A wealthy socialite thought she could humiliate a maid without consequences. In the middle of a luxury ballroom, she slapped the young woman so hard that crystal glasses crashed to the floor.

Before Cassandra could finish her vile sentence, a heavy, booming sound interrupted the tense atmosphere.

Then the ballroom doors suddenly opened.

The massive, gilded mahogany doors at the entrance of the Crystal Pavilion were thrown open with such violent force that they slammed against the marble walls, rattling the hinges. The entire crowd jumped, turning their attention away from the spilled champagne and the bleeding woman.

A man in a black tuxedo walked inside.

Alexander Sterling radiated a dark, lethal energy that instantly sucked the air out of the massive room. He was a man who moved empires with a single phone call, and tonight, his eyes were burning with an apocalyptic fury. His tailored tuxedo fit his broad shoulders perfectly, but there was nothing civilized about his demeanor.

Behind him marched four massive bodyguards in matching dark suits, moving in perfect, intimidating synchronization.

Alexander’s piercing gaze swept across the silent ballroom. He saw the shattered crystal. He saw the wealthy crowd standing by in cowardly silence. And then, his eyes locked onto the center of the room. He saw the woman in the white apron. He saw the red blood staining Elena's beautiful lip.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop below freezing. Alexander didn't just walk; he stalked toward the center of the floor like a predator closing in on its prey. The sea of billionaires and socialites parted instantly, scrambling out of his way in absolute terror.

He came to a halt right beside the broken glass, his massive frame towering over the scene. The silence was absolute.