Novels by Ethereal Ink

Roman sat at the head of the conference table. Kade was standing beside him, with his arms crossed. Roman's law enforcement contact across from them. He placed a thick folder on the table.“This,” the detective said, sliding it toward Roman, “is everything you need.”Roman flipped the folder open. Proof of bribe to a federal judge, and a recorded confession from one of the court clerks, who had overheard the exchange and agreed to testify.Kade let out a low whistle. “They’re done.”He shut the folder and leaned back in his chair. The Vaughn siblings had thrown every dirty trick at him—kidnapping, smear campaigns, bribery. But this was their sloppiest move yet. A bribe like this was career-ending, not just for them but for their high-priced attorney as well.Roman turned to his legal team. “File this with the court first thing in the morning. I want the case dismissed immediately. Then, set up a press conference.”A murmur of agreement swept through the room as his team got to work.

Kade stood by the window, with his arms crossed tight. He had been pacing for the last twenty minutes. He was frustrated. Across the room, Roman sat behind the glass desk. He had helped Reginald get a place to stay safely some days ago, amidst the war with the Vaughns. He could not afford to put the old man in harm's way. “They must think I’m an idiot,” Roman finally said. Kade turned. “I don’t even know if they think at all. Paying off more people to try and discredit you and their father.”Roman’s lips twitched. “That would explain why they played their hand so recklessly.” He leaned back in his chair and exhaled. “How far along are we with the evidence?”Kade’s frustration faded. “Far enough to bury them.”He strode over to the desk, placing his phone down and tapping the screen. A grainy audio clip played—static-filled but clear enough to make out voices.“Yeah, I got the money. Look, I did what they said—went on camera, told the whole story. Man, that Roman guy didn’t even see

The morning after the attempted kidnapping, Roman sat in his hotel suite, looking angry. If he hadn’t been trained, if he hadn’t had the heightened reflexes that came with his martial arts experience, he could’ve been in a dark basement somewhere, tied to a chair, waiting for a ransom call to be made. Even without his memory, his muscles remembered what his mind could not.Across from him, Kade stood with his arms folded. “You should’ve called me the second it happened,” he said, his voice low.Roman exhaled slowly. “It was late. And I didn’t want you flying off the handle before I had a plan.”Kade’s jaw clenched. “You mean before I handled it the way I should have? Because if I had been there, those bastards wouldn’t have left in one piece.”Roman almost smiled at that. Almost. But there was nothing funny about the situation. This was a line crossed. The Vaughn siblings had just made things personal.“They’re desperate,” Roman said, leaning forward. “We already knew that. The court

Roman and Reginald stepped out of the courthouse, the late afternoon sun casting long shadows on the pavement. They had just finished the first court hearing. The session had been tense, with Gabriel Langston throwing every trick he had at them, but they had held their ground. Still, as they made their way toward the car, Roman could see the worry on Reginald’s face.“They’re relentless,” the old man muttered, shaking his head. “I knew my children were greedy, but the lengths they’re willing to go…”Roman placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “They’re desperate. And desperate people make mistakes. We just have to stay ahead of them.”Once they reached the hotel, Roman immediately called his legal team for a follow-up meeting. Walter Bishop, sat across from him in the hotel suite’s lounge, his briefcase open with notes scattered across the coffee table.“They’re pushing the psychiatric evaluation angle hard,” Walter began. “If we don’t counter it properly, the judge might be swa

“So,” Roman said, “the Vaughn kids are making their move. It only took a few days.”Walter looked up. “They’ve filed a formal complaint. They’re arguing that Reginald wasn’t of sound mind when he signed the deal. Similar to what we expected them to do. They want to discredit the contract.”Roman chuckled. “Desperate.”Reginald, sitting beside him, shook his head. “My children will do anything to get what they want.”Walter placed a file on the table. “Their main lawyer is Gabriel Langston. He’s not to be underestimated. Apart from him, there's a whole other team of hardened lawyers on their side. These ones usually fight dirty.”Roman’s expression darkened. “What’s our move?” he asked.Walter tapped the file. “We get ahead of them. We will arrange our own psychiatric evaluation for Reginald, proving he was in perfect health when he made the decision. And we keep things airtight. No leaks, no loose ends.”Roman nodded. “And if they go to the media?”“We counter with facts,” Walter said

The conference room had a cold efficiency to it. It was all polished wood, sleek black chairs, and a long glass table that reflected the glow of the lights on it. Roman sat at one end, calmly. Reginald sat beside him, looking slightly more tense, but there was a quiet steel in his eyes.Across from them sat Walter Bishop and his team, five of the best corporate lawyers in that country.Walter adjusted his tie before clearing his throat. “Gentlemen, let’s get straight to business.”A younger lawyer, a woman named Sienna Graves, leaned forward. “The Vaughns have filed a claim of coercion, and fraud against Mr Roman, and mental instability against Mr Vaughn.”Reginald let out a sharp laugh. “They’re calling me insane now?”Walter’s expression remained serious. “They don’t have proof, but they don’t need proof. They just need enough doubt to drag this case into the mud.”Roman exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “Classic distraction tactic. If they can’t win, they’ll make a mess.”