BILLIONAIRE MINOR

Chapter 6: Lines in the Sand

Jeremy stood in his ransacked apartment, staring at the threatening word smeared across his walls: "ENOUGH." The image of the shattered photo frame at his feet felt like a direct blow to his heart. Victor Kane wasn't just targeting him anymore; he was reaching for the people Jeremy cared about.

Clenching his fists, Jeremy turned to Elise, who had rushed over after his frantic call.

"This isn't intimidation anymore," Jeremy whispered, his voice low and angry. "He's making it personal."

Elise knelt beside the broken frame, staring at the shards of glass. "Victor wants you to feel alone. It's classic psychological warfare."

"Well, it's working," Jeremy grumbled.

Elise straightened and nailed him with an icy stare. "Then let's remind him that fear works both ways."

---

The next morning, Jeremy met Maverick in that dingy café that had gradually become their unofficial headquarters. Maverick slid a memory stick across the table.

"This has everything," said Maverick. "The shell companies, the accounts, the aliases. If we leak this, Victor's empire crumbles."

Jeremy hesitated. "What's the catch?"

Maverick leaned back, his face serious. "Victor's not just a trader; he's hooked up with people who don't play by the rules. If we push too hard, they'll come after you—and not just with threatening messages."

Jeremy nodded, getting it. "But if we don't push, he wins."

Maverick smiled faintly. "That's the spirit."

Meanwhile, Clara had been on her quest to shadow Victor's movements across the art world. Using her alias as a freelance curator, she infiltrated one of his private shows under the pretense of networking.

Her heart pounded as she mingled with the guests, her eyes scanning for anything that could give them an edge. She struck up a conversation with a man who introduced himself as Julian—a nervous-looking accountant who looked utterly out of place in the sea of elite socialites.

"You work with Victor?" Clara asked, pretending to be casually interested.

"Not exactly," Julian said, glancing around nervously as if he feared being overheard. "I handle. some of the finances."

Clara leaned in closer. "Must be exciting, working with someone so powerful."

Julian's eyes darted to the floor. "Powerful, sure. But dangerous, too. You didn't hear that from me."

Clara's pulse quickened. "Dangerous how?"

Julian hesitated, then whispered, "Victor doesn't just ruin people. He makes them disappear."

---

Jeremy was poring over the files Maverick had given him when Clara burst into his apartment.

"We need to talk," she said, closing the door behind her.

Jeremy looked up, alarmed. “What happened?”

Clara relayed her conversation with Julian, her voice trembling slightly as she described Victor’s alleged methods.

“This is bigger than just money, Jeremy,” she said. “Victor’s playing a game with no rules.”

Jeremy’s jaw tightened. “Then it’s time to stop playing.”

He reached for his phone and called Elise. “We’re going public,” he said.

---

Within 48 hours, Jeremy and his guys had managed a major leakage of data. Using Maverick's connections, they made sure the evidence against Victor found its way to every major trading forum, financial watchdog, and news outlet. The files chronicled Victor's fraudulent scheming and implicated him in money laundering, insider trading, and association with offshore networks of criminal activity.

The fallout was immediate. News channels ran the story nonstop, and Victor's name became synonymous with scandal. His assets were frozen, his trading accounts shut down, and his allies began to distance themselves.

Jeremy watched the chaos unfold with a mix of satisfaction and apprehension-for the first time, he felt like he was on top.

But the victory was short-lived.

---

It wasn't until three days after the leak that Jeremy was stepping out of Clara's apartment when a black SUV braked right in front of him. Two men were flung open, faces expressionless in black suits.

"Jeremy Lawson?" one of them questioned.

Jeremy instinctively recoiled a step backward. "Who's asking?"

The man moved closer. "Victor Kane says hi.

Before Jeremy could react, he felt a sharp blow to the back of his head. Darkness swallowed him.

---

When Jeremy came to, he was in a dimly lit warehouse, tied to a chair. Victor Kane stood in front of him, his expression a mix of rage and amusement.

"Did you really think you could beat me, Lawson?" Victor said, pacing like a predator.

Jeremy's head throbbed, but he forced himself to meet Victor's gaze. "You're done, Victor. Everyone knows what you've done."

Victor laughed, a hollow sound that echoed in the empty space. "You think a few leaked files will stop me? I've survived worse. And now, I'm going to make sure you don't survive at all."

Jeremy's heart pounded. "If you kill me, you'll only prove you're guilty.

Victor sneered. "Who said anything about killing you? I have. other plans."

Before Victor could explain, the door to the warehouse burst open, and Jeremy little time to process what was going on as a team of armed officers shouted orders.

"Freeze! Hands in the air!"

Victor's men scattered, but it was too late. Within minutes, Victor was in handcuffs, his empire finally collapsing around him.

Jeremy blinked in shock as Detective Carter approached, looking grim.

"Guess you weren't lying," Carter said, cutting the ropes binding Jeremy's wrists. "We've been tracking Victor for months, but your leak gave us what we needed to move in."

Jeremy nodded, too dazed to speak.

---

Back at his apartment, Jeremy sat on the couch, processing everything that had happened. Victor was gone, but the battle had taken its toll. His accounts were still frozen, his reputation still in tatters.

Clara sat beside him, her presence a comforting anchor. “You did it,” she said softly.

“Did I?” Jeremy asked. “I’m broke, under investigation, and barely holding it together.”

“But you’re free,” Clara said. “And that’s worth more than anything.”

Jeremy managed a faint smile. For the first time in weeks, he allowed himself to hope.

---

As Jeremy leaned back, his phone buzzed with a new message. He hesitated before opening it.

Unknown Number: “You may have taken down Victor, but the game isn’t over. Watch your back.”

Jeremy stared at the screen, the weight of the warning settling over him.

The game wasn't over, not by a long shot.