BILLIONAIRE MINOR

Chapter 8: A Dangerous Alliance

Neon lights of the city flickered like fireflies against the velvet night, casting strange shadows in alleys. Jeremy stood at the edge of the street, feeling the cool breeze cut through his jacket as he watched Clara disappear into the distance. He should have said more to her, done something to convince her that he was still the person she believed in. But his mind was consumed with one thought.

Victor Kane.

The man who had ruthlessly destroyed everything Jeremy built. A mentor, a teacher-until he unleashed an appetizer of his ambitions: all out of character for his proclaimed mentorship. It hadn't been simply that Victor bested Jeremy at his very own trading world; more than this, Victor broke pieces of Jeremy's life out completely.

Jeremy's fists clenched, and the anger rose once more. But this time, he wasn't going to let it consume him. He had learned one thing over the past year: revenge required so much more than rage. It required strategy. Patience. And above all, it required an ally who was not afraid to take risks.

He pulled out his phone and dialed Maverick's number. The line rang twice before Maverick's voice crackled through.

Jeremy, what the hell happened? You were supposed to keep it low-key, man," Maverick said, sharp with concern.

Jeremy's voice was calm, controlled, but with an undercurrent of fury. "Victor's playing games, Mav. He's taken everything from me. He's behind the margin calls, behind the trades I made. He's sabotaging me.

There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Maverick spoke again. "I knew something was off. But Victor? Damn. This is bigger than we thought. What's your move?"

"I'm done playing his game, Maverick. I'm going to make him pay, but I need you to help me. We're going to take him down from the inside."

Maverick laughed darkly, almost cynically. "You're not messing around, huh? Alright. I'm in. But we need more than insider information. Victor's in too deep with the system. He has his inside guys; he is not going to lie down and die. "

Jeremy's mind was racing with ways to strategize his next move. He needed more than financial leverage; he needed dirt, something Victor couldn't spin or escape.

"I'm meeting with someone tomorrow," Jeremy said, his voice low. "Someone who knows Victor's past. We'll figure out what we can use against him."

Standing before an abandoned building in an industrial side of the city the next day, he stood against cracked concrete walls, the graffiti lining every available space in bright, screaming colors—a definite jump from the world of pure indulgence he had come to love. Inside was a woman he'd met only once: Maya Wells, a former associate of Victor's who would become somebody acquainted with his dark secrets.

Jeremy had never trusted her, but she had information he needed. She'd been one of Victor's earliest business partners, back before he built his empire. The fact that she had left Victor's circle told Jeremy all he needed to know about the man-that he was a man to be feared, and Maya learned it the hard way.

He knocked on the door, waited. Seconds dragged like minutes, the noise of the city outside growing dimmer. The door creaked open.

Standing before him was Maya, far removed from the polished businesswoman he had once met at high-society functions. Her clothes were simple, her hair disheveled, but her eyes cut through ice-sharp, still calculating, still dangerous.

You actually showed up," she said, a wry smile curling on her lips. "I thought you'd chicken out."

Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "I'm not here to play games, Maya. I need the truth. About Victor.

She studied him a moment longer, her eyes flicking to the alleyway behind him before she stepped aside, allowing him in. The room was spare, old furniture and stacks of paperwork filling the room. There was an air of quiet desperation in the space-the kind of place people go when they've lost everything and have nothing left to lose.

"I know what you want," Maya said, closing the door behind them. "But what makes you think I'll help you? You're playing with fire, kid."

"I'm not the kid I used to be," Jeremy replied, his voice low but full of conviction. "Victor's done more than just cost me money. He's ruined lives-he ruined mine. And I'm going to make sure he pays for everything he's done."

Maya watched him, her face inscrutable. "You're not going to win, you know. Victor's untouchable. He's always five steps ahead. I tried to get out once. I couldn't. But you-" She broke off, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You're different. You've got a fire in you. Just be careful, Jeremy. If you go down this path, there's no coming back.

Jeremy's jaw clenched. The risks didn't matter now. He was in it too deep. "Tell me what you know. I need to know how to bring him down."

Maya nodded and went to a stack of papers, rummaging through them until she pulled out a file. She handed it wordlessly to Jeremy, who opened it and scanned the pages quickly.

Inside were documents detailing Victor's early ventures, including shady deals, money laundering, and a whole network of offshore accounts. There were also photographs of meetings-some with people Jeremy recognized: politicians, CEOs, and other power players. It was everything he needed to destroy Victor.

But then he saw something that made his blood run cold-a picture of Clara, in a restaurant, smiling from across the table at Victor. The date on the photo was recent.

"Wait a minute… Clara?" Jeremy's voice faltered. "What the hell is this?"

Maya's eyes hardened. "Victor always has his eyes on everything, including the people you care about. Clara doesn't know what she's getting herself into. Trust me, Jeremy, you're not the only one he's been playing with."

A cold realization came over Jeremy. Clara had unknowingly been pulled into Victor's web. She had no idea that Victor was watching her at every turn, even using her for his pawns in his games.

Jeremy froze, the weight of the situation sinking in. Clara was in danger, not only from him but from Victor. He had to warn her. He had to keep her safe.

But how? How could he protect her when he was already in too deep?

His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of a phone. He glanced at his own-it was a call from Maverick.

Jeremy, you have to hear this," Maverick's voice came through the line. "I've been digging into Victor's connections, and I found something big. We might just have our opening… "

But before Maverick could even finish, a loud crash came from outside, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps rushing toward the door.

"Maya, get down," Jeremy hissed, his heart pounding. "They're here. Victor's men.

Maya's eyes were wide with terror as she dove under a table right as the door to the room burst open. A group of armed men stormed into the room, their eyes sweeping across it. Jeremy's head was racing, but his body started moving before his brain did. He took the file and jammed it into his jacket before he turned towards Maya.

"Stay down," he ordered.

The moment when the men closed in on him, Jeremy knew it was time to make a decision: fight or flight. But this was much larger than a game of cat and mouse. This was war. And he was no longer the prey.