Alex stood in silence, caught between two sides-on one end, the Kingstons, and on the other, Sophia and Lyra.

All he wanted was peace, but they were pulling each other apart, and he didn''t know where to ce his support.

"Alex," Lyra said urgently, "the Kingstons are attacking us through the media, through the people, every way they can. They want Charles to be Governor of Paris."

"We''ve done nothing wrong, yet they''re striking at us nonstop. Can you help us? You''re our only hope."

Her voice cracked with desperation. "If we can''t stop them, we''ll die, Alex. I''ll give you my body if that''s what it takes. Just give us the Lexington family''s support."

"Fine," Alex finally broke his silence. "I don''t have the miracle pill, but I can treat him myself."

Deep down, he knew the truth-this country needed stability above all else.

He would not allow it to copse into civil war, not now, not when the Kingstons and Sophia with Lyra were already standing on the razor''s edge of war.

"Thank you, Alex," Lyra blurted out, almost too quickly. Then, with a sly twist, she added, "I didn''t know you wanted my body that badly. I''m always ready for you.” "Forget that,” Alex snapped. "No one wants your body." He cut the call.

Lyra stared at the phone, her pride stinging.

"That hurt, you bastard," she muttered.

She turned to Sophia, still smarting. "Sophia, don''t you think I have a sexy body? How could that stupid man not want me? It hurts!"

Sophia had overheard the entire call.

"Will it be okay to let Alex handle this?" Sophia asked quietly, doubt heavy in her voice. "We''ll owe him more than we can repay."

"Damn it, Sophia," Lyra groaned, copsing onto the sofa with a heavy thud. "Look at us—we''re beautiful women. He''s a gentleman. Saving two desperate women like us—that''s practically written into his job description."

Sophia''s frown deepened. "Still... it feels wrong. We''re leaning on him too much."

Lyra''sugh cut the air, sharp and bitter. "Wrong? Please. The media will eat it up -a hero rescuing two gorgeous women. And if the price is our bodies? Then so be it."

She shrugged, as if offering herself was nothing. "If he asked for a threesome, I wouldn''t say no. It''d be a new experience for him."

Sophia rolled her eyes. "You''re insane, Lyra."

"I''m not insane," Lyra shot back, her sneer sharp. "We''re governors now. We''re rich, envied. If the price is a night of passion, that''s still a profit."

"Lyra, you sound like a cheap whore," Sophia said coldly.

Lyra leaned in, her eyes shing.

"Cheap whores sell themselves for a few bucks. Foolish whores give themselves for love and walk away with nothing. But me? I''m no whore-I''m ady. When I give my body, it''s to secure power, to im a state. There''s nothing cheap about that."

Sophia stared at her, baffled by the twisted logic. "I''d rather give myself to a man I love."

"You? Love?" Lyra burst outughing, her voice sharp and mocking.

"You''ve got too much doubt rotting inside you, Sophia. That kind of poison kills love before it even begins."

"Lyra, you talk as if you understand love," Sophia said, her brow furrowed.

"Of course I do," Lyra smirked. "I love gold. I love wealth. If a ny-year-old man came to me and promised I''d never have to work again, all I''d have to do is love him? I''d do it. That''s love, Sophia-real love."

"You''re insane," Sophia snapped.

"I''m not insane," Lyra replied with a wide, almost yful smile. "When a man like Alex walks into my life, that''s true love. I know it when I see it."

"Don''t forget-Alex is poor," Sophia reminded her tly.

Lyra''s smile deepened. Even with Sophia being her closest friend, there were truths better left unspoken-like the fact that Alex was anything but poor.

He was disgustingly rich. But she kept it to herself. "Whatever you believe, Sophia, that''s your reality."

Meanwhile, aprivate jet sliced through the clouds at top speed, racing back to Lexington State.

The moment itnded at the Prescott mansion, a young man hurried forward.

"Are you Master Alex?" Lawrence asked breathlessly, his face lighting up with relief as Alex stepped off the ne Lyra had arranged.

"I''ve been waiting for you. Please,e this way."

He led Alex with the utmost respect, his every step quick and eager. But before they could reach Samuel''s room, a broad figure stepped into their path.

Frederick.

He blocked the way with his bulk, his eyes narrowing as he sized Alex up and down.

"This is the so-called master who made the miracle pill?" he sneered. "Looks like a boy to me. Are you sure you didn''t just hire some fraud to cover up your mistakes?"

"Frederick, not now," Lawrence warned sharply. "This master was sent by Governor Lyra herself."

But Frederick ignored him, his eyes fixed on Alex with cold disdain. "He looks like a scammer to me."

"Stop this, Frederick."

