The Cross estate loomed ahead, its towering iron gates parting as the black car rolled through. Aidan pressed his face to the window, trying to comprehend the sheer scale of it all. The sprawling mansion, with its limestone façade and immaculate gardens, looked like something out of a dream or a nightmare. The car halted in front of the grand entrance, where a butler stood waiting. As Aidan stepped out, his sneakers crunching against the gravel, the butler offered a tight-lipped smile. "Mr. Harper," he said crisply, "Welcome to the Cross estate. Miss Lydia Cross is waiting inside." "Lydia?" Aidan echoed, his voice barely steady. "Your half-sister," the butler clarified before turning to lead the way. Aidan followed, his heart pounding as they entered the mansion. The interior was as grand as he’d feared vaulted ceilings, crystal chandeliers, and walls adorned with priceless art. It was overwhelming, suffocating. And then he saw her. Lydia Cross stood at the foot of a gra

Aidan lay sprawled on the cold marble floor of his suite, his breath coming in shallow gasps. His mind reeled from the sheer chaos of the last few days. The constant threats, the hidden agendas, and now this ominous message on his phone: Trust no one. They’re watching.As he clutched his head in frustration, there was a sharp knock at the door. "Who is it?" Aidan called out, trying to steady his voice. "It’s Dante," came the firm reply. Aidan hesitated, then got up to unlock the door. Dante Cross, a stoic and enigmatic figure who had introduced himself as the estate's "security consultant," stepped inside. "You look terrible," Dante observed, shutting the door behind him. "Thanks," Aidan muttered. "That’s exactly what I needed to hear." Dante didn’t smile. Instead, he tossed a slim tablet onto the coffee table. "We need to talk." "About what?" Aidan asked warily. "About the System," Dante said, his tone heavy. Aidan frowned. "The what?" Dante sat down, motioning fo

The storm outside mirrored Aidan’s turbulent thoughts. Thunder echoed through the halls of the Cross estate as he paced, unable to shake the ominous text from the night before. He paused at the end of a long hallway, staring at an ornate door that seemed out of place amidst the modern opulence of the mansion. “What’s this?” he murmured. Elliot, trailing behind with his laptop, looked up. “What’s what?” “This door,” Aidan said, pushing it. It creaked open, revealing a dusty passage leading to another wing of the estate. Elliot frowned. “It’s not on the blueprint I hacked.” “Then we’re definitely going in,” Aidan said, stepping forward. The air was colder in the hidden wing, and Aidan’s breath fogged slightly as they entered a room at the end of the passage. It was a study, untouched and cloaked in layers of dust. A massive oak desk dominated the space, flanked by bookshelves filled with leather-bound journals. “This must have been William’s private space,” Aidan said, run

The Cross boardroom was a war zone of sharp suits, sharper tongues, and veiled threats. Aidan sat at the head of the long, gleaming table, flanked by Dante and Lydia. His chest heaved slightly, but he forced himself to appear calm, even as the System pulsed relentlessly within him, sending waves of pain through his body. “Mr. Harper,” one board member said, his voice dripping with skepticism, “are you even paying attention? This debacle with the new Westbridge project has cost the company millions. What do you have to say for yourself?” Aidan straightened, gripping the table for support. “The Westbridge project was sabotaged. I’ll find out who’s responsible.” Another board member scoffed. “Sabotage? Convenient excuse for incompetence.” Lydia’s voice cut through the room like a blade. “Enough. We’re here to assess solutions, not point fingers without evidence.” The tension in the room was palpable, but Aidan’s focus was slipping. His vision blurred, and the System’s relentles

The aftermath of the warehouse ambush left Aidan more determined than ever, but also more isolated. The information Maddie retrieved from the guard’s tablet hinted at something far more sinister than Victor’s schemes—a global network of power and corruption tied to *Project Phoenix*. Aidan sat in the dim light of his study, the weight of the revelations pressing down on him. The System pulsed faintly within his body, a constant reminder of his limits and his strength. Dante, Maddie, and Elliot gathered around him, each wearing grim expressions. “We’re in over our heads,” Maddie said, breaking the silence. “The files…they’re not just about Victor. There are names, transactions, even military-grade weapons being moved under the radar.” “How far does this go?” Aidan asked, his voice tight. Elliot leaned forward, pointing to his laptop screen. “Far enough to make Victor look like a pawn. Whoever’s behind this has resources we can’t begin to match.” Dante’s jaw tightened. “Victor