Chapter 224

Everyone in the ballroom knew one unspoken rule:

Never cross the Kanes.

So when this random nobody smacked Bella Kane across the face, felt like time itself froze.

Every head turned, jaws hanging open. The gasp was almost a collective choke.

"Is he out of his damn mind?" someone muttered.

"He actually hit Bella Kane... He must have a death wish."

A hush fell, thick with fear and disbelief. For as long as anyone remembered, Bella was the one who dished out the torment-

never the other way around.

In that moment, the unthinkable had happened.

Bella swayed on her heels, hand pressed to her flaming cheek.

Her eyes were wide with equal parts shock and wrath.

No one, no one, had ever dared lay a finger on her.

"You-" she spat, voice cracking, "you dare... you dare hit me?"

Alex felt adrenaline rattle his veins. He'd lashed out before thinking; a part of him hated that he'd struck a woman.

He flexed his hand, trying to ignore the sick churn in his gut.

"Kill him!" Bella shrieked, voice echoing off the marble walls. "Now!"

Her security detail snapped to attention, batons raised like they were itching to break bones-some even pointing their guns.

The onlookers scattered, some scrambling behind tables, others pressing themselves flat against the wall.

Everyone watched, hearts pounding, expecting Alex to be torn to pieces.

But he stood there, posture calm, expression unreadable.

In an instant-thud, thud, thud-the guards crashed down as though their legs had been yanked out from under them.

A few face-planted; others buckled at the knees.

Their eyes were wide with terror, as if caught under the gaze of some demon cloaked in human skin.

"Hey! I need more backup out here-now!" one of Bella's bodyguards growled into his earpiece, voice cracking with an edge of

fear.

Alex kept advancing, calm and unhurried.

Step. By. Step.

Each footfall resonated against the polished marble, a steady metronome of menace.

backward as if her designer heels suddenly weighed

both shock and fear. "Stop him!

guests sprang forward, spurred by self- righteous

a reddening face bellowed, "I'll kill you for laying a finger on Bella, you hear

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Chapter 224

blink-just slid aside in a

scooped up à fallen

deafening

Bang!

shot fired

of the chandelier above rattled ominously

Screams tore through the crowd, raw

move," Alex warned, voice as cold

decide to be

glare pinned Bella like a spotlight, and her face blanched whiter than the marble

at

exhaled, a bitter

get brutalized, and not a single one of you lifted a finger. Yet the minute Bella's in danger, you all leap to play hero?

big man glared up at Alex

on him-pressing the warm barrel

to be

show me. Here's your chance to redeem that pathetic excuse of a soul. Slap Bella across the face, right now. Or I'll paint these

man's pupils shrank to pinpoints. "You... you're

Bang!

shot clipped the side

pristine marble. He howled, folding into himself as

me again," Alex hissed, his voice low. "The

a blind eye to Sophia's suffering. Now you'll make it right. Each and every one of you will

"Anyone who refuses gets

of

grazed the speaker's thigh. He collapsed, wailing, grabbing at

to make it crystal clear how serious I am,” Alex

near the grand double doors, a few guests tried inching toward freedom. But they froze when they spotted four masked

masked men growled, the barrel of his weapon tracing

or I'll turn

stepped forward, lips curled in outrage.

who you're messing with!

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Chapter 224

Bang!

didn't hesitate. The

dropping him instantly.

even finished

through the

fainted outright, while others stared at the body in stunned

all with cold contempt. "See? When you allow evil to flourish-when you stand by and do nothing-you are just as guilty.

Get up.” Blood trickled

Alex said. "And if your hand hasn't

"One."

harder than a

man cast a desperate look

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