Chapter 1Cross Me, Pay the Price

My daughter, Michelle, won first place at her school’s sports day. A moment later, she was pushed from the winner’s podium, and I heard the sickening crack of bone.

Her leg was broken.

I demanded an apology from the boy who did it. His father slapped me across the face.

"What the hell? It’s an honor for your kid to be pushed by my Cody! Let me tell you something, my wife is the CEO of Valerius Corp. How about that? Scared now, huh?"

When I didn't respond, he took my silence for fear.

"Get your daughter on her knees to apologize to Cody right now, and maybe I’ll have my wife go easy on you."

I almost laughed. Instead, I pulled out my phone and called my wife.

"I've been away on business for a year," I said into the phone. "I hear you've started a new family?"

…

The man, Chad, saw me end the call without moving and started spewing venom.

"Are you fucking deaf? Didn't you hear me?" he snarled. "In Newport City, nobody with a brain dares to disrespect the Valerius name. Even the mayor smiles and shakes my hand when he sees me. Who the hell do you think you are?"

His son, Cody, sneered, his eyes glinting as he looked at the fresh cast on Michelle's leg. "So what if I pushed her? For her to be pushed by me? It’s the best thing that's ever happened to her family. One word from my mom, and your whole pathetic family will be thrown out of this city!"

Thrown out of Newport City?

A cold smirk touched my lips. Since the day I, Adrian Vance, was born, no one had ever dared to utter those words to me.

I was about to speak when Cody lunged toward my daughter again, yelling, "I told you to kneel!"

I moved in a flash, blocking his path. He stumbled, lost his balance, and fell flat on his backside, immediately erupting into theatrical, wailing sobs.

"You dare touch my son?!" Chad’s face contorted with rage, his voice escalating into a torrent of abuse aimed at me and Michelle. "You worthless piece of trash, and the little bitch you spawned! Just wait. I’ll have my wife break both your legs, and we’ll see how tough you are then."

I’d heard enough of his barking. I raised my hand and brought it down across his face.

A sharp crack echoed across the field, silencing the area. Chad clutched his cheek, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You… you hit me?!"

He whipped out his phone and barked, "Get over here, now!"

Less than three minutes later, two men in black suits stormed onto the school grounds and slammed me to the pavement. A sharp pain shot through my knees as they hit the concrete, but looking at Chad’s triumphant, smug face, I could only find it pathetic.

He stalked over, planting his foot on the back of my hand and grinding it into the ground with a vicious twist.

"Trash will always be trash," he sneered. "I tried to be nice." He grabbed a fistful of my hair, yanking my head back to force my gaze to meet his. "Let me tell you something. In this city, if I want to make someone's life a living hell, they won't survive the night."

He glanced at my daughter, who stood frozen with a pale, terrified face. "Your daughter thinks she belongs in the same school as my son? She wins one stupid race with a bit of luck and thinks she's hot shit. Just like her father. Rotten to the core."

A searing pain shot up my arm from my crushed hand. In all my years in the business world, I, Adrian Vance, had seen it all. But never, not once in Newport City, had anyone dared to treat me this way. The man was practically begging for a death wish.

"Who do you think you are?"

My silence only fueled his arrogance. He kicked me hard in the ribs. "Wait and see. I'll get your daughter expelled, get you fired, and your whole family will be begging on the streets!"

Seeing me being beaten, Michelle, her eyes red with tears, rushed forward.

"Don't you hurt my daddy!"

She dragged her casted leg, limping desperately toward me, only for Chad to swing a vicious backhand across her face.

The sickening smack of the blow sent her small, fragile body stumbling backward. She fell heavily to the ground, and five crimson finger marks instantly bloomed on her cheek.

"Michelle!"

Rage exploded in my chest. I fought against the bodyguards' grip, but they held my wrists in a vice.

Chad looked down at my daughter on the ground, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Little bitch. Just as clueless as her old man. Trying to protect him? You should have learned your place."

At that, Cody rushed over and started kicking her, again and again.

"That's for stealing first place from me! That trophy was mine! My mom said a gutter-trash kid like you doesn't deserve to even stand on the podium!"

I watched my daughter curl into a ball on the ground, my voice raw as I roared, "Vivian Vance is my legally wedded wife! Didn’t she ever tell you? She’s my daughter's mother! Do you have any idea the consequences you'll face for touching us?"

Chad froze for a second, then burst out laughing. "Vivian’s husband? Are you fucking kidding me? Did I knock you stupid? A lowlife like you isn't fit to shine her shoes!"

He spat on the ground. "You must be dreaming if you think that pathetic lie is going to scare me. It's not working!"

He took a step toward my daughter. "Today, I'm going to teach this little bitch a lesson she'll never forget…"