The night was cold as a gust of wind rattled the window panes of Denera’s room in the Rhodes mansion. The meeting had finally ended, and one by one, the powerful heirs had left, their faces grim and their minds undoubtedly spinning with thoughts of Sebastian’s growing threat. Denera lingered in the hallway for a moment, watching the last of the cars drive away before she too entered her car and drove back home.When she reached her room, she immediately closed the door behind her, locking it with a deliberate twist of the handle. The soft click echoed in the silence as she let out a long, heavy sigh, the tension of the evening weighing on her like a lead blanket. She walked toward her bed, her movements slow and deliberate, as though the air itself had thickened.Without bothering to change out of her evening gown, Denera collapsed onto the soft, luxurious sheets, her body sinking into the plush mattress. The room was dimly lit, casting shadows across the elegant décor—rich tapes
Gerald's sleek black car glided to a stop in front of the sprawling estate, the mansion’s looming silhouette cast against the moonlit sky. He stepped out, his eyes immediately scanning the grounds as a faint sense of unease prickled at the back of his neck. Something felt off. He couldn’t put his finger on it, but the air was different—charged, like a storm waiting to break.As he walked toward the grand entrance, the rhythmic crunch of gravel under his boots was the only sound cutting through the night. The outdoor yard, usually meticulously maintained, seemed subtly disturbed. Gerald’s sharp eyes caught the slight displacement of dirt near the flower beds, as if something—or someone—had trampled through them recently. He frowned, his steps slowing as he studied the area more closely.Before he could investigate further, one of his guards came rushing toward him from the side of the yard, his boots clapping against the stone pathway. The guard stopped a few feet away and bowed, hi
Gerald stood in the dimly lit corner of his study, the shadows stretching across his face as he pressed the phone to his ear. He listened to the ringing tone with a sense of urgency, his gaze fixed on the framed portrait on the wall across from him—his family’s legacy, built on power, secrets, and an unbreakable chain of dominance. But tonight, that chain felt disturbingly fragile.Finally, after a few rings, Denera’s voice came through. “Gerald,” she greeted, her tone mildly surprised. “We were just at Ethan’s house. What’s wrong?”Wasting no time, Gerald cut to the chase. “When I returned to my mansion, my guards informed me that while I was away, a group of masked men attacked the estate.” His voice was laced with frustration, though he kept it cool and controlled, a hallmark of his personality even under pressure.There was a brief silence on the other end before Denera finally spoke, her tone filled with disbelief. “Masked men? Are you serious?”“Deadly serious,” he replied shar
The sun was barely peeking through the morning clouds as Ethan Anderson sat alone in his high-rise office at the Majestic Skies building, the city skyline stretching far beneath him like a kingdom under his watch. The soft hum of his phone vibrated in his hand as he listened to Sandra on the other end. She was lighthearted and easygoing, a perfect counterbalance to his world of unending boardroom battles and masked threats.“Yes, I know it’s early,” Ethan said, his tone warm as he leaned back, momentarily forgetting the weight of the past few days. “But I wanted to hear your voice before the day took over.”Sandra laughed softly on the other end, her voice bringing a momentary calm. “Well, I’m glad to know I still make it to your priority list, Mr. Anderson,” she teased. “Are you doing okay? You’ve been... busy.”“More than busy,” Ethan admitted, a trace of weariness slipping into his tone. “But I manage.” Just then, the sound of his office door opening pulled his attention. He glan
Alex’s small makeshift room was dimly lit, the kind of light that cast shadows against the walls and sharpened the hard lines of his muscular frame. Sweat glistened on his skin as he moved through push-ups, each repetition a relentless rhythm against the cold concrete floor. His injuries were healed now—his ribs no longer ached with every breath, his bruised knuckles were no longer raw, and his body had regained the strength he once thought he’d lost forever.But as he pushed himself to his limit, a single thought replayed in his mind, rising above the pounding of his pulse and the burn in his muscles: *Laurel.* The need to find her was all-consuming, feeding the fire in his gut with each passing day. He clenched his teeth, thinking about how he had allowed himself to get caught up in Jason’s games. He didn’t trust Jason, and he never would. But finding Laurel had come with sacrifices—and his alliance with Jason was one of them. *If only there was another way.* And as he kept wo
The sunlight streamed through the towering glass windows of Majestic Skies, filling Ethan’s office with a morning glow that contrasted the tension simmering inside. Ethan leaned back in his high-backed leather chair, his fingers idly tapping the polished mahogany surface as he awaited the arrival of his two trusted allies. Moments later, Paul and Rachel entered, crossing the luxurious office floor with purposeful strides. Both of them looked sharp, with Rachel in a crisp black blazer and Paul in his usual tailored suit, each exuding the confident air of seasoned operatives.Ethan’s gaze flicked up, and he gestured for them to approach his desk. “What’s the update?”Rachel, always efficient and to the point, spoke first. “We’ve finished setting up the fake and misleading information for Mark Dave. He’ll be chasing shadows if he tries anything.”A faint smile curved on Ethan’s lips. “Good. And what about his movements?”Paul nodded, stepping forward. “I’ve taken extra security measure
The warm afternoon light filtered through Rhys’s office windows, casting long shadows over his neatly arranged desk. Papers and documents lay in careful stacks, along with a polished silver pen that he now twirled absentmindedly between his fingers. Rhys’s face was etched with focus, yet a tension lingered in his eyes—a storm hidden beneath his usual calm exterior. He was sifting through files when the office door swung open unexpectedly, breaking his concentration.“Sir, I’m so sorry,” his secretary stammered as she entered behind Denera. “I told her you didn’t want any disturbances.”Rhys met his secretary’s wide eyes and gave her a short nod. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “You can go.”As soon as the door closed behind her, Denera stepped further into the room, folding her arms with a knowing smirk. “One would think that your wife would be an exception to your ‘no disturbances’ rule,” she remarked, a touch of sarcasm lacing her voice.Rhys leaned back in his chair, crossing his
Jason sat in his office, staring at the mountain of documents and disarrayed files scattered across his desk. His hand hovered over a crumpled report, fingers twitching as he considered the sheer volume of chaos that had suddenly hit his empire. Five subsidiaries—five entire branches of his corporate network—taken down in a single, calculated sweep by Ethan. He expected Ethan to retaliate after their last clash, but he hadn’t anticipated such a brutal blow. Not like this.He pressed a hand against his forehead, feeling a bead of sweat trickling down his temple as he replayed the news he’d just received. Reports had flown in from various cities across the country, each one confirming the same disturbing pattern: each subsidiary crippled, some on the verge of total collapse. The coordinated nature of the attack left Jason struggling to find a foothold in the landslide of chaos. Ethan had not only outmaneuvered him but had done it with a precision and ruthlessness Jason had never s