By nightfall, Hawaii had shed its daytime charm and taken on a mesmerizing nighttime allure, with neon lights casting a glamorous glow.
It was prime time at Hawaii’s upscale clubs, where people glittered with wealth and status, moving amid luxury cars that paraded through the streets like an exhibition, adding even more prestige to the area.
In front of one of these vibrant buildings, a dark Cadillac and three luxury cars pulled up smoothly to the entrance.
Uniformed staff stood at attention beside the vehicles, their suits sharp and precise, exuding a sense of class and arrogance. They waited respectfully by the first car, anticipating the exit of someone important. Despite the understated entrance, the whole scene oozed power and status, making it clear to onlookers with a hint of influence or wealth where they stood in comparison.
“Mr. Ryan, I’m Antonio Ford. It’s an honor to have you here. Please, come in,” greeted a blond man at the entrance, his face full of respect and an eager-to-please smile as he gave Ryan a slight bow. A line of people stood behind him, each equally deferential.
Ryan gave a slight nod, and Adolph, who had just stepped out of the car behind him, raised an eyebrow with a smirk. “What, you only noticed Mr. Ryan?”
Antonio, spotting Adolph, quickly laughed and said, “Mr. Adolph, you’re here too! This is a rare honor for us. We couldn’t ask for a greater privilege.”
Adolph gave a smug smile, said nothing, and led the way inside with Ryan. Echo rolled her eyes at Adolph’s attitude and followed without expression.
The private box looked like one-just an exceptionally luxurious one. It was almost as fancy as a presidential suite, with everything you’d expect and then some.
Echo glanced at the huge screen in the center, which displayed a live feed of the outside scene. The floor-to-ceiling glass walls let everyone inside see out clearly, while no one outside could see in.
Thick bulletproof glass, a VIP area high above the rest, offering a commanding view of everything below-all of this detail registered in Echo’s mind instantly.
“Please, Mr. Ryan, Mr. Adolph, right this way,” Antonio greeted Ryan and Adolph with a big, friendly smile.
Behind Antonio, members of the Ford family followed in, likely representing all of this branch’s remaining power-old and young alike, even a woman, which caught Echo’s attention. Anyone who made it to Ryan’s presence must have some serious skills.
“This is the Ford family’s largest side branch, aside from the main one Mr. Adolph destroyed. Every significant member who can make decisions is here; they’re showing us their sincerity,” Cobra explained softly to Echo as they stood near the glass window.
Echo nodded, realizing Cobra was teaching her. She’d become aware that she couldn’t afford to drift along like before. She needed to understand what mattered, to stay sharp. Since she’d stepped into this world, she had to take it seriously.
“It’s about to start,” Bill said with a smirk, glancing at the empty stage below.
Echo turned slightly and noticed Ryan, Adolph, and Antonio chatting lightly. The mood was friendly, filled with flattery, and lacked any serious negotiation vibes. It wasn’t like the tense meeting in Southeast Asia, where they’d been invited by an enemy faction. This time, the Ford family had come to submit. Ryan’s presence here meant his acceptance, so no more words were needed. That explained why Bill and the others weren’t on high alert.
Echo suddenly caught Ryan’s cold gaze on her. She turned to see him watching her from the sofa, with a hint of tenderness, pride, and approval mixed in his eyes. Echo couldn’t help but chuckle; she realized this meeting was less about business and more about putting everyone at ease-a nice perk.
“Ladies and gentlemen, tonight…”
Echo hadn’t even looked back fully before a performance started on the stage below. The audience was small, but they were the creme de la creme, each wearing masks that concealed their identities. This wasn’t for nobody. Under the dim light, there was a suppressed excitement, a bloodlust barely held back, emanating from the shadows.
Echo raised an eyebrow, curious to see what kind of “animal” show this really was.
“Tonight, we’ve prepared only the finest for your enjoyment. Please indulge yourselves,” announced the man on stage before stepping down.
The finest. Even animals had top grades, apparently. Interesting. Echo folded her arms and leaned against the bulletproof glass, watching the scene below with anticipation.
The lights dimmed on the stage, leaving just a single spotlight on a man seated at the very center. Somehow, he’d already been positioned there, draped in sheer black gauze that wrapped around his body, revealing enough to tease yet leaving just enough covered, creating a captivating, almost forbidden allure. His pale skin against the dark fabric created a striking contrast.
His wrists were bound behind him to a tall chair, and his legs were strapped down as well. His head tilted up, facing Ryan’s VIP box, revealing a face with a half-Eastern, half-European mix that somehow made his features hauntingly seductive. Yet, the helplessness in his eyes and the undeniable fear on his face broke that allure, making him appear all the more vulnerable, almost inviting mistreatment.
Crack-a whip struck his body, sending a piece of gauze flying. A bright red mark appeared across his white chest, clear on the big screen in their box, even though the glass blurred some of the details.
There was no blood, just a vivid red line on his skin that somehow made the whole scene feel disturbingly sensual. His voice, either softened by some drug or naturally so, let out a weak cry, adding a strangely arousing element to the performance.
Crack. Crack.
The whip flicked in the air, now and then slashing away more of his clothes. The sharp sound of it slicing the air, the thinning fabric, and the muffled gasps and cheers from the audience beyond the glass all made Echo frown and turn her head.
“Not your thing?” Bill asked, not looking away from the stage, his voice low enough for only Echo to hear.
Echo frowned without replying.
Bill continued watching, speaking calmly, “That’s Bertram Ford from the Ford family’s main branch. The victor claims all. It’s a shame-he was apparently a top marksman, said to rival Cobra.”
Echo blinked, surprised, and looked back down at the performance. She hadn’t turned away because she couldn’t handle it; she just didn’t want to watch.
She knew this world was dark, that things she hadn’t seen didn’t mean they didn’t exist.
This was likely slave trading-the men performing would end up bought by whoever fancied them, and their fates from there? Only the heavens knew.
She wasn’t naive or idealistic; reality was often more brutal than people imagined. From the moment she walked in, she’d known exactly what this “animal show” was about. But she hadn’t expected the performers to be fallen members of the Ford family’s main branch. Bill had been right-“the victor claims all.”
“Pretty ruthless,” Echo muttered, watching the man below.
Losing was losing, but to completely crush someone’s dignity like this-it was almost a stain on the Dark family’s reputation.
From what Bill had said, Bertram had been quite the shooter. She knew Cobra’s skill well enough to understand that anyone comparable to him wasn’t an easy opponent.
But now, seeing Bertram’s broken spirit, like he’d been through hell and back, Echo could only imagine what he’d suffered to end up as this-stripped of all dignity and turned into something resembling a slave.
Bill chuckled softly, his voice barely audible, “No. Don’t you think he’s actually enjoying it?”