Nicholas's eyes dilated in shock as the phone reflexively dropped from his hand, clattering onto the doctor's desk. "What!?" The sudden loud noise caused the doctor, who had been sitting quietly across from Nicholas, to jump slightly in his chair. "Is everything alright, Mr. Loughty?" the doctor asked, his brow furrowed with concern. Nicholas stared ahead blankly, his mind racing to process the devastating news he had just received. Mr. Ricardo had been killed. Too? As in dead? By unknown men, no less. Nicholas felt a heaviness settle in the pit of his stomach as a wave of dread washed over him. After a long pause, Nicholas slowly turned his gaze to the doctor. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words caught in his throat. He cleared it and tried again. "I...I'm afraid I need to leave now. Immediately," he said, his voice low and strained. The doctor nodded slowly. "Of course, take all the time you need. But, please before you go, there's something I think you should see.

Nicholas sat alone in the center of the room that had been booked for him, his forehead creased with a deep furrow as he slowly lowered his phone onto the polished mahogany table in front of him. He just finished speaking with his commander, making sure all of his executives were safe. Yeah, they were. They've made sure none of them leave the without security. They hadn't seen no one roaming or anything suspicious, but they still needed to take precautions. A heavy weight seemed to settle in the pit of his stomach, manifesting in the tightness of his chest and the distant look that had taken over his sharp features. He had been Rome since yesterday, trying to make sure everything was okay before he returned to Launceston. They needed to confirm if the assailants were still roaming about, otherwise, he'd have left for Vietnam himself. They needed him there too... The industry would have to stop every activities for some many days and Nicholas knew he needed to go boost their morale w

"Hooooooo!" Nicholas stepped out of the dimly lit bar, his face alight with a joyous smile. The cool evening air caressed his skin as he made his way towards the grand living room of his mansion. Clutched in his hands were two bottles of the coveted Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon, a rare and exquisite wine that would make any oenophile's heart flutter. As he approached the living room, he could see the silhouettes of his guests, Gnits and Mr. Philips, seated comfortably on the plush leather couches. After waiting for days, Mr. Philips was finally discharges from the hospital. Though, he wasn't completely fit, he was ready to get back into office and take things down with Malakai. Their conversation fell silent as Nicholas entered, all eyes drawn to the precious cargo he carried. Gnits was the first to react, rising from his seat with a look of awe etched on his face. He rubbed his eyes, trying to confirm if he wasn't seeing something else before voicing out. "Is

The jet's wheels touched down onto the lush lawn of the Loughty mansion, kicking up a flurry of freshly cut grass. A group of armed guards stood at the ready, their expressions stoic and unwavering as the aircraft came to a complete stop. They had been flying for over four hours. The mood was somber, the darkness of the night casting long shadows across the estate, causing the dew-kissed blades to glitter like a million tiny diamonds. Michos, his hands bound behind his back, was roughly yanked from his seat by Mr. Philips, his grip unyielding as he ushered the captive forward. "Move!" he growled, his voice low and menacing. Nicholas, Gnits, and Mr. Philips emerged from the jet, their faces etched with a mixture of exhaustion and determination. The guards immediately converged, surrounding Michos and removing the blindfold that had been obscuring his vision. "Take him," Mr. Philips barked, shoving Michos towards the waiting guards. "You know where to put h

The phone slipped from Nicholas's hand, clattering to the floor of the car as he exchanged bewildered glances with Gnits and Philips, their faces etched with a mixture of fear and disbelief. Was that truly Theresa's voice? Of course it was, they were able to recognize the voice. Loud and clear, but how was that possible? Everyone was at Theresa's funeral and even if she was alive, why was Malakai just telling them about it for the first time? As the car continued its journey along the darkened road, the silence was eventually broken by Nicholas's uncertain voice. He just couldn't for once stop thinking about it, "Could Malakai be telling the truth?" Gnits, his expression a reflection of the turmoil within, responded cautiously. "We.. We just heard Theresa's voice on the phone. So... she... she... she's definitely not dead, and she's been with Malakai all this time." Philips, his brow creased with deep contemplation, let out a weighty sigh. "But does that mean Malakai has been holdin