The King Of War Returns (Jaden Rift) novel Chapter 54

“How dare you interrupt this auction?! Do you have a death wish?” the host bellowed from the stage, veins bulging at his temple as he stared down the lone man who had just stepped into their underground nightmare.

Jaden didn’t even glance at him. His boots echoed across the cold marble floor as he walked straight toward Hannah, her wrists bound and her eyes wide with disbelief.

“Jaden…” Her voice cracked as the ropes fell away from her bruised skin. The moment she was free, she threw herself into his arms. “Jaden, you really came…” Her body trembled against his chest, tears slipping down her cheeks.

He wrapped an arm around her, steady and warm. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

“But… Julie… they have Julie,” she gasped, pulling back, panicked.

“She’s safe,” Jaden said calmly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. “Already taken care of.”

She breathed out in relief, eyes closing as tears continued to fall.

“You bastard! I’m talking to you!” the host growled again. “How dare you interrupt our auction?!”

Slap!

Jaden’s palm crashed across the host’s face like a hammer. The man flew off the stage and hit the floor with a bone-cracking thud, groaning as blood pooled under his nose.

Gasps rippled through the crowd.

“What the hell?!”

“Who is this guy?”

“This lunatic just hit the host!”

One man, leaning toward his neighbor, whispered, “He’s screwed. Does he even know whose auction this is?”

Another responded, “Andrew Blake is here. Son of General Maxwell Blake. He’s done for.”

As if on cue, a young man stood up from the VIP section, adjusting his expensive jacket with a smug grin on his face. His chin lifted proudly as he stepped forward. “You’ve got some balls, kid,” Andrew sneered. “Do you even know where you are? Do you know who I am?”

Jaden said nothing. His hand was still resting on Hannah’s shoulder, eyes calm, jaw locked.

“I’m Andrew Blake, heir to the Blake family,” Andrew announced, drawing attention. “My father is General Maxwell Blake—yeah, that Maxwell. You’ve just thrown a slap at the face of power, and I swear—”

The crowd murmured in awe.

“He just upset Mr. Black, he's done for?”

“Shit. This guy’s going to die.”

“Even the cops don’t mess with the Blakes…”

Andrew pointed toward Jaden. “Rafael! Take care of this piece of trash. I don’t want to stain my hands with his blood.”

All eyes turned to the corner, where Rafael —the infamous “King of Devil Club”—who was still on the ground bruised and bleeding.

But Rafael… didn’t move.

Andrew frowned. “Didn’t you hear me? I said—”

Crack!

Rafael stood and smacked Andrew across the face so hard the man stumbled, nearly falling.

“W-what the hell?!” Andrew clutched his cheek, stunned. “Rafael?!”

“You’ve got a death wish if you think I’ll raise a finger against him,” Rafael hissed, his voice low and trembling. He turned and dropped to his knees before Jaden. “Please… spare me,” he begged. “I didn’t know. I swear—I didn’t know who you were. Baron hired me. I was just following orders. Please, master… don’t kill me.”

Gasps turned into silence. All eyes widened.

“What the hell…”

“Rafael is kneeling?!”

“No way… is that stranger from a rich family too?!”

“Who the hell is this guy?”

“Please—! Stop—! Please—I’ll give you money! A hundred million!”

“You think money can buy redemption?”

Jaden raised his knee—and crushed Andrew’s groin.

Crack.

A scream tore through Andrew’s throat, high-pitched and pitiful.

“I—can’t—feel—it—” he sobbed. “You monster! You ruined me!”

Jaden leaned in. “Good. Now you’ll never hurt another woman again.”

He stood up and turned to Rafael.

Rafael was still kneeling, head lowered. “Please… please… I’ll disappear. I’ll never come back. I’ll leave the country. Just… don’t kill me.”

Jaden stared at him for a long second.

Then his voice dropped, dark and final. “You don’t deserve forgiveness.”

Before anyone could breathe—

Bang!

A sharp sound echoed. Raphael collapsed, a bullet clean between his eyes.

Jaden holstered the weapon without blinking and turned to Hannah.

“Let’s go.” He said as he threw the gun back on the ground where he picked it from

She nodded quickly, still shaking, still trying to process the carnage.