The dim glow of the parking lot lamps seemed inadequate against the storm brewing within Oliver’s mind. His thoughts raced as he and Elena guided Natalie toward their car. A confrontation with Vincent Grey had been inevitable, but tonight had brought a stark realization: this wasn’t just a business rivalry—it was war.Natalie’s voice, trembling but resolute, broke the silence. “You don’t know how much I’ve risked by coming to you. Vincent… he has eyes everywhere.”Oliver opened the car door for her, his tone steady. “And now, so do we. You’re not alone anymore, Natalie.”Elena slid into the passenger seat, watching as Oliver’s jaw tightened. His mind was clearly already working through the next steps. As they drove away from the ballroom, she reached over, placing her hand lightly on his.“We need to be smart about this,” she said softly.“I know,” Oliver replied, his voice low. “But smart doesn’t mean passive. Vincent’s been playing dirty for too long.”Back at their home, Oliver spr

Not long after Vincent Grey disappeared into the night, Oliver received a phone call. He glanced at the screen—an unknown number—and hesitated before answering.“Oliver Roberts,” he said, his tone firm.“Mr. Roberts,” a gruff voice replied. “My name is Detective Jose. I need to speak with you about a certain Vincent Grey.”Oliver exchanged a glance with Elena. “I’m listening,” he said cautiously.“We’ve been investigating Grey for some time,” Jose continued. “Rumors of corporate sabotage, extortion, and fraud have surrounded him, but until recently, we didn’t have solid evidence. One of his employees— Natalie Hart—just submitted a wealth of incriminating material. She mentioned your involvement.”Oliver’s eyes widened slightly.“Natalie approached me earlier tonight. She’s brave for coming forward.”Jose’s voice was gruff but appreciative.“We’ll need your cooperation as a witness. With your help, we can bring him down.”“I’ll do whatever it takes,” Oliver replied without hesitation.

“You’re pathetic,” snarled a man in a tailored navy suit, his tone dripping with disdain.The bustling ambiance of the exclusive gala hushed slightly as his voice rose, drawing eyes to the commotion. He stood before Oliver, arms crossed, towering with an air of self-assumed superiority.“A man like you doesn’t belong here. Did you beg Elena’s father to let you wear that suit, or did you just steal it from one of your workers at Hoshier? Isn’t that what ex-cons do?”Oliver’s jaw tightened, his expression calm despite the venom hurled at him. He had endured these words before—words meant to wound, to reduce him back to the broken man society expected him to be.Beside him, Elena clenched her fists, stepping forward to defend her husband, but Oliver gently placed a hand on her wrist, stopping her.“It’s not worth it,” he murmured, his voice low and even.“Not worth it?” the man, whose name tag read Liam Durand, scoffed. He was the heir to a competing company, notorious for his arrogance

The drive back to their home was quiet, the hum of the car's engine filling the silence. Oliver kept his eyes on the road, his hands steady on the wheel, while Elena stole glances at him from the passenger seat. The events of the evening still weighed heavily on her mind, but she knew Oliver had likely compartmentalized the entire ordeal, as he always did.Breaking the silence, she asked softly, "Do you ever regret stepping into this world, Oliver?" Her tone was cautious, almost hesitant.Oliver didn’t respond immediately, his jaw tightening ever so slightly. Finally, he said, "Regret? No. But there are moments like tonight when I question if it’s all worth it."Elena leaned back in her seat, watching him. "It is worth it. What you’ve achieved, what you’ve built… It's incredible. Don’t let someone like Liam Durand tarnish that."He glanced at her briefly, his lips curving into a faint smile. "You always know how to put things into perspective, don’t you?"She chuckled softly. "Well, s

In the boardroom of Hoshier Corporation, Oliver sat at the head of the long, polished table, his sharp gaze fixed on a series of documents spread out before him. His secretary, James, stood nearby, meticulously organizing papers while glancing nervously at the tension in the room. The latest quarterly report revealed an alarming anomaly—several high-value contracts had inexplicably been terminated, and their biggest client had just announced a shift to a competitor."James," Oliver said, his voice low but brimming with authority, "Get me the details of the terminated contracts. Every name, every signature, every anomaly. Now."James nodded, his movements brisk. "Right away, sir. I’ve already started digging, and there’s something unusual about how these cancellations were processed."Before James could elaborate, the door swung open, and Evelyn entered, her expression grim. "We have a problem, Oliver," she began without preamble. "I just received intel from our IT department. Someone