Matthias didn''t hesitate. He activated his bracelet and ced the call.
"Bruno," he said coldly. "I''m at Winchester Central Hospital. Bring a few of your men. There''s a brat here who needs to be taught what fear really is. I''ll pay you a hundred thousand dors."
Across the room, Alex Saint-ire didn''t call anyone. He didn''t need to. He nced around, already calcting-he could wipe out everyone here if he wanted.
But death would be too easy. Too merciful.
So he sent a single text to Oscar.
Send your people to Winchester Central Hospital. Room 802. Something needs to be cleaned up. Now.
When Matthias noticed Alex typing on his bracelet, he sneered.
"Hah. What''s that supposed to be calling backup?" Heughed coldly. "Starting to feel scared? You can kneel right now and lick my shoes. Maybe then I''ll forgive you."
“I need someone to clean up," Alex replied with a faint smile. “Like I said earlier, I''ll make sure both of you live the most painful life possible."
Matthias burst intoughter, as if he''d just heard the funniest joke in the world.
"Who the hell do you think you are?" he shouted. "In Winchester, no one dares to defy me!"
Renata panicked. She struggled to sit up, her face pale with fear.
"Alex, just leave,” she pleaded. "I''ll call my father myself. If this goes wrong, I''ll destroy all of us together."
"You wouldn''t dare, Renata,” Matthiasughed coldly. "I know you too well."
Alex stepped to her side and gently pressed her back onto the bed, his movements calm and controlled.
"Lie down," he said softly.
Still trembling, Renata grabbed his arm. "You don''t understand how powerful he is. His family is famous in Winchester. They''re tied to the underworld. Please-I don''t want you hurt. Let me handle this."
Her fingers moved toward the bracelet on her wrist, ready to call her father.
Alex caught her hand.
"Give me time," he said quietly. "Okay? If my way doesn''t work, then you can call your father. Not before."
He looked straight into her eyes.
"Believe me."
There was something in his gaze-steady, deep, unshakable—that made Renata''s breath catch. Against all logic, she wanted to trust him.
She turned toward Matthias, her voice shaking but fierce.
"If anything happens to Alex, I swear I''ll call my father. And when I do, you''ll see what hell really looks like."
Matthiasughed again, cruel and unbothered.
"Is that so?" he sneered. "It''s been three years, Renata. You didn''t just steal your own savings you took your father''s money too. You really want to expose everything? For him?"
He looked Alex up and down with disgust.
"Don''t tell me you''ve fallen for this trash. You''re toote anyway. I swear-if this man doesn''t die today, he''ll spend the rest of his life crippled."
"How dare you," Renata snapped.
Alex remained seated. He nodded calmly, as if confirming a business decision.
“Then it''s settled," he said. "Both of you will end up crippled."
Jess''s face twisted with rage. She turned to Matthias and screeched, "Matthias, this bastard is cursing us! Why are you still standing there? Make him kneel!"
Matthias wrapped an arm around her and sneered at Alex.
“Rx, babe. Bruno''s already on his way with his men. Once he gets here, this trash will end up dead in a ditch."
Alex tilted his head, suddenly intrigued. His eyes shifted to Renata.
"He keeps daring you to call your father," Alex said calmly. "Do you even know who this idiot''s father is? Why don''t you call his father instead—and tell him exactly what his son has been doing?"
"My father?” Matthias burst outughing. “Even if my father knew, he''d still back me!"
"He would be ashamed of you!" Renata shouted.
"Who knows?" Matthiasughed mockingly. "You''re not my father."
Alex smiled. He raised his wrist and sent a message.
Invite Baron von Sturmfels-the father of Matthias von Sturmfels-to Winchester Central Hospital, room 802. If he can''t arrive immediately, destroy his business. Everything he owns.
Secondster, a reply came from Countess Marlene.
Already done. If he doesn''t arrive within twenty minutes, his entire business empire will be erased.
Alex lowered his wrist and looked straight at Matthias.
"Your father wille. And he''ll see exactly what you''ve done."
"My father?" Matthias''s face darkened. His voice dropped into a warning growl.
"I''d advise you not to cross certain lines, punk. Once my men arrive, you really will die in a ditch."
Alex snorted.
"Tell them to hurry. I''m losing patience."
Matthias opened his mouth to curse him-but the ward door suddenly mmed open.
A thick-necked, bull-faced man strode in, followed by eight hardened underlings. Their presence sucked the air out of the room.
"Bruno!" Matthias shouted instantly, pointing at Alex. "It''s this brat! Teach him a lesson!"
Bruno narrowed his eyes and stared at Alex.
"So you''re the one who pissed my brother off?"
Alex met his gaze and smiled faintly.
"So what?" he said. "Are you going to piss me off too? Are you not afraid of dying together with him?"
Bruno stared at him, confused.
He had never seen Alex before-but
this man showed no fear of Bruno or the men behind him. And a man like
that was usually the most like
dangerous of all:
After a long, uneasy pause, Bruno spoke carefully.
"Hey. Who the hell are you?"
Alex answered without interest.
"Alex."
Matthias quickly leaned in and said, "Bruno, this brat has no background. Do whatever you want. If anything happens, I''ll take responsibility. Break both his knees: Make him apologize to me. Then cut off his limbs-and his penis."
“His penis?” Bruno raised an eyebrow.
It was obvious-Matthias was more than angry. Seeing Renata so close to Alex had
stirred something ugly inside him.
Alex widened his eyes in mock shock.
"Wow,” he said dryly. “That''s cruel. I''m terrified."
"A nobody?" Brunoughed harshly. "Good. Let''s see if he still refuses to kneel after
we''re done with him."
He flicked his hand at his underlings.
"Teach this jerk how to kneel."
Matthiasughed loudly.
"Are you sorry now, Alex?"
Renata''s voice trembled.
"Alex..."
“Rx, Renata,” Alex said calmly. His eyes never left Bruno and his men. His voice dropped, cold and sharp.
"Kneel down. I might consider forgiving your sorry ass."
Bruno froze. He dug a finger into his ear as if he''d misheard, then frowned deeply.
"What did you just say?" he snarled. "Say that again, and I promise you a quick death."
At that moment, a furious shout thundered from outside the ward.
“Bruno! The man told you to kneel—are you fucking deaf?"
Bruno stiffened.
The door burst open.
A new man walked in with twopanions. They didn''t speak. They didn''t hesitate.
They pulled out guns and fired without warning.
Shots cracked through the room.
Bruno''s men screamed as bullets mmed into their legs. One by one, they
copsed, forced to their knees by pain and terror.
"Who the fuck are you?!" Jess screamed.
One of the men didn''t hesitate. He lifted his foot and kicked her hard. Her body flew
across the room and mmed into the wall.
"Get away from my woman!" Matthias shouted. "Don''t you know who I am?!"
The man rushed forward, grabbed Matthias by the face, and smashed it down onto
the hospital table. The impact sent him crashing to the floor.
One of the thugs panicked and tried to run.
The man raised his weapon. Theser sight settled calmly on the thug''s forehead.
He fired.
The body dropped.
Silence swallowed the room.
Even Bruno went pale. He rushed forward and dropped to his knees instantly, his
head bowed low.
"Count Oskar."
The man who treated killing like cutting weeds.
Only then did Bruno understand.
He had messed with the wrong ss of people. He was nothing but
a small-time thug-standing before Count Oskar and possibly the man named Alex, who was still seated calmly behind him.
People like them didn''t even bother to notice men like him.
To them, he wasn''t an enemy.
He was a bug.
Waiting to be crushed.