"Shoot him!" Felicia barked at the security android.


    The machine''s arm unfolded, coils humming to life. Blue sparks red-then the taser fired. But instead of Alex, the bolt hit Albert square in the chest.


    Albert convulsed, body jerking as the shock tore through him.


    He copsed, twitching on the marble floor. Without hesitation, the android grabbed him by the cor, dragged him out into the garden, and began to whip him.


    Each crack of the whip split the morning like a pistol shot. Albert''s scream tore through the air-raw, ragged, animal with pain.


    Felicia went pale, then lunged out toward the garden, fury and fear in her steps.


    "Stop it!" she screamed, voice wobbling with panic. "I said stop-wrong man! That''s not him. Whip Alex, the loser-whip him, not Albert!"


    The android didn''t stop. Itshed him again and again-ten times in total-before straightening, its voice t and calm. "Mistress, the punishment isplete. Tenshes as ordered."


    Felicia''s breath hitched. "You stupid machine!" she screamed. "I told you to whip Alex, not the wrong man! Go finish your job!"


    "Yes, Mistress," the android replied.


    But instead of turning on Alex, the machine spun toward Felicia. Its coils recharged with a rising electric hum. Before she could move, it tasered her.<fn4b51> This text is hosted at find{n}ovel</fn4b51>


    Her body seized, and she fell. The whip came down again and again until her cries faded into hoarse gasps.


    Inside, Sofina came down the stairs, her hair still damp from washing. She found Alex setting tes at the table, the scent of coffee and toast filling the kitchen.


    "What''s that noise outside?" she asked, frowning.


    Alex didn''t look up. "Probably Albert and Felicia doing some morning exercise." Sofina smirked. "Perfect. Then we can eat in peace."


    In the garden, Felicia and Alberty unconscious, their clothes torn and bodies trembling.


    The android stood still beside them, eyes dim and silent.


    It wasn''t malfunctioning-it had been hacked. Eve had reprogrammed it. Its new priority was clear: protect Sofina and Alex at all costs.


    A few hourster, Alex walked toward the towering ss building of the Eden Group.


    The street was nearly empty; only delivery drones hummed by overhead. In this district, people didn''t walk-unless they were poor or didn''t belong.


    A sudden roar shattered the silence. A sleek luxury hovercar came tearing down the avenue, engines howling, aiming straight for him. Alex moved fast-instinct, sharp and sure-sidestepping just in time. The car screeched to a halt inches from his legs, air thrusters screaming in protest.


    Alex froze as the sleek doors lifted open.


    A young couple stepped out. The man wore a tailored charcoal suit, his hair slicked back with precision. The woman beside him looked like she''d stepped out of a magazine-elegant, sharp, untouchable.


    Alex''s eyes narrowed. He recognized her instantly. Annabe Wolfsbane- Sofina''s cousin. And the man at her side, with that smug smile and gold cufflinks, was her fiancé-Nikus Krüger.


    Nikus looked Alex up and down, a smirk twisting his lips. "I just wanted to crush a bug," he said. "Guess I missed."


    Annabe crossed her arms, eyes sharp with contempt. "Hey, you half-ve- what are you doing here? Waiting to sabotage us? Let me guess-Sofina sent you, didn''t she? She''s always scheming."


    "I don''t know what you''re talking about," Alex replied evenly.


    Annabe let out a coldugh. "Oh, please. Don''t y dumb with me. Sofina''s crawling back to the Wolfsbane business, and Grandma made it clear-whoever secures a deal with the Eden Group will lead the family into the next generation. And look at that—you just happen to show up here? Don''t insult my intelligence. Sofina must''ve sent you to ruin our meeting."


    Alex smiled faintly. "Miss Annabe, you and Mr. Nikus are high above the clouds. I''m just a lowly half-ve, remember? How could I ever interfere with people as mighty as you? Unless..."


    His tone sharpened. "You''re afraid someone as low as me could actually knock you off yourdder."


    Annabe''s face darkened. "You filthy ve," she hissed. "Watch your mouth."


    She turned to Nikus, voice smooth as silk. "The Krüger barons hold dozens of contracts with Eden Group. They''re indispensable to thepany. And you—" she jabbed a finger at Alex, "—you''re nothing but dust beneath our soles. We can crush you whenever we want."


    Alex''s smile didn''t fade. He didn''t know much about the Krüger family, but he knew Eden Group had thousands of partners across Prussia. One more, one less -it didn''t matter.


    "Well then," Alex said, voice steady. "Good luck. But know this: that ''dust'' won''t be your stepping stone — and it sure as hell won''t be your stumbling block. If you fall, it''ll be because your own weak confidence pushed you over, not anything I do."


