Chapter 858: A Pawn Named Nico

Jayden’s body trembled violently, her breath coming in ragged gasps. She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears, her voice breaking with desperation.

"I—I am willing to surrender to you..." Her voice cracked, her hands clutching at the air as if she could grab onto hope. "Please... let my family go? Please..."

I nodded, my expression cold but satisfied. "Good choice, Jayden."

But before I could say anything else—

Arturo’s voice cut through the tension, sharp and dripping with skepticism. "What kind of tricks are you guys playing?" His eyes narrowed, his voice laced with contempt.

"Is this your plan? To play this drama in front of me?" He scoffed, his voice raw with defiance. "To make me surrender?"

His confidence rippled through the room, making Lorena and her mother’s eyes flicker with doubt. For a moment, they hesitated, as if clinging to Arturo’s defiance like a lifeline.

But Jayden—who knew the truth—could only look at them with pity.

Arturo’s voice rose, his tone mocking and arrogant. "If you really have this kind of power..." He spat the words, his eyes burning with defiance. "You wouldn’t be sitting here... in a police station!" His lips curled into a sneer. "You’d be ruling the world!"

I chuckled, my amusement dark and knowing. "Oh, Arturo," I said, my voice smooth and mocking. "Who says I’m not?"

His face twisted in fury. "You’re bluffing!"

Suddenly, the sharp click of footsteps echoed through the station. A middle-aged man in a crisp suit strode in, his eyes sweeping over the scene—the soldiers, the police officers, Jayden, Arturo, and his family—before finally landing on me. He walked over, his expression polite but firm.

"Hello, Mr. Jack," he said, his voice smooth and professional. "We are sorry for the inconvenience."

I smiled, my voice calm and amused. "It’s not an inconvenience."

I quickly scanned the person with the

AI Lens

to find that he is Nico and he is the Head of National Security.

The man—Nico, Head of National Security—turned to Jayden, his voice sharp and authoritative. "Jayden! What the fuck are you doing with these soldiers here?" His eyes narrowed, his voice laced with frustration. "Did you listen to any word I said?"

Jayden panicked, her voice trembling. "Sir... I—I’m sorry—"

I stepped in, my voice smooth and diplomatic. "I think there’s been a misunderstanding," I said, my tone calm and reassuring. I turned to Nico, my smile charming and confident. "Officer Jayden is here, worried about my security, so she brought these soldiers, assigning them as my personal security."

Nico paused, his gaze flicking between Jayden and me. Then, his expression softened slightly, and he turned back to Jayden. "Why didn’t you say that sooner?" He exhaled, shaking his head. "Jayden, you did a good job this time."

Jayden stared at him, her mind racing, her voice barely a whisper. "I—I—"

Nico turned back to me, his voice respectful and apologetic. "Mr. Jack, I am Nico, Head of National Security." He gave a small, formal bow. "I once again apologize for any inconvenience." He straightened, his voice firm and professional. "You are free to go."

Then, he turned to Jayden, his tone authoritative. "Jayden, you are in charge of Mr. Jack’s personal security." His voice hardened. "And Mr. Jack is our renowned guest. Make sure he doesn’t have any issues." He glanced at the soldiers, then back at Jayden. "And make a public statement to clear up this misunderstanding."

Jayden nodded, her voice barely audible. "I—I will."

Nico’s gaze then shifted to Arturo, his expression cold and dismissive. "Who are they?" he asked, gesturing toward Arturo and his family. "What are they doing here?"

Arturo, surprised but still defiant, stepped forward. "Sir, I am Chief Justice Art—"

Nico cut him off, his voice sharp and impatient. "I don’t care who you are." His eyes narrowed, his tone dripping with contempt.

"Get out of here." He paused, then his expression darkened.

"Wait a minute..." His voice lowered, his eyes flicking to me for confirmation. "You’re that Arturo who made false allegations about Mr. Jack?" His voice rose, his tone accusatory. "And because of you, we are in this situation?"

Arturo straightened, his voice defiant. "Sir, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but everything I said is true!" His voice rose, his fists clenching. "Jack is the one who killed all those bodyguards! He’s the one who attacked Police Officer Diaz—and—"

Nico yelled, his voice cutting through Arturo’s tirade like a blade. "SHUT UP!"

Nico’s voice was firm, his demeanor authoritative and unquestioning as he turned to the police officers—my slaves—and barked his orders. "Arrest this man now! He’s a spy, a threat to national security!" His tone left no room for argument, his confidence absolute.

He didn’t see the way the officers glanced at me for approval, their eyes blank and obedient. He didn’t notice the way their hands twitched before moving toward Arturo, their movements mechanical, their wills erased.

Arturo’s face twisted in outrage as the officers closed in on him, their grips ironclad. "You can’t do this!" he snarled, his voice raw with fury. "I am the Chief Justice! You have no right—!"

Nico didn’t even flinch. "Right now, you’re a suspect," he said, his voice cold and final. "And Mr. Jack’s word is law in this country." He turned to Jayden, his expression hardening. "Jayden, escort Mr. Jack out of here. And deal with this mess."

Jayden nodded, her body trembling, her mind racing. She knew the truth—Nico was a pawn, just like everyone else in this room. But she couldn’t say a word. Not with Benito and Patricia still under my control.

Arturo struggled as the officers dragged him toward the exit, his voice a desperate, ragged snarl. "This is a setup!" he shouted, his eyes burning with hatred as he locked onto me. "You won’t get away with this, Reynolds! The world will know what you’ve done!"

I didn’t react. I simply watched as they hauled him away, his protests fading into the distance.

Nico exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples as if dealing with a nuisance. "Mr. Jack, again, my sincerest apologies," he said, turning back to me. "We’ll ensure this never happens again."

I smiled, my voice smooth and mocking. "I appreciate that, Nico." My eyes flicked to Jayden, my tone dropping to a whisper. "Officer Jayden has been very cooperative."

Jayden’s breath hitched, her fingers clenching at her sides. She didn’t dare look at me.

Nico nodded, his expression serious. "Good. She’s one of our best." He gestured toward the exit. "Now, if you’ll follow me, we’ll ensure you’re safely escorted out of the station."