The global empire of Thorn International ultimately belonged to a man as terrifyingly powerful as Michael Thorn, and anyone with a shred of intelligence understood that Evelyn was his personal woman. Melissa wasn't merely protecting a peer; she was actively trying to prevent Donner Russ from executing professional suicide. The sheer, devastating magnitude of Michael Thorn's wrath was something no sane billionaire wanted to invoke. During the recent high-profile kidnapping crisis, the tycoon had mobilized a terrifying display of military and corporate force to level his targets, an absolute demonstration of power that, although heavily censored by the state media later on, remained an open secret among the elite.
But Russ's mind was thoroughly clouded by the alcohol and his own arrogance. He was entirely consumed by the challenge of breaking Evelyn's pride, completely dismissing Melissa's calculated intervention.
