“You!” Colton bellowed, disbelief clear in his voice.


    Allison had bepletely unruly! In their three years of marriage, no matter what outrageous demands he or his mother made—no matter how absurd—they were never met with resistance.


    Allison alwaysplied.


    But now, it seemed she would have to pay a much higher price to get her way.


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    "If you agree to this request, we will not only give you a sum of money, but we will give you 5% of the shares of the Stevens Group.


    And let''s face it, you never know when you might need something from the Stevens family," Colton proposed, confident that his offer was generous.


    After all, the entire Stevens family would owe Allison a favor if she epted the offer.


    What more could she want?


    Allison responded with a cold, distantugh full of ambiguity.


    Colton thought he could lure her in with emotional maniption.


    However, it was obvious that he had no intention of handing her those shares.


    He thought a few ttering words would be enough to entice her.


    What a farce.


    The partnership with the Everett Group was worth far more than the 5% she was offering him.


    When she''d crawled up to Ken, practically on her knees, she''d promised him 10%, and that was just for an introduction.


    Now he expected her to hand him an opportunity on a silver tter for a mere fraction of that?


    “I don’t recall this ce doing IQ testing.


    Maybe you should detour to the mental hospital next door,” Allison snapped.


    “I’ve met shameless people before, Colton, but you? You’re in a ss by yourself.


    Do you even understand what the word ‘divorce’ means?” She took a deliberate step forward, her eyes sharp and unyielding.


    “It means you make me sick.


    ”


    Allison hadn''t spoken so directly in years.


    Subtlety was usually her weapon of choice, but this time Colton had taken it too far.


    “Well, Allison, if you’re not willing to help, there’s no need to insult him,” came a voice from behind.


    It was Mny, entering at just the right moment, cing herself between Colton and Allison.


    Her presence alone made it impossible for Colton to back away now.


    “I know you just got back from Lloyd Mansion, Allison,” Mny said, her tone soft butced with venom.


    “But just because you’ve managed to climb the socialdder…”


    Mny’s words were sharp, her toneced with hidden satisfaction.


    “Going up the ranks doesn’t mean you have to treat people you once knew so ruthlessly.


    Ken may like you now, and he may take you in, but you know how much these high-society families value status.


    It wouldn’t hurt to leave yourself an exit strategy, Allison.


    ”


    Her words seemed to defend Colton, but deep down, Mny was enjoying the tension between him and Allison.


    Thatment Allison had made about Lindy had been like opening Pandora''s box, unleashing a chain of chaos.


    Since then, Mny had been the target of Lindy''s constant teasing.


    Allison, however, just smiled, unfazed by Mny’s words.


    “Yes, I was at the Lloyd mansion.


    What exactly does that have to do with any of you?” Her tone was distant, as if she didn’t understand why her personal life was being dragged into this discussion.


    Were Colton and Mny still thinking in such old-fashioned terms? Were they still stuck in the past?


    Colton, already frustrated by how much he had to stoop, was now seething with rage.


    Strangely, he hadn''t been bothered by Allison mentioning spending time with a male escort.


    But the thought of her being with Ken, however, was unbearable.


    The thought filled him with a deep sense of humiliation.


    He couldn''t even pinpoint what made him angrier: that she''d left him, or that she''d found her way into Ken''s life.


    “You are an absolute disgrace!” Colton roared, his hand raised, as if he was ready to hit Allison.


    Allison''s eyes grew cold, and in one fluid motion she pulled a small sword from her sleeve, its de reflecting the light.


    But just as Colton''s hand began to descend, someone intervened.


    A man dressed in a tailored suit stepped forward and, in one swift, effortless motion, twisted Colton''s arm.


    Crack.


    A scream, high and agonized, filled the air, the unmistakable sound of bones breaking echoing through the room.


    “My arm! My arm.


    ” Colton gasped, drenched in sweat, his entire body shaking as if he had just been pulled from ice-cold water.


    He looked down at his arm, now twisted and bent at a grotesque angle, unable toprehend the searing pain.


    “You…” He turned around, furious, only to be met with a pair of cold, deep eyes.


    Behind the suited man sat Ken, in his wheelchair.


    Sherman, the man in the suit, let go of Colton''s arm and respectfully announced, "Mr.


    Lloyd, I''ve taken care of the trash.


    "