"I think it''s best if youe with us," the taller of the two men said, his tone leaving no room for argument.


    I took a step back, eyeing both men carefully. "And if I refuse?"


    The shorter man moved his jacket aside, revealing the outline of a weapon. "Then we make this difficult. Mr. Ashworth would prefer you cooperate."


    So Corbin had wasted no time. Dinner had barely ended, and he already had men waiting for me. I considered my options as the back door of the Land Rover opened.


    "Get in," came a familiar cold voice from inside the vehicle.


    I nced back at the Ashworth mansion in the distance, its windows glowing softly in the night. Isabelle was in there, likely unaware of what was happening. Fighting here would only bring her into this mess.


    "Fine," I said, stepping toward the car.


    The interior was plush leather, dimly lit and smelling of expensive cologne. Corbin Ashworth sat in the far corner, his face half-hidden in shadow.


    "Drive," hemanded as the two men slid in beside me, boxing me in.


    The car pulled away smoothly from the curb. I kept my face neutral, though my mind was racing. Where were we going? What did Corbin want?


    "You''re either very brave or very stupid," Corbin began, breaking the tense silence. "Perhaps both."


    I met his gaze steadily. "I''m neither. I just know what I want."


    Heughed, a sharp, humorless sound. "What you want? Do you have any idea who we are? Who the Ashworth family is?"


    "I know exactly who you are," I replied.


    Corbin leaned forward, his face catching the dim light from the dashboard. "No, I don''t think you do. Let me educate you. The Ashworths have been the backbone of Havenwood''s economic and politicalndscape for generations. We have connections in every industry, every government office. One word from us can open doors—or close them forever."


    "Is this the part where I''m supposed to be impressed?" I kept my voice even, refusing to be intimidated.


    His eyes narrowed. "This is the part where you understand your ce in the world, Mr. Knight. You were a nobody living as a doormat for the Sterling family not long ago. Now you''ve gained a little power and think you can aim beyond your station."


    The car wound through Havenwood''s elite district, moving away from the city center. I remained silent, watching the buildings thin out as we headed toward the outskirts.


    "You know nothing about Isabelle''s world," Corbin continued. "Her responsibilities, her future. The ns we have for her."


    "ns she doesn''t want," I countered.


    His jaw tightened. "What a child wants and what benefits the family are often different matters."


    "She''s not a child. She''s a woman who can make her own decisions."


    Corbin''sugh was cold. "Is that what you think this is about? Her independence? No. This is about what''s best for the Ashworth legacy."


    The car turned onto a private road, trees lining both sides. We were heading somewhere isted. My muscles tensed, preparing for whatever mighte.


    "I''ll be direct," Corbin said, reaching into his jacket pocket. "I want you to disappear from my niece''s life."


    He pulled out a thick envelope and tossed it onto the seat between us.


    "Inside you''ll find five million dors and documentation for a new identity. ne tickets to anywhere you want to go. A fresh start, far from Havenwood."


    I stared at the envelope without touching it. "You think you can buy me off?"


    "Everyone has a price," Corbin said dismissively. "I''m simply offering you the chance to walk away wealthy instead of broken."


    I pushed the envelope back toward him. "Not interested."


    Anger shed in his eyes. "Don''t be a fool. This is more money than someone like you would see in a lifetime."


    "Someone like me?" I echoed, feeling my own anger rise. "You know nothing about me, Mr. Ashworth."


    "I know enough. A cultivator from nowhere, trying to climb the socialdder by attaching yourself to my niece. It''s transparent and pathetic."


    I leaned forward, meeting his gaze directly. "Let me be clear. I don''t want your money. I don''t want your connections. And I''m not walking away from Isabelle."


    His face hardened. "Then what do you want?"


    "Her," I said simply. "Just her."


    Something passed across Corbin''s face—surprise, perhaps, or disbelief. He recovered quickly.


    "How noble," he said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Andpletely naive. You think your little romance can survive the realities of our world? The expectations? The obligations?"


    "I think that''s for Isabelle and me to figure out."


    Corbin''s eyes narrowed to slits. "You presume too much. The Ashworth mansion is now off-limits to you. If you try to see Isabelle again, you''ll be removed by security."


    "You can''t keep her prisoner in her own home."


    "Watch me," he snapped. "And while you''re dreaming about your impossible future with my niece, remember this: Dashiell ckthorne is everything you''re not—connected, respected, worthy of the Ashworth name. The marriage will happen, with or without your interference."


