BILLIONAIRE MINOR

Chapter 4: Shadows Strike Back

Jeremy's heart was racing as he stared at the ominous note in his hands. A message was clear: Victor Kane was making his next move. But how? And when?

Paranoia weighed in. Every shadow on the street seemed to hide a threat, every glance of a stranger a warning. He jammed the note into his pocket, locked his apartment door twice, and sat at his desk.

His immediate reaction was to call Maverick. If anyone could make any sense of this, it would be him. But when he opened the secure chat, a new message from Maverick was already waiting:

"Victor has friends in dangerous places. Stay vigilant, but don't let him see your fear."

Not exactly comforting.

---

The following day, Jeremy plunged into his work in an attempt to drown the looming threat. Trading had always been his escape-a world where numbers made sense and risks could be calculated. But even here, Victor's presence lingered.

His phone buzzed with an alert: some promising new coin called Arkonis was gaining traction in Maverick's circle. Jeremy decided to make a small investment. Within hours, his gamble paid off as the coin surged. His balance ticked upward, a glimmer of hope in an otherwise turbulent week.

But just as quickly as the coin rose, it plummeted.

"Arkonis tanks after fraud allegations surface," the news blared. Jeremy watched helplessly as his profits evaporated.

His phone rang, jolting him out of his despair. It was Clara.

"Rough day?" she asked, and her voice was a balm to his raw nerves.

"You could say that," he replied, pacing his apartment. "It feels like every time I gain ground, something knocks me back down."

“You need to clear your head,” Clara suggested. “Meet me at the park in an hour. Fresh air might help.”

---

At the park, Clara was waiting on a bench, sketchbook in hand. Her drawings were intricate and vivid, a stark contrast to the chaos in Jeremy’s mind.

“You’re good at this,” he said, sitting beside her.

"Thanks," she replied with a small smile. "It keeps me grounded. Maybe you should find something like that."

Jeremy hesitated. "I don't think I have the luxury of stepping back right now. Victor's not going to stop until he's destroyed me."

Clara frowned, her pencil pausing mid-sketch. "So what's your plan?"

"I don't know," Jeremy admitted. "But I can't let him win."

Later that night, Jeremy pulled up to his apartment complex and noticed something odd: his front door was open. He stepped inside; his stomach tightened.

The living room was ransacked—drawers pulled out, papers all over the floor, furniture tipped over.

His laptop was gone.

A chill ran down his spine as he realized what that meant. Somebody wasn't just trying to scare him off; they were after his data, his trades, his lifeline.

He reached for his phone and dialed Maverick.

"They've crossed a line," Jeremy said, his voice shaking.

"This is what Victor does," Maverick said calmly. "He rattles the cage until his prey makes a mistake. Don't give him that satisfaction."

"But he's got my laptop. My accounts—"

"Your accounts are encrypted," Maverick assured him. "But you need to hit back harder. Show him you're not afraid."

"How?" Jeremy asked, desperation creeping in.

Maverick's voice was cold as steel. "You have allies, Lawson. It's time to use them."

---

Jeremy spent the next week gathering people around him in secret. Through Maverick's network, he found others who had been burned by Victor-traders whose fortunes were wiped out, entrepreneurs whose startups had been sabotaged. The group started compiling a folder of Victor's misdeeds, using every contact and resource at their disposal.

Clara, however, became an unlikely friend. Her observant nature and growing list of art-world contacts provided Jeremy with much-needed insight into Victor's social movements.

"I overheard something at an exhibit last night," she told Jeremy over coffee. "Victor's hosting a private gala next week. Big names, high security."

"What's the occasion?"

"No idea," Clara said. "But it sounds like the perfect place for someone like him to flaunt his power.

Jeremy thought quickly. If Victor was gathering his allies, here was his chance to confront him on neutral ground.

---

On the night of the gala, Jeremy arrived uninvited, dressed sharp enough to fit in. Clara helped him forge an invitation; Maverick's network provided the name to drop at the door.

Inside, the air was sumptuous. Crystal chandeliers spilled gold over the space, and murmurs buzzed around from élite to élite. Jeremy scanned the room till his eyes settled on Victor, holding court near the bar.

Jeremy wove his way closer, his heart in a very strange dance.

"Lawson," Victor said with a cold smile. "Didn't expect to see you here.

“I wanted to congratulate you,” Jeremy said, forcing a smile of his own. “It’s not every day someone gets away with stealing a man’s life savings.”

The group around Victor fell silent, their eyes darting between the two men.

Victor’s smile faded. “Careful, kid. You’re treading on thin ice.”

“Am I?” Jeremy said, his voice rising. “Because I’ve got something that says otherwise.”

He pulled out his phone and played the recording—a snippet of Victor's voice, unmistakably incriminating, from one of his intercepted calls. A murmur ran through the crowd, a ripple of shock and intrigue spreading through the room.

Victor's face darkened. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But this isn't over."

Jeremy left the gala with his head held high, but somehow, it was an empty victory. He'd taken his stand, but at what price? The warning note, the break-in, the stolen laptop-things were looking bigger and bigger, a game he still didn't know. He strolled towards home, his phone humming with a message from Maverick.

“Well done. But you’ve only won the battle, not the war. Be ready for what comes next.”

Jeremy sighed, exhaustion settling over him. He was tired of fighting, tired of living in fear. But deep down, he knew Maverick was right.

The next morning, he received an unexpected call.

“Jeremy Lawson?” the voice said.

“Yes, who’s this?”

This is Detective Carter with the Financial Crimes Division. We need to talk about your involvement with Victor Kane."

---

Jeremy froze as the weight of the call hit him like a freight train. Was this another one of Victor's ploys? Or was the law now turning its attention to him? Whichever it was, he knew his next move might just change everything.