Nico walked out of his private lounge, his upper body bare, glistening with sweat, and filled with lipstick prints. Taryl followed him closely, his posture straight and ready for violence, because Devion Montgomery had come visiting with his fleet of elite guards. Such a visit was in no way good news.
"And what do I owe this visit to, Sir Devion?" Nico said, a mock-friendly smile stretching across his face as he settled into a plush leather chair directly in front of Devion.
"I came to sympathize with you on the loss of your men from the River Dew Hospital attack," Devion stated, his voice very calm. He deliberately pointed out the incident. "But... it doesn't seem like you are grieving at all."
Nico's expression remained the same. "That's so nice and unexpected of you, Sir Devion. But you see, I am grieving. Very sad and grieving. But as they say, a leader mustn't show weakness to keep the followers going."
"Indeed," Devion replied, the single word dripping with cold disdain. Then he finally hit the nail on the head, his gaze sharpening. "Why were you after my wife?"
"You flatter me, Sir Devion. I wish I had such guts," Nico said with a dismissive wave. "I had no idea she was your wife until I saw it on the internet. I only thought she was... interesting, and wanted her for myself."
At a subtle signal from Devion, Ethan stepped forward and passed a thick envelope to him. Devion didn't open it; he simply threw it onto the low table in front of Nico. Photographs spilled out: pictures of Old Roger at the estate, then back at Nico's base; photos of Taryl meeting with the same man; and, most damningly, intimate pictures of Adele and Nico together. Yet, Nico maintained his composure, his smile barely flickering.
"What does this mean, Sir Devion?" he asked, feigning ignorance.
"Proof that you had many other reasons to have gone after her," Devion stated, his patience visibly thinning.
"I am sincere, Sir Devion..." Nico began, but before he could finish his lie, Devion moved with blinding speed. In one fluid motion, he whipped out a customized pistol and fired two precise, deafening shots.
Bang! Bang!
Taryl screamed in agony, collapsing to the floor as both of his knees were shattered. The sound of his cries echoed in the sudden, tense silence.
Finally, there was a drastic change in Nico's expression. He shot to his feet, his face contorted in rage. His men, who had been standing along the walls, immediately drew their weapons, their stance aggressive. Devion's own men, in perfect sync, raised their own firearms, the atmosphere crackling with the imminent threat of a bloodbath.
"What is the meaning of this, Sir Devion?" Nico asked, his voice already cold and dangerous.
But Devion didn't reply. He was playing a high-stakes emotional and psychological game. He knew Taryl wasn't just Nico's most trusted subordinate; he was his biological brother. This act of violence was a message. Devion aimed his gun again, this time at Taryl's shoulder. The threat was clear.
"Alright, stop," Nico yelled, his composure shattering. "Adele! Adele wanted her removed, so I sent my person! But your wife broke his arm, and I sent my people after her for revenge! That's all!"
Satisfied, Devion tucked his gun away into his belt holster. He stood up, straightened his suit jacket, and walked over to Nico. He patted the crime lord's cheek twice, a gesture of utter contempt. Then, without another word, he turned and walked out of the lounge, his men covering his exit with disciplined precision.
"You will pay for this, Devion!" Nico roared after him, his voice trembling with pure fury. He immediately dropped to his brother's side, barking orders. "Get him to the hospital! Now!"
---
Devion wasted no time at all. Using the confession he had just gotten, his PR team released a detailed, devastating statement to the internet, complete with irrefutable proof. It stated that the engagement was dissolved solely because Adele had been cheating, and it named her as the mastermind behind the attack on Miller. It didn't end there. Devion also added a warning: anyone who attempted to harass, accuse, or attack his wife, online or physically, would face the full, unrelenting force of his legal and personal retaliation.
The public storm, which had been raging against Miller, instantly reversed course. The shocking twist sent the internet into a new chaos, and people immediately began attacking Adele for her deceit, but amidst the fury, a new speculation emerged: many noticed something—Devion had never actively or publicly defended Adele like this during any of her past scandals. His support had always been provided from the sidelines. This bold, public shielding of Miller after just 2 weeks of marriage led many to speculate that he must love his new wife in a way he never had Adele.
---
Adele, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to the shift in public opinion. She drove her car into the Williams compound after a long day of shopping for an upcoming modeling trip in France, and she walked out of the car, bags in hand, and stepped into the opulent foyer of the main house.
The moment she entered, a heavy mug was suddenly hurled at her head, shattering against the wall just inches from her. She froze in terror. The living room was filled with members of the Williams family, including her grandfather, and all of them were looking at her with expressions of pure disappointment and dark, seething gazes.
"What... what is going on?" she asked, her voice trembling with genuine confusion.
"You must be stupid to have asked that question," her uncle spat, his face red with anger. His words have only gotten her more.
"Have you seen where your stupidity has gotten you?" her aunt screeched. "Now you are not the biggest model of J-city, but the most successful whore! Can you be a little less shameless and be wise for once?"
Adele's mind raced as she began to piece it together.
"Devion retaliated to your post," Lady Cecily muttered from the corner, her face pale and devastated.
Adele's eyes widened in shock. She fumbled for her phone, her hands shaking, and turned it on. Behold, her screen was flooded with hundreds of hate messages and missed calls. It was even worse on social media; her profiles were a warzone of trolling and canceled contracts.
"From today onward," Old Williams' voice boomed, cutting through her panic, "you are no longer my granddaughter or a Williams."
Both Lady Cecily and Adele looked at him in shock.
"Father, you can't do this!" Lady Cecily cried, rushing toward him. "Where would she go?"
He looked at his daughter with cold finality. "She can go with you. You are no longer a Williams, either."
The pronouncement shocked Lady Cecily into silence, her mouth agape. "No! No, Father!" she wailed, trying to follow him as he turned to leave the room.
He didn't look back. He simply gestured to the family guards. "Throw them out."
And with that, two large security guards stepped forward, firmly taking hold of a sobbing Lady Cecily and a shocked Adele, and escorted them out of the only home they had ever known.