chapter 7

Mark was about to start the engine when his phone suddenly rang, shrill in the silence of the car. He hesitated for a moment before picking it up, his eyes scanning the caller ID.

 He checked the caller ID and saw Elysa's name flashing on the screen. He picked up the call, his heart still racing from the encounter with Mike.

"Hey, how did your meeting with the company director go?" Elysa asked, her voice cheerful.

Mark's mind racing, he replied, "Do you know who Mike's father is?"

Elysa's tone changed to confusion. "Why are you bringing Mike into this conversation? What's going on?"

Mark's voice rose in frustration. "Just answer me, Elysa! Do you know who Mike really is?"

Elysa's response was calm. "Nothing special about him, Mark. He's just an orphan, a church rat who feeds on others' hard-earned income."

Mark's voice was incredulous. "No, Elysa! You're wrong! Mike deceived everyone! He's the richest man in the country, the heir to the Almighty Rykard Empire!"

Elysa's laughter was mocking. "Don't be ridiculous, Mark! How could Mike possibly be the director of the company?"

Mark's voice was desperate. "I'm telling you, Elysa, I just met him! He's the one! And right now, I'm in trouble..."

As he spoke, Mark saw Mike emerge from the building, flanked by security guards who opened the door to a sleek black car. Mark's heart skipped a beat as he realized Mike was about to leave.

In a panic, Mark hid behind the steering, holding his breath as Mike's driver pulled away from the curb. Mark hung up the call, his mind racing with fear.

He watched the car disappear into the distance. 

Mike's eyes were fixed on his phone as the car glided through the city streets. He was hoping for a call, a call that would change the course of events.

And then, it came. The phone rang, shrill in the silence of the car. Mike's heart skipped a beat as he saw the prosecutor's name flashing on the screen.

He picked up the call, his voice firm. "Prosecutor."

The prosecutor's voice was gruff on the other end of the line. "Mike, I've been thinking. I'm willing to take your hand."

Mike's grip on the phone tightened. "I knew I could count on you."

The prosecutor's tone was serious. "But we need to be careful. We need to gather evidence, build a strong case. Can you meet me tomorrow night?"

Mike's mind racing, he agreed. "I'll be there. What time?"

"Midnight," the prosecutor replied. "And come alone."

Mike nodded, even though the prosecutor couldn't see him. "I'll be there."

As he hung up the phone, Mike felt a sense of relief wash over him. He knew that he was taking a risk, becoming a devil to fight the evils that had consumed the Rykard Empire. But he was willing to do whatever it took to restore the company's glory.

He thought about Axel and the others, how they had embezzled funds and exploited innocent stockholders and government funds. But Mike knew that there was someone else in the shadows, pulling the strings. And he was determined to find out who it was.

The car screeched to a halt in front of a nondescript building, and Mike stepped out onto the sidewalk. Miss Evelyn was waiting for him, her expression somber.

"Follow me," she said, leading him into the building.

At first glance, the interior looked like any ordinary office building. But as they walked deeper, Mike noticed that the decor changed. The walls were adorned with medical equipment, and the air was thick with the scent of antiseptic.

They stepped into an elevator, and Miss Evelyn pressed a button. The doors slid open, revealing a dimly lit room.

Mike's heart sank as he took in the scene before him. A man lay on a bed, his body covered in bandages. Machines beeped and whirred, plugged into his limbs. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and char.

Mike's eyes widened as he approached the bed. The man's height was identical to his own. A chill ran down his spine as he realized the truth.

"Is this...Axel?" Mike asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Miss Evelyn's expression was grim. "Yes, it's true. This is Axel, your twin brother. He was in a terrible accident on his private plane to Las Vegas."

Mike's eyes scanned the room, taking in the extent of the damage. The man's body was burnt beyond recognition, his skin charred and blackened.

Miss Evelyn nodded to one of the medical staff, who pressed a button on a nearby computer. A screen flickered to life, showing a grainy video clip.

"This is the footage from the day of the accident," Miss Evelyn explained, her voice tight with tension. "As you can see, the plane was sabotaged. Someone intentionally caused the crash."

Mike's eyes widened as he watched the clip, his mind racing with the implications.

"But that's not all," Miss Evelyn continued, her eyes locked onto his. "I suspect homicide. I believe someone wanted Axel, your twin brother dead."

Mike's heart skipped a beat as he processed the words. Homicide? Sabotage? What was going on?

The clip showed the plane taking off, then suddenly plummeting to the ground. Flames engulfed the wreckage, and Mike felt a wave of nausea wash over him.

Miss Evelyn's voice was firm. "We need to investigate further. We need to find out who did this."

Mike nodded, his mind racing with questions. Who would want to kill Axel? And why?

As he looked at the burnt body on the bed, Mike knew that he had to get to the bottom of this. He had to uncover the truth, no matter how dark it might be.

"What's next?" Mike asked, his voice firm.

Miss Evelyn's eyes locked onto his. "We need to review the evidence. We need to find out who had access to the plane, who had motive to kill."

Mike's eyes narrowed. "Are there any suspects?"

Miss Evelyn hesitated before speaking. "We've identified four individuals who had access to the plane and motive to kill. Their names are: Victor Lee, Sarah Taylor, Emily Patel, and...Scott Thornton."

Mike's eyes widened as he heard the last name. "Scott Thornton?" he repeated, his voice incredulous.

Miss Evelyn nodded. "Yes, Mike. He's your uncle, the current acting chairman of the company."

Mike's mind reeled as he processed the information. His uncle, a suspect in a murder investigation?

"He and Axel were never on good terms," Miss Evenlyn said, her voice tight with anger. "And I remember, he once tried to remove Axel from the company by putting his name up for a vote in the board meeting."

Miss Evelyn's expression was grim. " Here's a picture of the four suspects."

Mike took the picture and glared at it for a long time, his eyes burning with intensity. Finally, he spoke.

"I'll work on it," he said, his voice cold and detached. "I'll find out who did this."