Evelyn Raven's funeral was a big event as she was a well respected and loved woman in North Hills.
High-profile individuals and even the first lady of the country graced her funeral. After Evelyn Raven was laid to rest, the Raven family gathered the next day for a brief hearing of her will. Evelyn Raven founded Raven enterprises, a global e-commerce company. It's the third-largest e-commerce company in the world with a net worth of $400 million. Evelyn Raven has two sons, Jonathan Raven and Francis Raven. Jonathan and Ingrid had three offspring: Curtis Raven, Laura Raven and Betty Raven. Francis, with his wife Helga Raven had two offspring, Gregory Raven and Jasmin Raven. Mr. Woods, Evelyn's trusted lawyer, adjusted his glasses and cleared his throat. Jonathan Raven, being the first son, was appointed chairman and CEO of the company, controlling 35% stake in the company. Everyone nodded in approval as Jonathan had dedicated decades to Raven enterprises. The family estate was also given to Jonathan's children, Curtis, Laura, and Betty, which was divided among them. Francis Raven, Evelyn Raven's second son, was appointed COO of Raven enterprises with a 15% stake. His two offspring inherited the secondary estate off the coasts of North Hills. So far, so good, nobody argued with how their inheritance was split. It was fair and reasonable to the Raven family. Evelyn also donated the sum of $15 million to various orphanages, foundations, and charitable causes. Then Mr. Woods paused as he read the last paper. “There is one final bequest… to a man named Barry.” Barry, who had been sitting on a low stool at the corner of the room, raised his head slowly when his name was announced. He had been grieving Evelyn's death that he wasn't even paying attention to the will reading, not until his name was announced. Everyone turned to stare at Moses, surprise written all over their faces. “How is it possible that piece of crap gets a share of our family's inheritance?” Curtis said curtly. “He's an outsider. He shouldn't be getting a cut.” “I agree,” Gregory stood up, agitated. He pointed an accusing finger at Barry. “Did you manipulate our grandmother to leave you a share of our wealth, you street rat.” Barry's eyes darkened. He had had just about enough with the Raven family and their dislike for him. “I did no such thing,” he said, his voice dark. “If you don't want me to take part in the inheritance, you can have it.” Gregory hesitated. He had never seen Barry looked so sad and moody. “Well, then,” Francis Raven urged Mr. Woods. “What did our loving mother leave her trashy grandson-in-law?” Mr. Woods cleared his throat and glanced down at the document in his hand. Everybody leaned forward, eager to hear what Evelyn Raven had left Barry. “Barry is to inherit the White mansion off the coast of North Hills,” Mr. Woods announced. “He's also given rights to own Evelyn Raven's $10,000 funded Forex trading account.” Everybody stood up sharply in shock. The White mansion was worth over $25 million, too luxurious for a man like Barry to inherit out of the blue. The Raven family erupted in anger. Ingrid pulled at her hair, her voice screeching. “This is unacceptable. My children were given the family estate, but how come this nobody gets the White mansion, huh?” “A $25 million mansion? You've got to be kidding me,” Curtis slammed his hands on the table. “Grandmother must have been out of her mind to leave him anything.” “I smell a rat,” Gregory yelled at Barry, pointing an accusing finger at Barry. “What sort of lies did you whisper in my grandmother's ears while she was frail and weak? I don't believe this!” Francis Raven walked up to Mr. Woods and snatched the documents. “Give me that,” His eyes ran over every single detail of the will. “It's all in here. That bastard gets the White mansion and her forex trading account.” Jonathan joined him and read the will. His face knitted into a thick frown. “Barry doesn't deserve this–any of it. As the first son of the Raven family, I cannot allow a stranger to own the White mansion.” “Yeah, father, don't let him,” Betty Raven shouted. “How is he getting the white mansion and I have to share the family's estate with Laura and Curtis? It's not fair.” Ingrid rushed up to Barry and slapped him across the face. “You entitled bastard. I don't care what my mother-in-law saw in you, but the rest of us clearly don't. If you know what's best for you, you'd reject this inheritance.” Barry held his cheeks, his mind racing. He was also shocked that Evelyn would leave him a home and not just any home, the White mansion. The White mansion was the fifth most expensive private homes built in North Hills. It was too much for a pauper like him. Suddenly, Laura who had been watching the entire scene in a brooding silence, stood up and cleared her throat. The room fell silent as she spoke, “Well, now that grandmother is gone, I have a very important announcement I want to make.” Barry looked at her, wondering what she was up to. Her heels clicked sharply against the tiled floor as she walked up to him. With one swift motion, she pulled out a stack of papers and thrust them into Barry's face. “I'm getting a divorce,” she declared, a bitter smile on her face.Latest Chapter
The keeper