Instead, Frederick shoved Lawrence aside with one heavy arm and loomed over Alex. "ording to the rules, we frisk anyone who enters. Hands up. Against the wall. Now."

"Frisk me?" Alex''s brows drew together, his voice heavy with displeasure.

"Of course," Frederick barked, stepping closer. "Who the hell do you think you are, waltzing straight into the governor''s room? You could be carrying a weapon, or poison."

Alex''s eyes hardened. "You invite me here to heal your grandfather, yet treat me like a criminal. Is that how the Prescott family shows its gratitude?"

"I didn''t invite you," Frederick shot back smugly. "You''re a stranger, and strangers get searched. I don''t care who you think you are."

"Frederick!" Lawrence''s face darkened. "Don''t go too far. I can vouch for him. If anything happens, I''ll take full responsibility."

"You?" Frederick barked augh, then pped Lawrence across the face so hard

it left a red mark blooming on his cheek.

"The only thing you can take is my handprint."

Something inside Alex snapped. His eyes narrowed, his presence shifting like a storm breaking loose.

In an instant, he released a wave of aura-silent but devastating.

Frederick''s body went rigid, his eyes rolled back, and he crumpled to the floor with

a heavy thud.

Lawrence froze, one hand still pressed to his stinging cheek. "What... what happened to him?"

"I don''t know. Maybe karma caught him," Alex said coolly, his gaze lingering on Frederick''s limp body.

He wondered how a man so arrogant could stand tall when, with just a flicker of power, he could have ended him in seconds.

"Alex, don''t waste another second on him. Please,e inside," Lawrence urged, his voice tight with urgency. He pulled Alex straight to the room.

"Do you have the miracle pill? Give it to me-now," Benjamin demanded, stepping forward the moment he saw them enter, his eyes burning with impatience.

Alex shook his head. "Making a miracle pill isn''t easy. The next batch won''t be ready until next year. Right now, there are none."

Benjamin''s brows drew together. "If you don''t have the pill, then why the hell did you evene?"

"I came to treat the patient," Alex said tly.

"You?" Benjamin''s tone turned icy, his voice cutting like a de.

"Don''t you think you''re too young to be trusted with this? Don''t me me if I don''t

warn you. You''d better cure my father. If not-there''s no way you''ll leave this house alive."

Alex stopped dead in his tracks, his gaze cold, his tone casual yet sharp enough to slice through the tension.

"I''m a man who gets offended easily, and I don''t handle pressure well. Since you''ve already tried to push me, my mental state is damaged. I won''t treat him—

find someone else."

He turned as if to leave.

"No, no-please! Young man, don''t take his words to heart." Henry leapt forward, grabbing Alex''s arm, his voice cracking with desperation.

"There''s no time left to save our father. We can''t afford to drive you away."

Then he spun on his brother, face twisted with fury. "Benjamin, shut your damn mouth if you can''t say anything useful!"

Benjamin stiffened, his pride bruised, but he swallowed his words.

Alex looked around the room. "If you truly want me to treat him, you''ll need to meet one of my requirements."

Henry frowned. "Requirement? We already promised to Lyra that if you could heal our father, we''d support Governors Sophia and Lyra against the Kingstons." "That was before I was threatened-twice before I even set foot in this room. My mental state has already taken enough damage." Alex''s voice was calm, almost mocking. "Now, if you want me to continue, I''ll need additionalpensation." "Money-grubber!" Benjamin spat, his lip curling in disgust. "How much filthy cash do you want to bleed from us?"

Alex raised his hand, spreading five fingers.

"Five million dors?" Benjamin scoffed. "Kid, don''t you think you''re being greedy? How dare you ask for five million?"

"Who said I wanted five million?" Alex''s tone was cold, matter-of-fact. "I want fifty million."

The room erupted.

"What?"

"Fifty million dors?"

Benjamin''s face contorted in disbelief. "Are you out of your damn mind? Why don''t

you just rob a bank while you''re at it?"

Alex leaned back slightly, his eyes narrowing with a faint, dangerous smile.fn6ef5 Th? link to the orig?n of this information r?sts ?n find?novel/fn6ef5

"Now my mental health has been assaulted again. The price just doubled. One hundred million."

He lifted a single finger as if he were asking for nothing more than a cup of tea. From the corner, Frederick, who had just regained consciousness, pushed himself up, his fury boiling over. "Are you joking with us? A hundred million? Do you even want to leave this ce alive?"

Alex nced at him, unfazed. "Your yelling just made it worse. Two hundred million." He raised another finger without even blinking.

Every insult, every shout, sent the price higher.

"You-!" Frederick and Benjamin''s rage nearly exploded.

"Enough!" Henry''s face had gone pale, his voice thunderous. "Both of you, shut

your damn mouths before you kill our father with your stupidity!"