Chapter 181 An Uninvited Visitor

Chapter 181 An Uninvited Visitor
The underground parking garage was almost silent except for the distant hum of ventilation fans and the occasional drip of melting snow from the ceiling.

A sleek black car sat tucked inside one of the darker corners, its engine long since turned off.

Inside, a man rested both hands on the steering wheel, his gaze fixed on the private elevator leading to the penthouse above.

He glanced at his watch. “You’re late,” he whispered.

Outside, snow continued to fall, coating the city in white. Every now and then another vehicle entered the garage, but none belonged to the person he was waiting for.

Finally, bright headlights swept across the concrete walls.

The familiar silver sedan rolled into its reserved parking space before coming to a smooth stop.

The man inside the black car straightened. His gloved fingers reached for the black mask resting on the passenger seat.

Within seconds, it concealed the lower half of his face. A dark cap followed, pulled low enough to shadow his eyes and hair.

Only then did he step out of the vehicle.

Rhys shut the driver’s door with more force than intended.

He looked exhausted, with his tie loose,
and the sleeves of his white shirt were rolled to his forearms. Dark circles lingered under his eyes, making him appear older than he was.

These days, work had become the only thing keeping his thoughts occupied. The moment he stopped moving, his mind always wandered back to his biggest problem.

He rubbed the bridge of his nose before making his way toward the private elevator, never noticing the footsteps following several meters behind.

The elevator doors slid open and Rhys stepped in. Just before they closed, another hand reached between them.

The doors opened once more. A man dressed entirely in black entered without saying a word.

Rhys glanced at him for a second before looking away. ‘Probably another resident.’

The ride upstairs was silent. When the elevator reached the penthouse floor, Rhys walked out first.

He unlocked the front door and stepped inside. The door had barely begun to close behind him when a heavy fist crashed into the side of his face.

The impact sent him stumbling into the wall. His vision flashed white.

Before he could even understand what had happened, another punch slammed into his abdomen with enough force to drive every bit of air from his lungs.

Rhys bent over, coughing violently.

“What the hell—”

Another blow landed across his jaw.

His body crashed into the coffee table, sending magazines and a crystal ornament scattering across the floor.

He didn’t even have the time to steady himself before the stranger grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him upright.

Rhys reacted on instinct and threw a punch, but the masked man tilted his head just enough for it to miss before driving his elbow straight into Rhys’s ribs.

Pain exploded through his side. A kick followed immediately, forcing him back onto one knee. Blood trickled from the corner of Rhys’s mouth.

He glared at the stranger through blurred vision. “Who… are you?”

The masked man remained silent. Not a single word was heard from him, only another punch.

Every strike landed with frightening precision, targeting blind spots that caused the most pain without leaving permanent damage. 

Rhys had handled countless confrontations throughout his career. But this wasn’t a robbery. It wasn’t random violence either.

Whoever this person was… he had come here for one reason.

To beat him.

After what felt like an eternity, the stranger finally stopped. He stared at Rhys for several silent seconds, his chest heaving, before turning around.

By the time Rhys forced himself back to his feet, the front door had already closed.

The apartment fell deathly quiet.

Rhys remained where he was for a long moment, his chest rising and falling with every painful breath.

His entire body ached. ‘Who… who the hell was that?’

One side of his face had already begun to swell, while the metallic taste of blood lingered in his mouth. He pressed a hand against his ribs and hissed through his teeth. “…Damn it.”

Using the edge of the coffee table for support, he forced himself upright.

The apartment looked as though a storm had swept through it. Rhys glanced toward the entrance and wiped the blood from the corner of his lips before making his way into the kitchen. Every step pulled at his bruises. He opened the freezer, took out an ice pack, wrapped it in a towel, and pressed it against his cheek.

The cold stung, but it didn’t stop his thoughts from racing.

He had represented influential clients over the years and made more than a few enemies in court, but none of them would risk breaking into his private residence just to assault him.

Nor had the man stolen anything. He hadn’t demanded money or threatened him.

Rhys frowned. Something about it didn’t sit right.

Just then, the silence inside the penthouse was broken by the sharp sound of the doorbell.

Ding dong.

Rhys stiffened.

His first instinct was that the man had returned.

He set the ice pack aside and walked toward the entrance with measured steps. Instead of opening the door immediately, he glanced at the security monitor mounted beside it.

A familiar figure stood outside. Tall, broad-shouldered, with light blond hair dusted by melting snow.

Rhys frowned before unlocking the door.

The moment the door swung open, Theon’s smile faltered.

His brows knitted together as his gaze swept over Rhys’s battered face.

“…Rhys.” His eyes narrowed. “What happened to you?”

Rhys leaned one shoulder against the doorframe. “I should be asking you that.”

Theon raised an eyebrow. “What does that mean?”

“You’ve been away for months, and you’ve never visited me, yet you decided to show up tonight of all nights.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Theon’s lips. “I didn’t know I needed an appointment, do I?”

“You don’t.” Rhys held his gaze. “But your timing is… interesting.”

Theon chuckled softly before stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. His eyes drifted around the apartment. The anger that had consumed him all week was strangely absent now.

His gaze returned to Rhys’s bruised face. “I leave the country for a few months and this city suddenly becomes dangerous.”

He clicked his tongue. “Whoever did this… must’ve really disliked you.”

Rhys didn’t smile. “Cut the crap and tell me why you’re here.” His voice was clipped.

Theon slipped both hands into the pockets of his coat. “You already know why I’m here. I think that’s why you’re still tolerating my presence. Don’t you think you should give up already?”

Rhys let out a dry laugh despite the pain in his ribs. “So that’s what this is about.”

Theon met his gaze without the slightest hint of a smile. “I’m not here to argue about it. You will sign the divorce papers, and you will agree to my terms.”

The room fell silent.

Rhys closed his eyes for a moment, his whole body trembling. “And if I don’t?”

Theon’s expression remained calm. “I’ll assume you haven’t learned your lesson. I told you before, I’m not here to argue.”

Rhys opened his reddened eye and studied him carefully. For some reason, Theon’s coat carried the faint scent of winter air. And something else. Leather.

The same scent that had lingered in the elevator just before the attack.

He wasn’t dumb enough to realize what had happened. Especially since his hotheaded cousin was acting so calm.

“Were you here earlier tonight?”

Theon didn’t answer immediately. The corner of his lips curved into an unreadable smile. “What do you think?”