Chapter 274 The War Begins

    Chapter 274 The War Begins

    Images of Sloane flooded Lucas’s mind-her smile, her tears, everything she’d ever done for him. Each memory was like a knife, cutting straight through his chest.

    “Shut your mouth!” Lucas growled, swinging a heavy punch at Larry’s face.

    Larry staggered back two steps, a thin trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth. He wiped it away with the back of his hand and let out a cold, mockingugh. “Hit a nerve? That’s what I thought. You don’t want to hear the truth, but I’m going to say it anyway. That engagement-she never wanted it. Your Hawthorne family forced her into it. And if it weren’t for all the mess you dragged her into, with her skills, she never would’ve had to go through any of this.”

    Lucas froze mid-swing. His fist hovered in the air as guilt and regret surged through him again.

    It was true. Sloane had never agreed to that engagement willingly. That was why she’d tried to call it off again and again.

    To her, he had only ever been a decent business partner.

    Then why… why had she taken the poison upon herself? Why would she go that far?

    Just then, security burst into the room. Seeing the wrecked office, they stopped in shock.

    The secretary stood anxiously at the door, her voice trembling. “Mr. Lucas… Mr. Larry… are you both all right?”

    Lucas waved them off. He wiped the blood from his lip and said quietly, “We’re fine. Leave us.”

    The guards and the secretary exchanged nces, hesitated, then stepped back and shut the door.

    The office was a mess. Shattered ss, overturned chairs, papers scattered everywhere. Lucas and Larry stood among the wreckage, still staring each other down, the air thick with tension.

    After a long silence, Larry finally spoke, his voice worn. “Lucas… I just want to know where she is. Is Sloane okay?”

    Lucas’s eyes flickered. He lowered his head, voice hoarse. “I don’t know.”

    Larry didn’t believe him. But something in Lucas’s expression made his heart tighten with unease.

    “You better pray nothing’s happened to her,” Larry said through gritted teeth. “Because if she’s gone, I’ll never let you off the hook.”

    He threw open the door and walked out without another word.

    Lucas mmed his fist into the desk. The solid wood let out a deep thud as red marks bloomed across his knuckles. The pain burned up his arm-but it was nothingpared to what twisted inside his chest.

    Larry didn’t waste a second. Back at his own office, he issued a direct order

    “Do whatever it takes. Find out where Sloane is”

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    Chapter 274 The War Begins

    His assistant didn’t dare question him and rushed off to act.

    At the same time, Larry made several calls. His tone was cold and sharp.

    “Effective immediately, we target Hawthorne Corp. Whatever Lucas wants, take it first.”

    There was surprise on the other end, but the answer came swiftly. “Understood, Mr. Larry.”

    Larry ended the call and stood by the floor-to-ceiling window, his gaze razor sharp.

    Lucas, this is what it costs to hurt Sloane.

    From that moment, the war between Houston Group and Hawthorne Corp ignited into full-scale conflict.

    Elsewhere, Kelvin lit up with joy when he saw his mother hade to pick him up herself.

    “Mom, what are you doing here?”

    Mrs. Chen looked around cautiously before smiling. “I just wanted to make sure. So I came to get you myself.”

    Kelvinughed and hooked his arm through hers. “I’m eighteen, Mom. What could possibly happen that you still worry so much?”

    III

    12:10 Wed, 10 Sept ti