shouted, her anger ring like wildfire.


    "I say we snatch him up right now and hand him to the Kanes. Let them do whatever they please to appease their wrath!"


    A flurry of murmurs rippled through the crowd, and it was disturbingly clear that most of them sided with the idea of abducting Alex.


    "You''re too reckless for your own good, Alex! Do you even realize who Ms. Kane is? What makes you think you''re fit to challenge her? Do you have any idea the nightmare you''ve unleashed?" Sophia scolded, her voice etched with exasperation.


    It was as if she had conveniently forgotten that she herself had smashed a bottle over Be''s head just earlier.


    Even recalling it sent shivers down her spine, since the Lancaster Group was now on the brink of bankruptcy because of that incident.


    "So you wanted me to sit on my hands while you were beaten and humiliated?" Alex''s sneer could have frozen steel.


    "Stop twisting my words! I''m telling you to weigh the fallout before you swing!" Sophia fired back.


    "Thousands of workers depend on Lancaster staying afloat. If we go under, their families starve!"


    "Listen, Alex. You''re ex-military-life isn''t solved with a fist. Change that caveman mindset before you be a muscle-bound savage."


    "I don''t keep score on details," Alex growled. "Cross the people I love, and I''ll repay you in blood."


    "Pah!" Florence spat in disgust.


    "Is that what you call love? You nearly got Sophia killed. That ain''t love-it''s your own selfish pride!"


    "You all see it now! He''s as pigheaded as theye! We have no choice but to offer him up to the Kanes," Jack urged, signaling two younger Lancasters to seize Alex.


    They grasped Alex by the shoulders in perfect sync, their faces grim with determination.


    "You best not fight back," Jack growled, stepping closer. "Because if you do, you''re only making it worse for yourself."


    Alex''s eyes narrowed, ready to explode, when another cousin burst in, white as a sheet.


    "Bad news-Kanes justnded a monster helicopter on thewn. They''ve brought an army to ughter us all!"


    "What?!" The entire room erupted in a shocked chorus, fear crackling in the air like thunder.


    They had thought being banned was punishment enough, yet none had foreseen the Kanes woulde down on them with


    such merciless force.


    Now the Kanes were practically at their doorstep, closing in like a pack of wolves, leaving no room to escape.


    "It''s over! It''s really over! We''re nothing but sitting ducks now!"


    "How on earth did ite to this? Can''t the Kanes show us even a shred of mercy?"


    Panic gripped the crowd, and they bolted upright as if their chairs ad caught fire.


    A handful tried to bolt from the ward in a mad scramble, abandoning the rest without a second thought.


    Others, seeing those first cowards attempt an escape, tried following, but within seconds, they all came rushing back. "They''re everywhere-there''s no way out! We need a n, or they re going to tear us apart!"


    "All of this is that cursed fool''s doing! It''s his fault we''re facing this nightmare!"


    "Exactly! The Kanes only want Alex. Hand him over, and maybe they''ll spare the rest of us!"


    instan


    In an instant, every furious eye locked onto Alex, their stares slicing into him like a thousand heated des.


    In their panicked minds, sacrificing Alex was the quickest path to salvation.


    They rushed in to force him into submission, attempting to mp him in cuffs, but no matter how many tried, Alex refused to bend, standing firm like an unyielding statue of iron.


    His strength was as unmovable as solid steel, leaving the young Lancasters looking like clumsy fools around him.


    Their feeble attempts only made them appear all the more pathetic, each one stumbling off him as though they''d hit a brick wall.


    Then, in the midst of the chaos, a formidable group from the Kane family swept through the doorway, boldly announcing their presence.


    At the sight of them, a few Lancasters darted to the corners in sheer terror.


    Leading the pack was Vet, pushing Be''s hospital bed ahead, nked by Kane family representatives and a handful of grim- faced bodyguards.


    Each one wore a menacing re, enough to make some of the younger Lancasters nearly wet themselves on the spot.


    Be herself appeared frail, eyes fluttering in a half-conscious state.


    Both arms and legs were strapped in casts, her face grotesquely bruised and swollen, warped beyond recognition.


    Anyone who didn''t know her well would struggle to believe this battered soul was once the haughty young heiress.


    "M-Ms. Kane?" someone gasped, their voice quivering with shock


    If they thought Sophia''s injuries had been severe, Be''s wounds were ten times worse, a horrifying testament to the merciless beating she''d received.


    The Lancasters collectively reeled at the sight of this nearly broken and disfigured Be.


    They knew she''d been roughed up, but not to the point where her face puffed like a pig''s head, shocking even the hardest among them.


    Had they not witnessed it firsthand, none would have believed that the Kane family''s notoriously pampered princess could end up in such a pitiful state.


    Still, they couldn''t help but wonder if Alex had gone entirely too far.


    Judging by Be''s tragic condition, it seemed the Lancasters were doomed for certain


    23


    One of Sophia''s uncles wasted no time dropping to his knees and begging.


    "We are the Lancaster family-we want nothing to do with that bastard Alex!" one of the uncles bellowed, voice cracking with desperation.


    "Sophia Lancaster cut ties with him long ago, she divorced that lunatic! He''s no kin of ours! If blood is what you want, take his we''ll help you slit his damn throat if that''s what it takes. Just spareus. We''re innocent!"


    Others hastily followed suit, prostrating themselves in the same humiliating plea.


    Vet''s lip curled-were they serious? They''de to apologize, yet the hosts knelt first?


    Were they ying some twisted game?


    Did he need tomand Kanes bodyguards to kneel as well?