Pascal's phone rang with an urgency that jolted him from his reverie. It was Donavan on the other end, his voice carrying a sense of excitement. Without wasting a moment, Pascal rushed to Donavan's home, his mind buzzing with possibilities of what Donovan had to say to him. It was most likely related to Oliver, and that was the only information Pascal needed at the moment.As he arrived, Donovan greeted him with a grin that hinted at some hidden agenda. "Pascal, I've got something to show you. Follow me.""It better be Oliver's head," Pascal spat, and Donavan chuckled."Trust me, it's better."Curiosity mixed with confusion on Pascal's face as he trailed Donovan. They drove for about thirty minutes.They arrived at a mansion, almost the same size as Donovan's. It was one of the biggest he's seen in a while, its stance imposing. Pascal glanced at Donovan, seeking an explanation for this unexpected visit.But before he could utter a word, Donovan handed him a bunch of keys, a glint of

Oliver waited impatiently in his office, anticipating Pascal's arrival. He was the next and only person he could cooperate with to dig up information on this Donavan person.Pascal had access to a wide array of information due to his line of work. After a while of waiting, a knock came to his door, and Oliver ushered him in. He could immediately tell that it was Pascal."Thanks for coming, Pascal," Oliver said, gesturing for him to take a seat. "We need to talk."Pascal obliged, settling into the chair. He had a pretty good idea of what Oliver wanted to talk about. "Work had me tied down. Sorry, I couldn't come earlier.""I understand." Oliver, with a serious expression, began, "There's someone new in the picture, Pascal. A guy named Donavan. He's been trying to rile me up, make me believe there's another heir to the Lionheart group."Pascal feigned surprise, his eyes widening. "Donavan?* He scoffed. "We both know it's impossible to have an heir. Do you remember having any siblings?"

Donavan's visit had Viktor partially intrigued, that a man would be willing to risk his life and fight against Oliver. He was pretty sure Donavan had no idea who the town worked, but he undoubtedly made a good argument.If he really did have an heir, then Oliver might be facing his biggest adversary yet. He turned in his seat, deep in his thoughts, as he tried to find ways to take advantage of the situation. Viktor thought if he was able to uncover Donavan's secret weapon— the so-called heir, then he might be able to use that to his advantage. A sly smile crept up his face as he reached for his phone on the table before him.There was only one person who could make it easier for him. Donavan dialed Tom's number, a policeman under his paycheck. He was one that wasn't afraid to get his hands dirty. Tom was a kind of vermin, a parasite too, who would go to lengths to ensure everything worked for his good.If Viktor could convince Tom into working with him, then it was half a done deal a

Pascal's attitude didn't sit well with Tom. He might be corrupt, but he was still a cop, and he knew something was fishy. Pascal had been impulsive enough to put a target on his back; now Tom was hellbent on finding out why he'd tried to stray him off of Donavan.The first few days of following him yielded no good results, but it was quite visible that Pascal wasn't innocent in all of this. Any cop involved with Oliver Lionheart could never be termed as innocent.Behind his wheels, he had his eyes keen on Pascal's car. Tom sighed, hoping that this hunch of his wasn't a waste of time. What if he'd missed something, and Pascal wasn't the right person to follow?Then again, Tom's deduction skills were one of the things he had the most faith in. It had brought him that far in the agency, and if he wasn't good enough as a cop, Viktor wouldn't have trusted him with this mission.He leaned against the steering wheel as he parked his car just a few blocks away from the building that Pascal h

It wasn't an apartment per se. It was a single garage in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by nothing but greens and the toe-coiling sounds of crickets. Mia stiffened against the wheel after she'd been instructed to turn off the engine.Her assailant was still unknown and Mia's stomach dropped countless times over. Fear crept up her skin in bumps, and the cold wind against her face was inexplicable torture.She had no way out of this hole, and the distance was an impossible trek to the city. It dawned on her that she'd been screwed over. This was one of the reasons Oliver had always wanted her to move around with bodyguards.Hopping out of the seat with the gun still pointed behind her, ordering her into the house. No matter how hard she racked her brain, no means of escape occurred to her. She hadn't even been able to get a clear look at whoever it was.Nothing felt right.Finally, she entered the large space. It was empty enough to carry her echoing footsteps through its walls, ampl