An hour later, the keeper arrived at the penthouse. All heads turned as the door opened and he was ushered inside. He was in his mid-sixties, tall but slightly hunched, with a presence that sent chills in the hearts of men. He wore an old-fashioned black top hat and a worn charcoal suit that looked like it belonged to another century. His silver hair was neatly combed back, his eyes sharp—far too sharp for a man his age.This was no ordinary man. This was a wizard. One of the last of his kind in the modern world.In his right hand, he carried an aluminum containment briefcase which he handled with care. The moment the Keeper entered the penthouse, every member of the Equalizers instinctively rose to their feet.“It's the Keeper,” someone whispered.He didn’t acknowledge them at first. He walked past the table, then he stopped at the center of the room before turning slowly to face them."You summoned me," he said gravely. "Here I am."“What is happening?” the European banker deman
The equalizers
The Equalizers had not held an emergency meeting in years since its founding.Until today.Tonight, they were all gathered in an exclusive penthouse suite. Every last one of them.“I'm finished,” a European banker snarled, his face flushed. “My personal accounts are frozen. My offshore funds have vanished. Even my gold reserves were SEIZED!”“It's the same for me,” an oil mogul barked. “My creditors stormed my home! They’re demanding repayment by midnight! How does a man go from billionaire to beggar in a single day?!”“My company—” another whispered hollowly. “Someone bought it out from under me. IN ONE HOUR. Who the hell has that kind of power?!”“My board voted me out,” someone else groaned. “Thirty years, and I was escorted out like a criminal.”The room pulsed with dread.Each man took turns lamenting about their sudden financial crisis. To their surprise, their stories were identical to one another.It was a massacre. And they didn’t know who was behind it.As the uproar rose ag
Veronica's power
Mark felt the room tightening around him like a noose on his neck. He had been caught red-handed. “How did you know about the hour glass of destiny?” he repeated in a croaked voice. Barry’s gamble had paid off far more than he had hoped. Mark’s reaction confirms everything about his nightmare.The Equalizers were in possession of the Hourglass of Destiny.Barry’s gaze sharpened. “Do not think for once that you can hide anything from me. There is nothing in this world I cannot uncover.”Mark’s throat bobbed. His mind spun violently.How? How did Barry know? The Hourglass was supposed to be a myth to outsiders. Mark's heart pounded painfully against his ribs. Only the Equalizers knew about the hour glass of destiny's existence. Barry was not supposed to have caught a whisper of it.“If you knew about the Hourglass,” Mark stammered, grasping for logic, “then why host this meeting? Why did you try to sell Sullivan Group?”It was Veronica who answered. “We never intended to sell anyth
The Equalizers
Mark Newton didn’t speak at first. He just stared at Barry and at Veronica as if weighing whether to deny it again.Then slowly, a grin crawled across his face. A low chuckle slipped out.“Well,” he said, spreading his hands, “I’ve gotta hand it to you two. You got me.” He leaned back with an amused sigh.“Yes. I’m their top sponsor. So what?”Veronica’s expression didn’t change one bit. Barry’s jaw set like concrete.“You still haven’t answered my earlier question," he said, his eyes narrowed. “Why did you betray me?”Mark relaxed fully now, draping one arm over the back of his chair like he owned the room.“Before I answer that,” he said casually, “let me ask you something instead. Do you know what the Equalizers stand for? Their real goals and motivations?”Veronica responded immediately with a clipped tone. “They’re a secret society who claim their ideology is about ‘restoring balance to the world.’ And lately, they seem very happy that Sullivan Group went bankrupt.”Mark let out
The trap
Mark was stunned speechless when Veronica declined the offer. For a full two seconds, he stared at her like she had grown horns.Then he scoffed loudly.“You two can’t be serious,” he said, throwing his pen down. “You’re rejecting an offer this good because of your greed? This is the only life raft you’re getting.”Veronica placed the contract down slowly. “We’re rejecting your offer because it’s a scam,” she said, her tone sharp and cold. “Have you forgotten what I do? I’ve structured and managed deals ten times more complex than this for the last decade."She leaned forward, her eyes locked on him. "Even after my husband's early retirement, I still managed Sullivan Group with my sister-in-law. We are not amateurs, Mark. We can smell a rigged deal from a continent away. We’re not taking your offer. It’s not happening.”Mark’s irritation snapped like a whip.He leaned forward, both hands planted on the table. “Aren’t you two desperate? Don’t pretend. I know you’re as broke as a churc
The deal
Two days after, Mark Newton stepped out of a black SUV in front of a cheap city hotel.Barry had hand-picked this specific hotel for their meeting.Mark paused at the entrance, his nose wrinkling at the peeling signboard, the flickering lights, and the damp smell that seeped from the cracked walls.“This is where Barry Sullivan holds a negotiation?” he muttered with a smirk. “Pathetic.”He walked inside with a team of four lawyers, two financial strategists, and a security guard carrying a metal case. They looked wildly out of place in the rundown lobby.The shabby conference room they entered was the final insult.Mark's disgust deepened as he glanced around the room.The walls were stained, the fluorescent lights buzzed overhead, and a wobbly air-conditioner choked loudly in the corner.But what unsettled him most was the table.Only two people sat there. Barry Sullivan. And Veronica. There were no lawyers. No assistants. No guards. No accountants.Just them.Mark instinctively sen
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