    Nikus''s eyes red with rage.


    This worthless man-publicly humiliated by Baroness Wolfsbane just yesterday— still stood tall, smiling like nothing had happened, even daring to mock him. The nerve of it burned in Nikus''s chest like fire.


    And worse-Sofina, that radiant, smart woman, had chosen to marry him.


    The thought made Nikus''s stomach twist. He wanted to wipe that calm look off Alex''s face more than anything.


    If that loser had never existed, Nikus thought bitterly, Sofina would''ve been his. Who in their right mind would settle for Annabe when Sofina outshone her in every way?


    Nikus let out a huff, voice slick with disdain. "If you''re not here to bother us, tell me—what are you doing here?"


    "I''m applying for a job," Alex said.


    "A job?" Nikusughed, sharp and ugly. "You? With that vacant look and your nickname-Alex the Dunce? You want a job at Eden Group? You must be joking." Alex answered. "It''s an important position. I''m serious."


    Annabe rolled her eyes and spat the words. "Important? Come on. Listen to yourself. What qualifications do you have? What achievements? Look at Nikus -he''s the kind of man Eden would hire. Not some gutter-born nobody like you."


    "Nikus?" Alex said, amused. "I don''t think he''ll get it. If we both apply, I''ll win. He''s too arrogant-and too stupid."


    Nikus''s face went hard. Pride red hot behind his eyes. "They wouldn''t even give you the time of day, not for security, not for anything. Know your ce. You''re better off on the street begging for scraps than dreaming of Eden.”  s


    Alex''s smile turned cold. "We''ll both go in. Watch. I''ll be the one walking out with


    the job."


    Nikus barked augh. "Then let''s make it interesting. If you get epted, I run naked through this building."


    "No," Alex said with a smirk. "How about your flying car? Bet me that. Give me the car if I win."


    "That''s the dumbest wager I''ve heard," Annabe snapped, voice sharp as a whip. "Drop it, Nikus No point gambling with trash. We won''t get anything valuable from him just a loser. Unless you n to harvest his arms or kidneys for


    profit."  s


    Alex leaned in, smile slow and cold. "Fine by me. Here''s my bet: Eden Group won''t make a deal with you. They won''t partner with spoiled nobility like you." Nikus''s smirk stretched wider, the sort that believed the world owed him deference. “Fine. If Ind the Eden Group deal, I take your arms and kidneys," he said, the words meant to humiliate as much as threaten.


    Alex''s grin sharpened into a challenge. "And if they don''t make a deal with you,


    and I get the job instead,” he said, voice low and steady, "you hand over that flying car."


    "Deal,” Nikus snapped, pride too loud to back down.


    "I''ve got it recorded," Alex said, raising his wrist device just enough for them to see. "So don''t forget your promise."


    Annabeughed, the sound sharp and cruel. "Forget the promise? Oh no, darling—it''s you who won''t run from our little bet. I want to see you without your arms and kidney."


    Alex''s eyes hardened. "Don''t worry," he said coldly. "I don''t run from bitches like


    you."


    He turned without another nce and walked toward the towering ss doors of the Eden Group building.


    Annabe''s fury boiled over. "You-half-ve scum! Stop right there!" she screamed.


    She hurried after him, heels clicking like gunshots down the marble hall. She wanted to teach him a lesson-two hard ps to the face, to show what happened to those who dared insult a Wolfsbane.


    How dare he called her a bitch!


    But they were inside Eden Group now, and the thought of a scandal with potential


    partners watching cooled her rage. Pride warring with prudence, she swallowed her hand.


    She ground her teeth and hissed instead, "Consider yourself lucky today. Next time I won''t be so civil. I''ll make you regret looking down on a baroness."


    Alex stepped into the elevator. Before the doors slid shut he called back, "Annabe, Nikus Krüger-enjoy your throne while itsts. Arrogance has a price. You''ll learn that soon enough."


    Annabe''s color red. "You little="


    "Annabe, let''s just forget the loser," let''s Nikus said coolly, pulling her back the elbow


    Cole''s beneath


    us nothing but dust. Not worth the trouble Better to make an example of him: take his arms and leave him


    with a regret thatsts."


    belongs to s


    She nodded, furious but calcting. "You are right. I''ll make him payter. He will


    fall into my hands."


    Alex used his special clearance and rode the elevator to Eden Group''s top floor.


    The moment the doors opened, a line of staff straightened and bowed, voices smooth and rehearsed.


    "Wee, Young Master," they said in unison.