The murmurs grew louder, this time with a more supportive tone toward Louis. He took a deep breath, drawing strength from Juliet’s unwavering stance.“Vivian’s right about one thing,” Louis began, his voice steady. “I did hold the shard. I fought to control its power because if I hadn’t, none of us would be standing here today.”He stepped forward, his voice rising with conviction. “But what she won’t tell you is what really happened. The Seer was on the verge of destroying everything—this city, its people, its future. I made a choice to stop her, no matter the cost.”Louis turned to the audience, his gaze sweeping over them. “I’ve made mistakes. I’m not perfect. But I’ve never hidden from responsibility. Can Vivian say the same?”The crowd’s murmurs shifted, skepticism giving way to curiosity and even support. Vivian’s frustration was palpable as she tried to regain control.“Don’t let him fool you!” she snapped. “This is nothing more than a desperate attempt to deflect from his fail

The auctioneer tried to regain control.“Order, please! Bidding resumes at 120 million.”“150,” Hector said smoothly, ignoring the chaos around him.“You should just walk away, Kindsor. It’ll save you the embarrassment.”Louis narrowed his eyes.“160.”“170,” Hector fired back instantly.“You’re not winning this, Louis. This isn’t a battlefield—it’s a chessboard. And I’m always five moves ahead.”Louis leaned forward, his voice low and sharp.“You’re mistaking arrogance for strategy, Hector. It’s a common flaw in people who’ve never fought for what they have.”The crowd murmured again, the tide shifting subtly in Louis’s favor.Just as the bidding reached a fever pitch, the auctioneer raised his hand.“Current bid: 200 million. Going once… going twice…”“250 million,” a smooth, familiar voice called from the back of the room.All heads turned as Vivian stepped into the light, her entrance as dramatic as it was calculated.Her crimson dress and confident stride silenced the room.“Vivia

The morning headlines screamed trouble for AAA Group:“AAA’s Tech Venture Faces Catastrophic Delays: Sabotage Alleged.”Louis slammed the paper on his desk, his jaw tight with frustration. Juliet and Pearl stood nearby, both visibly concerned.“Hector’s fingerprints are all over this,” Juliet said, pacing.“The delays, the rumors—it’s too coordinated to be random.”“He’s targeting our flagship project to undermine investor confidence,” Pearl added. “And it’s working.”Louis pinched the bridge of his nose.“We need a counterattack, fast. If we lose momentum on this, it’ll snowball.”“We can’t just react,” Juliet interjected.“We need to get ahead of him. Find out his next move.”Pearl crossed her arms, her gaze sharp.“I might know someone who can help us trace the sabotage back to Hector. But it’ll take time.”“Time we don’t have,” Louis muttered.That evening, Louis attended an elite gala under pressure from investors and allies, hoping to salvage their confidence.The venue was a gl

The sleek black envelope was unmarked except for a wax seal bearing an ornate insignia.Louis turned it over in his hands, frowning.“No sender. Just an address and a date.”Juliet leaned over the desk, reading the contents.“It’s an invitation. Exclusive, secretive, and dripping with high-society pretension.”Pearl crossed her arms.“It’s also a trap. These kinds of events aren’t meant for people like us—they’re meant to lure us into compromising positions.”Louis set the envelope down.“So, what do we do? Ignore it?”Juliet shook her head.“No. If this is legitimate, it’s an opportunity to get ahead of whatever they’re planning. Plus, if we don’t show, it’ll look like we’re hiding.”“Or it’s a setup to discredit us,” Pearl countered, her tone sharp.“Showing up could backfire.”Louis sighed, torn between the two perspectives.“Either way, they’ll spin it against us. But if there’s even a chance this event is important, we can’t afford to sit it out.”The venue was an opulent mansion

The early morning light spilled into the AAA Group office as Louis sat at his desk, the remnants of sleepless nights etched on his face.His eyes darted between scattered notes and a grainy security image of the shadowy figure he had seen at the auction.“They looked just like her,” Louis muttered, his voice barely audible.Juliet leaned against the doorway, her arms crossed.“Louis, we’ve been over this. Your mother’s gone. Whoever that was, it wasn’t her.”“She’s right,” Pearl said, walking in with a steaming cup of coffee.“You’re chasing shadows, and it’s going to consume you if you let it.”Louis glanced up, his jaw tight.“You didn’t see them. The way they moved, the way they watched Vivian—it was uncanny.”Juliet sighed, sitting across from him.“And even if it was connected to your mother, what’s the endgame here? You can’t afford to lose focus—not now, with Vivian holding that relic.”Despite their warnings, Louis threw himself into the investigation.He poured over surveilla