This casual defiance shattered Darian's pride.

Fuming with anger, Darian clenched his pistol tightly. Oh, how he longed to dispatch this conceited man to the depths of Hell!

Yet, he lacked the courage.

His father had once advised that the Harris family maintained extensive connections. For mutual benefits, it was essential to avoid direct conflicts.

Consequently, Darian had spent years stirring trouble covertly rather than openly targeting the man he despised most.

“Why? Scared, are you?" Gerard taunted with a snort. "If so, please, excuse me."

With that, he turned and strode toward his vehicle.

In a fit of rage, Darian fired his pistol into the air.

Bang! The gunshot startled several birds, sending them scattering into the sky.

“Gerard Harris, I might bend on other matters, but not this time,"

Darian declared, a sinister smile playing on his lips.

"You stole Shelia from me. My father admired her intelligence and strength, and he wanted me to marry her. But you took her from me. In the Martel family, taking another man's wife is a grave offense. Even if my father came around, he'd be okay with me taking you out."

Darian stared into Gerard's eyes, pronouncing each syllable with a blend of madness and ruthlessness distorting his features.

Gerard's expression darkened, the last flicker of warmth disappearing from his gaze.

The air seemed to freeze around them.

Everyone found it hard to breathe.

"You really have a death wish, Darian Martel," Gerard drawled, his voice low but filled with a chilling, bloodthirsty edge.

Darian recoiled, his heart skipping a beat at Gerard's formidable presence and powerful aura.

Yet, a second later, excitement surged through Darian.

He believed he had pinpointed Gerard's vulnerability.

"I'm not the one with a death wish-you are," Darian declared, bursting into laughter. His men edged closer to Gerard, their weapons trained on him.

With a mere signal from Darian, Gerard would meet a grim end.

“Why not speak with Devin first?" Gerard suggested, a hint of amusement in his tone. Even at this critical life-or-death moment, he remained composed and confident.

Darian's eyes turned dark and became filled with anger.