Sitting in the car, Lucas searched through Stephen Miller’s background. The internet painted him as a respectable businessman — articles praising his business dealings, his expanding empire, and his influence in elite circles.

There was nothing about his ties to the underworld. Not a single trace.

"This man is far more powerful than I thought," Lucas muttered under his breath.

He continued scrolling through Stephen’s social media.

Photographs of a perfect life filled the screen—lavish family vacations, charity galas, expensive dinners. In every picture, Stephen stood beside his beautiful wife and young daughter, smiling like the image of a devoted family man.

Lucas let out a cold sneer, disgust twisting inside him. "A perfect husband and father in public," he mocked quietly. "Yet he is sleeping with a woman young enough to be his daughter. Disgusting."

He tossed the phone aside.

Inside the club...

Stephen stood up and pulled up his pants, still catching his breath. "You, Serene..." A satisfied grin spread across his face. "You are incredible. I’m very pleased."

Serene calmly slipped back into her dress and smiled. "I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, Mr. Miller."

"Tell me," Stephen said arrogantly, "what do you want? Money? Jewelry? A house? I can give you anything."

"I don’t want anything."

Stephen smirked, clearly amused. "Smart girl."

He pulled out a black card and tossed it onto her. "Take it. There are fifty million in it."

Serene caught the card, excitement flashing through her eyes.

’Fifty million... just for one night.’

"Thank you, Mr. Miller," she said sweetly. "You are very generous."

Stephen adjusted his cuffs. "Keep satisfying me, and you’ll never have to worry about money again."

His phone buzzed. He took the phone from the table and saw an unknown number flashing on the screen.

Frowning, he answered, "Hello?"

"Mr. Miller," a deep voice said from the other end, "your wife and daughter are with me."

Stephen’s expression changed instantly. The blood drained from his face.

Before he could speak, the voice continued coldly, "Stay calm. Don’t alert anyone. Leave the club quietly. Someone outside will take you to them."

Stephen swallowed hard.

He had no idea who the caller was or whether the threat was real. But he couldn’t gamble with his wife and daughter’s lives. Grabbing his suit jacket, he hurried toward the door.

Serene sat up. "Mr. Miller... wait..."

But he was already out of the room. She frowned. "What’s wrong with him?" she muttered suspiciously.

Stephen strode quickly through the hallway, lowering his voice angrily. "Listen carefully. You have no idea who you are messing with. If this is some kind of joke, I’ll make your life hell."

"Threatening me?" the man chuckled darkly. "Your wife and daughter are at my mercy right now. Do exactly as I say if you want to see them alive."

"You’ll regret this," Stephen hissed.

"No," the voice replied icily. "You will regret it if you alert anyone. The next thing you hear might be their screams."

Fear finally seeped into Stephen’s voice. "Don’t hurt them. I’m coming."

As he rushed forward, someone suddenly bumped into him, spilling alcohol all over his expensive suit.

"What the hell?!" Stephen snapped furiously, glaring at the stain. "Do you even know how much this suit costs?"

"I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t see you," the man apologized quickly.

Stephen was already on edge. His temper exploded instantly. He grabbed the man by the collar. "Are you blind?"

Several people nearby turned to look at them.

"I should kill you," Stephen growled.

The man smirked slightly. "Touch me, and your wife and daughter die," he said in a hushed tone.

Stephen froze. His grip loosened immediately.

"You..."

The man instantly changed expressions and raised his voice politely. "Mr. Miller, I truly apologize for ruining your suit. Please allow me to compensate you. Come with me."

Stephen stared at him in shock.

The man leaned closer again. "Quietly," he warned. "Don’t attract attention."

Stephen clenched his fists. He had no choice but to follow.

Outside, Lucas sat inside his car, watching the entrance carefully.

The moment he saw Stephen leaving with another man, his expression changed. He straightened immediately.

"Where is Serene?"

Frowning, he watched Stephen get into a black Range Rover. His gaze stayed fixed on the vehicle as it drove away into the night.

He was so focused on it that he failed to notice Serene walking out of the club.

Knock-Knock...

Lucas’s head snapped toward the passenger window.

Serene stood there with an amused smile. "Open the door."

He unlocked it.

Serene slid into the passenger seat, leaning back lazily. Her hair was messy, and the wrinkles on her skirt made it obvious what had happened inside.

Lucas felt disgust churn violently in his stomach.

"I didn’t expect you to finish your job so quickly," he said coldly.

Serene smirked. "I told you I wouldn’t take long."

But soon, her smile faded slightly. "Something strange happened, though. Mr. Miller suddenly left in a hurry. He looked disturbed."

Lucas observed her silently, noticing the faint concern in her eyes.

"Are you worried about him?" he mocked. "What? Did he win your heart already?"

Serene turned to him. "Are you upset?"

"No," he replied quickly. "Why would I be?"

She chuckled softly. "You are terrible at lying, Lucas."

Leaning closer, she held his chin and forced him to look at her.

"Don’t be jealous," she whispered, her warm breath brushing against his skin. "This is temporary. Once you rise to power, I’ll belong only to you."

Lucas stared at her, rage and disgust twisting together inside him. But outwardly, he only smirked. "Then tell me more about the six members. I want every detail."

"I don’t know much about them," Serene said. "If you want access to them, you need Victor’s trust first. Once he fully accepts you, he’ll eventually introduce you."

Lucas fell silent for a moment before starting the engine.

"Where do you want to go?" he asked.

Serene tilted her head playfully. "How about your place?"

Lucas glanced at her sharply. "Aren’t you afraid Victor will get angry if you get too close to me?"

Serene smiled knowingly. "He won’t."

She leaned toward him again, her voice dropping into a seductive whisper. "Because Victor assigned me to take care of you."

Her fingers slowly traced down his arm.

Lucas instantly shoved her hand away. "Don’t touch me," he said harshly. "You smell like Stephen."

The car sped off into the night.

Serene smiled faintly and turned to look out the window without arguing.

Meanwhile, the black Range Rover finally came to a stop in front of an old, worn-out building far from the city.

Stephen’s heart sank instantly.

The area was isolated and swallowed by darkness. No streetlights. No nearby houses. The last sign of civilization had disappeared kilometers ago.

A terrible feeling crept up his spine.

’If they kill me here... no one will ever find my body.’

"We are here," the man in the driver’s seat said and stepped out.

But Stephen remained seated in his place as if afraid of getting out of the car.

"Get out," the man ordered coldly, yanking the door open.

Stephen stepped out reluctantly, staring at the building uneasily. "What is this place? Where are my wife and daughter?"

"Move."

The man shoved him forward.

Inside, the house was dimly lit. A single weak light glowed in the center of the hall while the corners remained buried in darkness.

Stephen’s eyes landed on a figure sitting quietly in the shadows. His face was barely visible.

"Who are you?" Stephen demanded nervously.

A deep voice echoed through the room. "Right now, you should only care about your wife’s and daughter’s safety."

The figure leaned back slightly. "You can learn who I am later."

"Where are they?" Stephen shouted.

"They are alive," the man replied calmly. "Whether they remain safe depends entirely on your cooperation."

Stephen’s breathing turned uneven. "What do you want from me?"

In the darkness, Dominic’s lips curved into a faint smile. The dim light hid the dangerous cunning in his eyes.

"Your cooperation, Mr. Miller," he said smoothly. "Join hands with me. Together, we can rule the world."