Her glare sharpened, burning with authority. “You skipped the last three dates I arranged for you. You’ve even gone and spread ridiculous rumors about yourself that you kill men and chop off the fingers of innocent businessmen to make profitable deals, and now you’ve even added that you gamble away millions every single day? You are completely shameless!”
Her lips pressed into a thin line, her voice rising with barely contained fury. “Are you seriously going to keep making my life a nightmare? Do you even realize how much face I lose in public because of you?”
Camila leaned closer to the camera, eyes cold and piercing. “And what’s your problem with women expecting you to take them overseas? Isn’t that exactly what you’re supposed to do when you meet a woman?”
Her tone snapped like steel. “Get married already! How long do you plan to live in my house like a spoiled child?”
“Mom, I don’t live in your house,” Magnus shot back, arms flinging outward in exasperation. “I have my own house. And my own business.”
“Do you even know what happens to unmarried men?” Camila fired back instantly, not missing a beat.
Alexander leaned forward on the bed, deliberately angling the phone closer to Magnus. A low chuckle slipped out of him—he was enjoying this far too much.
“They die with cats,” Camila declared fiercely. “They wander the streets looking homeless, saying things like, ‘I was waiting for a woman to ask me out and marry me, but it never happened—that’s why I’m single at sixty-five!’”
Magnus raised a brow, folding his arms with exaggerated calm. “Why are you so obsessed with my marriage?”
“You don’t want to meet women on your own. You don’t want the arranged meetings I set up. You’re almost a grandpa,” Camila snapped. “What exactly do you want?”
Magnus’s jaw tightened, shoulders stiff with defiance.
“I want to die rich,” he said flatly. “Like a mummy. With all my money.”
He paused, then added calmly, “Alexander can arrange my grave. Or you—if you’re still alive.”
“Magnus Graves!” Camila roared. “Come home right now. We are going to have a very serious talk about your life—and death.”
She turned away from the camera and shouted offscreen, “Thomas? My son wants to die. Bring the knife I bought from the Japanese chef last year. I’ll fulfill his wish today!”
“Hahahahaha!” Alexander burst out laughing, throwing his head back. He slapped the bed once, his body shaking with laughter.
Magnus lunged forward and slammed the red button on the phone.
“Hang up the damn phone, you snitch!” he snarled.
The next second, he whirled on Alexander, fury blazing in his eyes.
“You know what? I don’t care if you die tonight—you’re already in the hospital.” He took a step forward, hand lifting toward Alexander’s throat. “Let’s make sure you stay here for at least a month—”
His phone rang.
Magnus froze mid-step. His hand dropped. Jaw clenched, he pulled the phone out slowly.
Camila’s video call flashed across the screen again.
Alexander laughed even harder.
Grinding his teeth, Magnus stepped back and answered the call.
“Didn’t you hear me?” Camila snapped immediately. “Come home. Now!”
Magnus grimaced, his shoulders sagged a fraction.
Without another word, he ended the call, shot Alexander a murderous glare, turned on his heel, and stormed out of the hospital room, the door slamming shut behind him.
***
Mia stepped out of her office and made her way toward parking, her heels clicking against the pavement. But as soon as she reached the sidewalk, her eyes caught movement on the main road.
