The Porsche came to a stop in the parking lot. Flynn sauntered toward the towering Titan Holdings building, casually glancing up at its eighty-seven floors before stepping inside.
Inside the lobby, Lila and fifty Dragon Team bodyguards stood at attention, forming an imposing line. The receptionists and several high-ranking executives had already gathered in place, waiting solemnly. Even the janitorial staff stood to one side, brooms in hand, motionless.
The entire lobby was silent.
Hearts pounded like war drums.
Word had spread-Lila had announced that a supremely important guest would arrive today. No matter what projects were in progress, no matter how critical, everything was put on hold. Everyone was required to be in the lobby to greet the guest.
Lila’s tone when issuing the command had been so serious, so reverent, that it left no room for argument.
The tension was suffocating.
The employees, even those who had worked with Lila for over a decade, had never seen her like this-nervous and unsure, as if completely out of her element.
Lila, the famed business queen of Haralu, heiress of the Duffy family, a woman who had dominated the Nordic business world alongside The Raven King since the age of twenty, was now fidgeting like a little girl. Her hands trembled slightly, unsure of where to rest. Her body was stiff, like a mortal awaiting the arrival of a god.
This was a woman who had met presidents and princesses, who had faced countless high-stakes situations with unwavering confidence. Yet now, her composure shattered.
The Dragon Team, known for their ruthless precision, stood like statues, silently exuding respect. Their posture was so deferential that had this been ancient times, they would likely be kneeling, heads bowed, not daring to look up.
And then-he arrived.
A young man strolled into the empty lobby, his gait lazy and unhurried, as though he were taking a leisurely walk down the street.
Was this the guest they were here to welcome?
It didn’t make sense.
Surely such an important figure would be an elder, someone distinguished and venerable.
Though everyone kept their heads lowered, they couldn’t help but steal glances at the young man. Was he perhaps from another company, here for a meeting?
But that couldn’t be. Only five minutes ago, Lila had decreed that no one-not even the governor of Slatin City or the provincial leaders-was to be entertained today.
Who could this be?
Suddenly, a voice broke the silence, filled with reverence:
“The entire Titan Holdings awaits your arrival, Master!”
Lila, usually composed and commanding, now spoke with the unease of a young girl. Her voice trembled slightly, her head bowed so low it nearly touched her chest.
The lobby erupted-not with noise, but in the minds of everyone present.
Shock. Disbelief.
The young man… really was the esteemed guest they were waiting for?
Even the Dragon Team, hardened bodyguards and seasoned fighters, were stunned.
This man didn’t even look thirty. How could someone so young command such deference?
Flynn waved a hand dismissively. “I’m thirsty. Let’s talk upstairs,” he said, already walking toward the elevator.
He barely acknowledged the grand display of respect around him. After all, scenes like this had played out countless times over the past decade. He had grown tired of such extravagance.
Even when the heads of powerful families visited his domain on Demon Island, they would bow and scrape, making it impossible for him to even get a proper look at their faces.
This kind of pomp and ceremony irritated him.
Why couldn’t they just act normal?
Flynn had voiced this complaint countless times, but no one dared meet his gaze, let alone change their behavior.
Eventually, he gave up trying to reform them.
As Flynn stepped into the elevator, Lila followed closely behind, while the Dragon Team took up positions on either side of the elevator doors. Even the janitorial staff stood at attention with their brooms.
The executives and middle managers who had rushed downstairs now froze in place, unsure of what to do next.
Madeline, who had just arrived, was nearly shoved aside by the stampede of high-ranking employees rushing to the lobby. She steadied herself on the staircase, her high heels nearly knocked off in the chaos.
“What’s going on?” she muttered under her breath, peering down at the lobby.
She caught a glimpse of someone stepping into the elevator-a young man, not an elder as she had expected.
“Wait a minute… that back… it looks familiar,” she murmured to herself.
“It’s a young man!” someone nearby whispered. “I saw his profile when he stepped into the elevator. He doesn’t look a day over thirty!”
Madeline’s heart skipped a beat.
No, it couldn’t be.
It was impossible.
Ten years ago, she had seen Flynn kneeling by Adrianna’s grave, sobbing uncontrollably, his face streaked with tears and snot. His eyes had been filled with despair and hatred-hatred laced with helplessness.
Back then, Flynn had been nothing more than an ordinary man, struggling to make ends meet. He had no power, no influence, no skills to speak of.
How could that same man now command such reverence, even from someone like Lila?
It didn’t add up.
It had to be The Raven King.
The Raven King was in his forties-his stature and age matched the grandeur of this occasion.
The elevator ascended to the eighty-seventh floor, a space reserved entirely for Flynn.
The floor housed a gym, a bedroom, a dining area, an office, and even a suspended pool. It was a sanctuary of unparalleled luxury, a testament to his status.
Flynn entered the office and sank into the plush leather chair behind the desk.
“Master, Titan Holdings’ recent business activities are all on the computer,” Lila said as she poured a cup of tea.
Flynn opened the laptop. The screen displayed spreadsheets detailing the companies Titan Holdings had acquired, ongoing projects, and potential clients.
These were the company’s most confidential records, now laid bare before him.
“Raven was right to make you the general manager. He has a good eye,” Flynn remarked, nodding in approval.
The economic assault on the Clark family was progressing smoothly-five days in, and the results were already impressive.
Lila, stunned by his words, stole a glance at Flynn.
Her usually composed face betrayed her inner turmoil.
The Raven King-the figure everyone feared and revered-was referred to so casually by this man.
And the man before her called him “Raven”?
Her worldview shattered.
Before coming to Slatin, The Raven King had given her one instruction:
“My master will arrive in Slatin soon. Whatever he asks, you must fulfill. Doing so will benefit you, me, the Asura Palace, and the Duffy family. It will bring honor to your family for a hundred years.”
She had assumed his master would be an elder, perhaps in his fifties.
But this…
This man wasn’t even her age.