    I felt my blood boil at the mention of Dashiell. "This isn''t about what''s best for Isabelle. This is about your alliance with the ckthornes. What did they promise you, Corbin? A seat on their board? Political backing?"


    His momentary silence told me I''d hit the mark.


    "You know nothing of our affairs," he finally said, his voice dangerously low.


    "I know enough to see you''re selling your niece for your own advancement."


    The p came fast, but I was faster. I caught his wrist before his hand connected with my face, gripping it tightly enough to make him wince.


    "Don''t," I warned quietly, releasing his arm with enough force to push it back.


    Corbin''s eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in calction. He tapped on the partition separating us from the driver. The car slowed and turned onto a dirt path, heading deeper into the woods.


    "Take him out," Corbin ordered the two men as the car came to a stop in a small clearing.


    The men grabbed my arms, yanking me from the vehicle. I allowed it, curious to see how far Corbin would take this. The night air was cool against my skin as they dragged me several yards from the car.


    Corbin stepped out, straightening his expensive suit. "Last chance, Knight. Take the money and disappear, or face the consequences."


    I pulled free from the men''s grip with ease, making them stumble back in surprise.


    "No," I said firmly. "I won''t be threatened, bribed, or intimidated away from Isabelle."


    Corbin''s face twisted with rage. "Then you leave me no choice." He turned to his men. "Make him understand his error. Leave him alive, but make sure he gets the message."


    He walked back to the car, not bothering to watch what would happen next.


    The two men circled me, confident smiles ying on their lips. From their stance and the energy emanating from them, I could tell they weren''t ordinary thugs. These were trained cultivators—Third Rank Grandmasters, if I had to guess.


    "Nothing personal," the taller one said, cracking his knuckles. "Just business."


    I remained still, waiting. "For you, maybe. For me, it''s very personal."


    They attacked simultaneously, moving with the coordinated precision of men who had fought together before. The taller one came at me from the front while his partner circled to strike from behind.


    A month ago, such an attack might have overwhelmed me. Now, it seemed almostughably slow.


    I sidestepped the first punch, grabbing the man''s extended arm and using his momentum to throw him into his partner. Both men recovered quickly, looking surprised but not deterred.


    "He''s faster than he looks," the shorter one muttered.


    They came at me again, this time with cultivation energy crackling around their fists. Golden light illuminated the clearing as they unleashed their power.


    I didn''t dodge this time. Instead, I met their attack head-on, my own energy surging through my body. My fist connected with the taller man''s sternum, sending him flying backward into a tree with a sickening crack. He slid to the ground, unmoving.


    The second man hesitated, eyes widening in shock.


    "What the hell are you?" he whispered, backing away. <b ss="in-imprint-a">This chapter''s true source is My Virtual Library Empire (*).</b>


    I advanced on him slowly. "Someone you shouldn''t have threatened."


    Fear reced confidence in his eyes. He turned to run, but I was already there, blocking his path. My hand closed around his throat, lifting him off his feet.


    "Your boss made a mistake," I said calmly. "He thought I was still the man who let the Sterlings walk all over him. That man is gone."


    "Please," he choked out. "We were just following orders."


    "Bad orders." I tightened my grip. "Tell Corbin Ashworth that if hees after me again, I won''t be so merciful."


    But looking into the man''s eyes, I realized he wouldn''t be telling anyone anything. Corbin couldn''t know what I was capable of. If these men reported back, he would only send more powerful assassins next time—possibly endangering Isabelle in the process.


    I made my decision quickly.


    When I returned to the clearing minutester, both bodies were hidden deep in the woods. The Land Rover was gone—Corbin had fled, likely assuming his men would handle me easily.


    Rain began to fall, washing away the blood on my hands. I looked up at the stormy sky, understanding washing over me like the cold raindrops.


    This wasn''t just about Corbin Ashworth or even Dashiell ckthorne. This was about a system—a world where powerful families like the Ashworths and ckthornes believed they could control everything and everyone. Where someone like me was expected to know my ce and stay in it.


    I wasn''t fighting individuals. I was fighting an entire social order.


    The realization should have terrified me. Instead, it hardened my resolve. If I wanted to be with Isabelle, I wouldn''t just need to defeat her uncles or Dashiell—I would need to challenge the very foundations of their world.


    Lightning cracked across the sky as I stood alone in the clearing, my path forward suddenly clearer than ever.


    "So be it," I whispered to the storm.