smile was razor-sharp. "Or are you already scared?" "Scared?" Penelope laughed nervously. "Of you?" Christopher stepped forward. "If you want to degrade yourself, go ahead. Jonathan

e damaged goods, Ashlyn. I'm being generous." "Generous?" Her eyes flashed. "Tell you what – apologize for Penelope at your grandfather's banquet, and I'll consider it." "That would ruin me!" "Exactly." She smiled coldly. "But here's what will happen instead. I'll acquire the Knights, merge it with Sparkle & Shine, and watch your empire crumble." "You wouldn't dare." "The old Ashlyn wouldn't. But I'm not her anymore." Christopher grabbed her arm. "You hate me that much?" "Hate requires emotion. You're simply an obstacle to remove." As she walked away, Christopher's mind raced. He'd underestimated her transformation. The sweet, naive Ashlyn was gone, replaced by this calculating woman who wielded power like a weapon. "I could sacrifice Penelope," he muttered. "Get Ashlyn back under control..." His phone buzzed – a message from Penelope: "We need to talk. I found something about Ashlyn's past." At that moment, Ashlyn received another message from her homeland: "Commander, the portal's energy is unstable. We may only have one chance. Your troops await your orders." Richard's message followed: "Dinner tonight? I learned new jokes. What did the sushi say to the bee? Wasabi!" Then Jonathan: "Script production begins tomorrow. Also, interesting documents surfaced about Penelope's involvement in your accident..." Finally, Christopher: "You want revenge? Fine. But remember – I know your darkest secret. The real reason you disappeared that night." Ashlyn stared at her phone, each message