Chapter 206Kate flagged down a taxi and climbed in, still seething from her expulsion from the courtroom. As the driver started the engine, he glanced at her through the rearview mirror.“Where to, ma’am?” he asked politely.“Just drive,” Kate snapped, glaring out the window.The driver, a middle-aged man with a kind face, sighed but started driving.Inside the car, she was cussing and hissing at no one in particular.Thoughts of revenge on the judge and also on James flooded her head."They'll surely pay for all this, I swear it," she muttered. "If it wasn't for that foolish husband of mine who sheepishly put all that money in that cursed scam, would I be facing this humiliation?”The driver realized she was having a bad day but decided to ignore her and be silent.But after a few moments of tense silence, he tried to make small talk.“Rough day, huh?” he said, hoping to lighten the mood.“You have no idea,” Kate muttered. “Just keep your eyes on the road and drive, scumbag.”The dr
Chapter 207Inside, Kate saw Alisha sitting on the couch, watching TV in the living room. Without a word, she stormed up to the TV and pushed it off the stand. The screen shattered with a loud crash, sending shards of glass and plastic across the floor."Mom, what the hell are you doing?" Alisha screamed, jumping up from the couch, her eyes wide with shock."What am I doing? What am I doing?" Kate's voice was a mix of rage and sarcasm. "I’m teaching you a lesson, that’s what I’m doing!"Alisha stepped back, her hands trembling. "Why are you so angry? What happened?"Kate pointed a shaking finger at Alisha, her face contorted with fury. "What happened? I'll tell you what happened! I just got humiliated in court, that's what! All because of your useless father and his stupid decisions!"Alisha tried to calm her down. "Mom, please, sit down and let’s talk about this. Breaking things won't help."Kate ignored her and started pacing the room, her hands clenched into fists. "Talk? What good
Chapter 208Just then, Alisha's phone began to ring. She glanced at the screen and saw that it was Liam Carter calling. At first, she decided not to pick up, but when the phone began to ring again, she changed her mind.She picked up the phone, quickly rushed down to her room, and shut the door behind her, trying to block out her mom's yelling."Hello?" Alisha answered, her voice still shaky from sobbing.“Hey, Alisha. How're you?” Liam asked.“I'm fine.” She replied, her voice shaky.Liam noticed her shaky voice and also heard the background noise from the other end."Alisha? What's going on? Are you okay?" Liam's concerned voice came through the phone."Yea, I'm fine," she tried to say, but her voice betrayed her, yet again."Your voice doesn't sound fine," Liam insisted. "Tell me what's really wrong.""It's nothing serious," she lied. "Just a little quarrel with my mom, that's all." She tried to cheer herself up by changing her tone, forcing a smile even though Liam couldn't see it
Chapter 209"And who were you on the call with?" Kate demanded, her eyes narrowing.Alisha hesitated, then lied, "I called the police to come and intervene since you won't calm down."Kate's face turned red with fury. "You called the police on your mother?" she screamed. Without warning, she slapped Alisha hard across the face. "Can you imagine? Henry, your sister called the police on me!"Henry, who was just coming inside, froze in his tracks. "What? No! Police? Are they here?" he asked, his voice trembling with fear.Henry was frightened because the police were looking for him. Unknown to his family, Henry and a group of boys had planned and robbed a bank in Emerald Falls. This explained why he had been away from home for months, coming and going sporadically.Unfortunately for them, the police had been able to investigate and declared them suspects. They had been searching for them everywhere, and Henry had decided to come back home to hide from the police.Now that his sister had
Chapter 210Liam arrived at Alisha's home promptly at 7 PM. He parked outside the gate, picked up his phone, and dialed her number."Hey, Alisha. I'm outside the gate," he said when she answered.Alisha, who had been waiting eagerly, smiled. "Great, I'll be right out. Just give me a minute."She hurried downstairs, making sure she had everything she needed for the evening. As she reached the gate, she saw Liam standing by his car, looking dapper in his suit.Liam smiled warmly when he saw her. "You look stunning," he said, genuinely impressed."Thank you," Alisha replied, blushing slightly. "You look great too."Liam opened the car door for her. "Shall we?"She nodded, stepping into the car. "Sure, let's go."As Liam got into the driver's seat, he turned to her. "Are you ready for a nice evening out?""Definitely," Alisha said, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. "It's been a long day, and I could use some time to relax.""Well, you're in good hands," Liam reassured her. "I’ve pla
Chapter 211The next morning, Alisha was preparing for work when she saw an ambulance drive into the compound. Two men got out, greeted her, and said, "Good morning, ma'am. We're here to pick up Mr. Richard Carl. Mr. Liam Carter sent us to take him to the hospital."Alisha was dumbfounded. "Oh, I didn't expect it to be so soon. Okay, please come in," she said, her voice full of excitement. She led them towards the house.Just then, Kate returned from the extended family house, looking puzzled. "What's going on here?" she asked, her voice tinged with confusion.Alisha turned to her, smiling. "Mom, Dad is going to the hospital.”Kate's eyes widened in surprise. "Really? But... how?""Yes, Mom. Someone promised to help. He arranged everything and kept his word. These men are here to take him.” Alisha said, beaming.The two men went upstairs and carefully brought Richard down in his wheelchair. Alisha followed closely, holding her father’s hand, her eyes filled with hope.Kate stood by, s
