The Fear of a Man Exposed

(Joshua's Worst Nightmare Begins)

The cold pavement pressed against Joshua Lenin's back, the sharp pain in his lower body still lingering from Samuel's brutal attack.

The once-proud celebrity, the charming film star—now lying in the middle of the street, humiliated and powerless.

But that pain?

It was nothing.

Because right now, his mind was consumed by something far worse.

Fear.

His fingers trembled as he clutched his stomach, his breathing uneven.

Samuel Gebb…

How?

How did that bastard know about his plans?

How did he find out that everything—his relationship with Abigail, his carefully crafted image—was nothing but an act?

Joshua gritted his teeth, staring up at the dark sky. "This… this isn't possible."

His mind raced, trying to piece it together.

He had been so careful.

He had played the perfect role.

To Abigail, he was her loyal confidant. The "good man" who had always been there for her.

To the world, he was a rising star, beloved by fans, respected in the industry.

And to himself?

He was a patient hunter.

One who waited for the right moment—the moment Abigail would be completely his.

But now…

Samuel knew.

That smirk. Those words. The hidden camera.

Joshua's body shivered involuntarily.

"Be a good dog and know your place."

Samuel's voice echoed in his head like a curse, a reminder that he had lost control of the situation.

And that terrified him.

Suddenly, he heard footsteps approaching.

His blood ran cold.

For a second, he thought it was Samuel again.

But it wasn't.

A man in a black coat, probably a random passerby, stopped nearby, giving him a strange look. "Hey, mate… you alright?"

Joshua snapped out of his thoughts, forcing himself to sit up.

He could feel his reputation slipping through his fingers like grains of sand.

He had to act fast.

His voice was shaky, but he managed to force out a weak chuckle. "Yeah… Just a little accident. No big deal."

The man frowned, clearly not convinced, but shrugged. "Alright, take care of yourself."

As the stranger walked away, Joshua clenched his fists.

He needed to do something.

Samuel Gebb couldn't be allowed to win.

Not now. Not ever.

But as he tried to stand, the realization hit him again—

Samuel had outplayed him without even trying.

And that was the most terrifying part of all.

(Samuel's POV)

I walked through the high-end shopping district, my hands casually stuffed in my pockets.

The battle for Project Hades was in less than six hours, but for once, I wasn't thinking about war, death, or revenge.

Instead, I was thinking about something else entirely.

George. Kayla. Lana.

The only three people in this damn world who weren't tied to my past mistakes.

They were the only ones who actually mattered.

And since I had the time—and more money than I knew what to do with—I figured I might as well send them something.

A rare gesture of thoughtfulness from me.

I walked into a luxury boutique, my emerald eyes scanning the shelves.

A saleswoman immediately perked up at my entrance.

"Good evening, sir! Can I help you find something?"

I flashed a smirk. "Yeah. I need three gifts. One for a young woman, one for a teenage girl, and one for a man who's tolerated me for way too long."

She chuckled politely. "Any specific preferences?"

I thought about it for a moment.

For Kayla, something elegant but subtle. She wasn't the flashy type, but she deserved something worthy of her strength.

For Lana, something practical, maybe something that would help her feel safe and comfortable in her new life.

And for George?

I smirked. "Just give me something expensive. He deserves to be spoiled a little."

The saleswoman nodded, leading me through the store.

As I picked out each gift, my phone buzzed with a message from George.

[George: You don't have to keep looking out for us, you know. We're safe now.]

I rolled my eyes before replying.

[Me: Shut up and accept the gifts, old man.]

With that, I paid for everything and arranged for it all to be delivered to their new address.

As I walked out of the store, I lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly.

For once, it felt good to do something that wasn't fueled by rage or spite.

Just a small reminder that somewhere, beyond all this chaos, I still had people worth protecting.

A Few Last Moments Before War

As I walked out of the luxury store, the cool London air hit my face.

The gifts were handled.

George, Kayla, and Lana would receive them soon.

And now?

I checked the system timer.

---

[SYSTEM TIMER: PROJECT HADES]

Time Remaining: 5 Hours, 45 Minutes

---

I sighed. "Still got time to kill."

Henry was probably off in the hills, painting or meditating or doing whatever the hell he did to clear his mind.

Me?

I wasn't the "relax and reflect" type.

I needed something to keep me occupied.

I walked down the streets, hands in my pockets, thinking about my next move.

That's when my phone buzzed.

A message from Mr. Volkov.

[Volkov: Mr. Gebb, I heard you're still in London. If you're free, I'd like to have a word with you. It's important.]

I raised an eyebrow.

Volkov wasn't the type to waste time on small talk. If he wanted to meet, it meant something big was coming.

I smirked, exhaling smoke from my cigarette. "Well, looks like my night just got interesting."

I turned on my heels and headed toward Volkov's private estate.

Whatever he had to say—it better be worth my time.