pls dont forget to write review not forcing though
"And the funniest part?" he added. "Their beloved founder is dead."
He looked directly at Keifer.
"So tell me, Keifer."
"Why should we continue respecting an organization built by a dead woman?"
That was it.
The chair screeched loudly as Keifer stood up.
His eyes were dark.
Dangerous.
"You should watch your words," he said slowly.
Kaizer smirked.
"Or what?"
Before anyone could react—
BAM.
Keifer's fist slammed into Kaizer's face.
The sound echoed across the room.
Kaizer's chair toppled backward as he hit the floor.
Gasps filled the hall.
Cyrus shot up from his chair.
"You—!"
But before chaos could erupt, the elders rushed forward.
"Enough!"
"Sit down!"
"Keifer!"
Two elders grabbed Keifer's arm before he could swing again.
Kaizer slowly got up from the floor, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
And then—
He laughed.
"You see?" he said, shaking his head. "Grief makes men weak."
But the temperature in the room dropped.
Cyrus, sitting beside Kaizer, leaned forward with a grin that screamed trouble.
"Of course he isn't destroyed," Cyrus said. "The man lost the love of his life. Let him suffer a little longer."
Another ripple of laughter spread.
Yuri, sitting quietly near Kaizer's side, watched everything without reacting.
He looked like he was with them.
But the sharp glint in his eyes told a different story.
Keifer struggled against the elders holding him.
"If you say her name again—"
"You'll what?" Kaizer interrupted calmly.
The tension in the room was unbearable
Raphael's sharp eyes scanned the room.
He stopped when he saw Kaizer.
A faint smile appeared.
"Well," Raphael said calmly. "Looks like we arrived during the entertainment."
Kaizer's expression darkened.
"You have no place here."
Raphael raised an eyebrow.
"No place?"
His voice was smooth.
"I thought this meeting included all major shareholders."
He slowly pulled out a chair and sat down.
Ava did the same.
Both of them looked completely uninterested in the family drama.
One of the elders cleared his throat.
"Mr. Brown, we were discussing the collaboration project."
Raphael leaned back in his chair.
"Oh?"
His gaze slid toward Kaizer.
"I thought you were discussing women's safety."
Cyrus smirked.
"Oh please. Don't pretend you care."
Then he added with a mocking tone,
"After all, the Russian and Italian mafias are still missing from this little gathering."
He leaned back confidently.
"Or did they finally decide not to show up?"
A few businessmen nodded.
Yes.
Everyone had been waiting for them.
But they hadn't arrived yet.
The elder at the head of the table slowly shook his head.
"No."
His voice was calm.
"We are not waiting for them."
The room quieted again.
"We are waiting," the elder continued, "for the CEO of S&J Corporation."
Kaizer scoffed.
"Why?"
"Because," the elder said slowly, "she is the only person who has successfully challenged the Watson influence in the global market."
Murmurs spread across the room.
The elder continued.
"Second position in Europe."
"First in Australia."
"First in North America."
"And rising rapidly."
Cyrus burst out laughing.
"Are you serious?"
Kaizer chuckled too.
"That woman is dead."
Jay's stepfather leaned forward with a cruel smile.
"Exactly."
The three of them started laughing.
The sound echoed across the room.
Cyrus wiped fake tears from his eyes.
"So who exactly are we waiting for?"
Then—
BOOM.
The massive conference doors swung open.
Every head in the room turned.
Footsteps echoed across the marble floor.
Slow.
Confident.
First came two tall figures in black suits.
One blond.
One dark-haired.
The entire room froze.
Because everyone recognized them instantly.
Alexander Volkov. "alex"
The Russian mafia heir.
And beside him—
Mason Ricci.
The Italian mafia prince.
Shock spread across the room.
Some businessmen literally stood up from their chairs.
Cyrus' smile disappeared.
Kaizer's face went pale.
The two men walked forward calmly.
Then they stopped.
And stepped aside.
Another figure walked in.
Black heels clicking against the marble floor.
Long coat flowing behind her.
Head held high.
Confidence radiating from every step.
Raphael Brown's eyes widened slightly.
Keifer froze.
The woman stopped at the center of the room.
Then she slowly removed her sunglasses.
Sharp eyes scanned the hall.
Every single person.
Then her lips curved into a calm smile.
"Sorry," she said casually.
Her voice echoed across the silent room.
"Did the meeting start without me?"
Cyrus looked like he had seen a ghost.
Kaizer's chair creaked as he slowly stood up.
Jay's stepfather staggered backward.
"No…"
The woman tilted her head slightly.
Then she introduced herself.
"Jay."
A pause.
Then she added smoothly—
"Jay Jasper Jean Mariano."
She placed one hand on the table.
Eyes locking directly onto Kaizer.
"CEO of S&J Corporation."
Men who had ruled industries for decades… men who had negotiated wars through contracts and corporations… men who had never shown fear in their lives…
Were staring at Jay like she had just walked back from the dead.
Because for most of them—
She had.
Cyrus' face had completely drained of color.
Kaizer's hand slowly tightened on the back of his chair.
Jay's stepfather looked like someone had just pulled the ground from beneath his feet.
"No…" he whispered again.
But Jay didn't even look at him.
Her gaze moved calmly across the hall.
Studying.
Measuring.
Calculating.
Alexander and Mason stood a step behind her like silent shadows.
The room was still trying to process the fact that the Russian and Italian mafia heirs were standing behind the same woman they had just declared dead.
Then—
One of the elders suddenly stood up.
A slight smile spread across his face.
"Well," he said loudly.
"That took you long enough."
Jay's eyes shifted toward .
And for the first time since she entered the hall—.
"Hello, Mr. watson"
Gasps quietly spread across the room.
Because the elder who had stood up was keifer grandfather
One of the oldest and most respected business figures in Europe.
"oh jay ," he said.
Jay walked toward him without hesitation.
"I was starting to think you wouldn't show up."
Jay gave a small smile.
keifer horrified "how come these old men knew jay . is jay safe"
"I had a few ghosts to deal with first."
Some of the elders chuckled quietly.
keifer "wait these old men can laugh too "
Angelo and Aries were still standing near the door with Percy.
But both brothers were staring at Jay in complete disbelief.
Angelo leaned slightly toward Aries.
"…how does she know them?"
Aries looked just as confused.
Those elders were some of the most difficult people to even approach in the European business world.
And yet—
Jay was talking