THE BLEEDING HEART

Chapter 1: THE WEIGHT OF THE CROWN The top floor of the Horizon Company tower smelled of cold marble and expensive cologne, but underneath the luxury was a suffocating layer of fear. Everyone who entered this room walked on eggshells, fully aware of who sat behind the massive mahogany desk. Kenneth Anthers stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window, his fingers lightly tracing the cold glass as he watched the storm wash over the city skyline. At twenty-six, he officially held the keys to a multi-billion dollar empire. To the business world, he was a young prodigy. But Kenneth knew the truth. Wealth wasn't the only thing he inherited when his father’s heart stopped. He also inherited the bloody, violent legacy of the Anthers Mafia—the turf wars, the crooked politicians, and the endless list of enemies waiting for him to slip up.His father was dead. The throne was his. And to survive it, he had to lock his emotions away. He had learned the hard way that feelings were a liability in his line of work. Five years. It had been exactly five years since Ryan Harver destroyed him.Just thinking the name made Kenneth’s jaw tighten. Ryan was the only person Kenneth had ever truly let in, the only one who knew the man behind the monster. And in return, Ryan sold their family secrets to their biggest rivals, nearly burying the Anthers name in a single night. That betrayal didn't just break Kenneth; it remade him. Since that day, he lived by one strict rule: trust no one, love nothing, and never let anyone get close enough to hurt him again. A soft knock broke the silence of the office."Sir, the applicants for your executive secretary position are here," his assistant, Marco, murmured from the doorway, keeping his eyes firmly fixed on the floor. Kenneth didn't bother turning around. He didn't want to see the nervous sweat on his assistant's face. His response was cold and final. "get rid of them. I don't tolerate incompetence. And absolutely no one with soft, pathetic eyes. I need someone who can handle the pressure, not someone weak." "Understood, Mr. Anthers. I'll send the first one in," Marco replied quickly, his footsteps fading as he backed out of the room.Kenneth finally turned away from the window, pulling down the cuffs of his tailored suit. It was time to see if anyone was brave enough to stand in his shadow. Across town, in a cramped, drafty apartment, Ian Sue adjusted the collar of his cheap suit. He was twenty-two, a fresh graduate, and completely on his own. When he was seven, a terrible car crash took his parents, leaving him as the only survivor. The trauma of that night—the smell of burning rubber, the flashing red lights—still woke him up screaming.He had survived on the forced charity of an uncle, but Ian refused to be a burden anymore. Moving into this apartment was his first step toward independence. Today was his interview at Horizon Company.Stepping into the massive lobby of Horizon, Ian felt tiny. He clutched his folder tight, his heart hammering against his ribs. He had no idea that stepping through those doors would change his life forever.