The man with the striking white hair was Larry Moore. Though in his early forties, his meticulous self-care gave him the lean, sharp appearance of a man a decade younger. His clear blue eyes were like a frozen lake, reflecting a cold, predatory intelligence. In his tailored tailcoat, he looked every bit the old-school aristocrat, yet everyone in Celestria knew him as the silent architect of the region’s most formidable underground networks.

"Mr. Spencer," Larry began, his voice smooth but edged with steel. "We’ve had profitable dealings over the years, and I’ve overlooked much. But this time, you’ve crossed a line that cannot be ignored. You’ve taken something—someone—that belongs to me."

Larry didn't need to raise a hand for the tension to skyrocket. His presence alone was a threat. "Considering our history, I expected more discretion. Hand over the woman you took from my estate, or the consequences will be far more permanent than a lost business deal."

Inside the car, Chris sneered. "You’ve clearly lost your grip on reality, Larry. Do you honestly think I’d be interested in your domestic entanglements?"

Chris stepped out of the vehicle, his tall frame cutting a sharp silhouette against the dim light. He walked toward Larry with a slow, deliberate pace that radiated a lethal confidence.

Their rivalry was legendary, born on a racing track years ago where Larry had tried to sabotage Chris’s car to secure a win. Chris hadn't just survived; he had dominated, exposing Larry’s desperation to the world. Since then, Larry had been a shadow in Chris’s professional life, sabotaging deals and waiting for a moment to reclaim his pride.

"You want to settle this now?" Chris looked at him with a faint, mocking smile. "Everyone knows you’re ruthless, Larry, but I’m the only one who remembers you’re a coward when the lights are on. No matter how much power you amass, you’ll always be the man who couldn't win fairly."

Larry’s face turned a deep shade of crimson. He stepped forward, the air between them thick with the promise of violence. "One word from me, and your story ends here," Larry snarled, his eyes fixed on Chris.

Chris didn't flinch. "Then say the word. Or move aside."

Larry hesitated. He knew Chris had deep ties to the Spencer Group and international interests that even his own father, Ethan Moore, respected. To strike Chris here would be to invite a war that the Moore family might not survive.

"What’s the matter? No audience to cheat for today?" Chris sneered, turning his back to return to his car.

Larry let out a roar of frustration, the sound echoing through the valley. "Chris! I can compromise on markets and diamonds, but not on this. You must return my associate!"

"Larry, you're treading on thin ice," Chris turned back, his voice dropping to a bloodthirsty coldness that made the surrounding guards hesitate. "I visited your father when I arrived in Celestria. We reached an understanding regarding the Eldoria market. He showed me respect. Do you really want to be the one to break that peace?"

Larry’s hands trembled. The mention of his father, the only man he truly feared, was a calculated strike. "You think using his name will save you?"

"I think he values profit over your personal vendettas," Chris replied icily.

Just as the stand-off reached its breaking point, the screech of tires tore through the silence. A solitary car sped toward them, stopping abruptly in the center of the clearing.

Amelia stepped out of the driver’s seat, her figure bathed in the harsh glare of the headlights. Chris’s eyes narrowed in disbelief. Why was she back?

"Molly!" Larry cried out, his expression shifting from rage to a twisted kind of relief. "You’ve come back. Step away from him, and I can overlook this lapse in judgment."

"Stop this!" Amelia shouted, her voice cold and commanding. She saw Chris surrounded, the tension palpable, and her only thought was to break the siege.

"Molly, don't tell me you’ve developed feelings for him in such a short time," Larry mocked, a sneer returning to his lips. "Everyone here has seen it—Chris took what was mine. Now, I have every justification to settle our debt once and for all."

Amelia stood her ground between the two men, her presence a fragile shield in a world of monsters.