Lucian Darius Valtieri—more than a CEO, he was a force of nature. A perfectionist with a mind sharper than any weapon, fluent in multiple languages, and a master manipulator who always stayed ten steps ahead. Ruthless, calculated, and unstoppable, he built his empire from nothing, commanding absolute authority in every room he entered.

But before the world feared him, he was a man—a husband and father who knew love. His wife had softened his jagged edges, and their daughter was the light of his life. Their home, once a sanctuary, echoed with laughter.

Until fate tore it all apart.

His wife was taken from him—ripped away cruelly, leaving him to drown in unbearable grief. Overwhelmed by pain and haunted by memories, he became incapable of being the father his daughter needed. So, he left her—not out of hatred, but because her presence was a reminder of everything he had lost.

Years passed. Grief hardened into something else—something colder. He buried his humanity beneath layers of power and control, becoming a monster who crushed anyone daring enough to stand in his way.

When an activist threatened his empire, he did what he always did—paid a corrupt cop to make the problem disappear. Simple. Routine. But as the cop raised his weapon, something about the young woman stopped him cold. Her defiant gaze pierced through him—familiar, haunting. And then, it struck him.

Her eyes. His wife’s eyes.

His heart twisted violently in his chest as realization dawned.

His daughter.

Before his mind could catch up, his voice cracked through the air—low, broken, desperate.

“Stop. Don’t you dare touch her!”