Chapter 202

Deep underground in Zerovia, hidden away from prying eyes, the Fist Guild's base throbbed with life.

Neon lights blinked in every shade imaginable, painting the walls in wild,shifting colors.

Music blasted so loud it rattled bones, while groups of hulking men crowded around tables, drinking and laughing. The whole place was chaos, but the kind that felt alive.

Horace's phone buzzed with a message.He checked it and saw the transfer of one hundred million from Lainey. Lounging with his drink, he casually tossed his phone onto a table already buried in bottles and cards.

One of his lackeys crept closer, grinning. "Boss,why bother keeping that chick alive? Let's just take her out and be done with it."

The words were barely out before Horace's hand cracked across his face. "Idiot. Didn't I tell you? That woman's worth her weight in gold."

Sure, Lainey was a snake and probably hiding more tricks up her sleeve than she let on, but she had spoken one truth-Eleanor wasn't just some random girl. She was Nolan's woman, and that made her priceless.

With her,he could bleed Nolan dry. And if that wasn't enough, Eleanor was also the Benton family's true daughter.

If he played his cards right, exposing that secret to the Bentons could rake in a jackpot.

The lackey rubbed his stinging cheek and bowed his head,stammering apologies.

Horace waved him off, clearly bored. "Is she up yet?"

The man nodded quickly. "Yeah, boss. She came to her senses a while back. As soon as she woke, she knocked down several of our men without breaking a sweat. We only managed to restrain he after drugging her."

That caught Horace's attention. His lips curled into a sly grin. "A fighter, huh? Interesting."

Curiosity got the better of him, and he pushed himself up, making his way toward the room where Eleanor was locked.

Inside, Eleanor lifted her gaze, weak but sharp,her brows drawn tight. So this guy was Horace Boyd, the leader of the Fist Guild in Zerovia.

She had been right all along.

Lainey's dirty fingerprints were all over this.

As she studied Horace, he studied her right back.

The second his eyes landed on her, he froze.

Something about her face was familiar.

She reminded him of the woman who had beaten the hell out of him years ago before disappearing like smoke.

No. That was impossible. It couldn't be her.

Shaking off the thought, Horace narrowed his eyes and focused on the woman sitting before him.

Damn, she was stunning. Way easier on the eyes than that snake Lainey.

Everything about her carried that effortless poise women from her homeland were famous for.

The way she held herself, the curves she couldn't hide..it was no mystery why Nolan had guarded her like a priceless gem. Getting her here hadn't been easy; his men had to pull off some serious work to snatch her up without Nolan breathing down their necks.

The longer he stared, the more something twisted inside him. Desire mixed with greed. He crouched down so he was eye-level with her, his voice dripping with temptation. "Pretty girl, how about a deal? Stick with me, and I'll let you live. I'll give you the good life.Money,power,whatever you want."

Eleanor, on the other hand, was busy weighing her options. She had needles hidden on her, and for a second, the thought of taking Horace out flashed through her mind.

But logic kicked in quickly. What good would killing him do? The place was crawling with guards, and this was Zerovia, his domain.

Even if she got rid of him, she would never make it out alive.

Rescue might take forever, and thinking she could escape on her own was nothing but a fantasy.

The safest option was to play along, at least for now.

She exhaled slowly, forcing her tension into a smile that lit up her face. "Alright," she said sweetly. "But where I come from, we don't do things halfway. If we're going to be together, there has to be a proper ceremony. Everyone needs to know."

Horace's eyes lit up like a kid in a candy shop. He let out a booming laugh. "Ha! I've heard all about your country's obsession with rituals. Fine then, sweetheart.You'll have your ceremony."

The underling standing off to the side felt his stomach drop.

A ceremony? Making it public?

Did the boss lose his damn mind?

If his formidable wife ever got wind of this, he would be in for another storm.

Everyone knew Horace both feared and respected that woman, yet his lecherous ways never changed.

Still, none of them dared speak up.

They just hoped Horace's lust didn't drag the rest of them into hell with him.