Chapter 212James was in Mrs. Lee's office, sorting through some documents. After the success of the court case, he had quickly resumed work. From time to time, he received calls from loved ones congratulating him on the case. He hadn’t had time to carry out his plans because of one problem or another constantly being hurled his way. He had hoped that after the case, now would be the time to take charge by revealing his identity and rewarding everyone based on how they treated him. But it seemed that a new obstacle was looming.Liam Carter was hell-bent on acquiring half of EMC.James leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. The phone rang again, interrupting his thoughts. He picked it up, already weary from the constant interruptions.“Hello, James speaking," he answered."James, it's Eric. I saw Alisha bringing her dad to Skycare, are you aware?"James's brow furrowed. "No. Who was she with?” He asked and sat up on his seat. “And How did she afford to take him to Skycare?"Eric s
Chapter 213Mr. Sterling stormed through the halls of EMC, his face a mask of fury. Employees scattered out of his way, sensing the brewing storm. Without knocking, he barged into James' office, slamming the door behind him.James looked up from his desk, calmly raising an eyebrow. "Mr. Sterling, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?""Cut the crap, fool!" Mr. Sterling spat. "What the hell do you think you're doing terminating the contract with Eternal Superstore?"Obviously, James was expecting the confrontation. He leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I believe that contract was no longer beneficial to EMC. It was a decision made in the best interest of the company.""Beneficial?" Mr. Sterling sneered. "You mean it's beneficial to you and your pathetic power play. Do you have any idea who you're messing with?"James maintained his composure, his voice steady. "I'm well aware of who you are, Mr. Sterling. And I'm also aware that EMC deserves better deals than what Eternal S
Chapter 397Morning broke with a dull glow, illuminating the quiet safe house nestled deep in the woods. Inside, tension hung thick in the air. Williams was standing near the window with a phone pressed to his ear, speaking in a calm but calculated tone.“We’ve got your son, Charles,” he said, his voice steady. “But we haven’t located Jaxon.”On the other end of the line, Mr. Sterling’s voice cracked with emotion. “Charles? Is he safe? Are you sure?” Relief flooded his tone, but it was quickly shadowed by anxiety. “What about Jaxon? Did you find him? Is there anything—anything—leading up to him?”Williams let out a quiet sigh, one that sounded more like practiced patience than genuine concern. “That’s all we could manage,” he replied. “The men who took Jaxon still have him, and from what we’ve gathered, they plan to kill him if there’s any interference.”Mr. Sterling was silent for a beat, processing the grim news. Then, his voice rose, tinged with panic. “What do I do now? How do I
Chapter 396James and Gregor stepped out of their concealed position in the underbrush as the taillights of the SUV disappeared into the darkness. The cool night air was eerily silent now, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves and the muffled sounds of wildlife in the distance. The ground beneath their boots crunched softly as they moved toward the aftermath of the chaos they had just witnessed.Gregor’s eyes scanned the scene, his face expressionless as he took in the lifeless bodies sprawled across the area. Three of them, including Ben they once held, lay motionless, their weapons discarded and their blood staining the dirt beneath them.Gregor crouched beside one of the bodies, briefly checking for a pulse, though he already knew there was none. Standing, he shook his head and muttered, “Well, that’s the life they’ve chosen for themselves.”James, standing a few steps behind him, remained silent for a moment, his sharp eyes darting around the scene. The faint glow of the moo
Chapter 395The shadows of the dilapidated bunker stretched long under the moonlight as Williams and his team lay in wait. They had taken up position hours earlier, tucked inside Jaxon’s sleek sports car, the dark, polished metal blending seamlessly into the night. The air inside the vehicle was stifling, thick with tension and the faint metallic tang of gun oil. Every man was armed and ready, their nerves wound tight, waiting for the right moment to strike. Williams sat in the driver’s seat, his hands resting casually on the steering wheel, though his eyes never left the rearview mirror. Beside him, Kane sat rigid, one hand gripping Jaxon’s arm firmly while the other rested on the stock of a shotgun lying across his lap. In the cramped sports car, Tom and Dorian crouched uncomfortably in the trunk, their weapons at the ready, waiting for Williams’ signal.The silence inside the car was shattered when headlights cut through the darkness. A single car approached, its rumbling engine e
Chapter 394The dense canopy of the forest loomed overhead, casting long shadows over the makeshift campsite where James and Gregor had been holed up for days. The air was damp, thick with the earthy scent of moss and pine, and the distant call of nocturnal creatures echoed through the stillness.Gregor sat cross-legged on the damp ground, his eyes glued to the small tablet in his lap. A blinking red dot pulsed steadily on the screen—the nano tracker they’d planted on Ben’s phone.For three grueling days, they’d followed that dot from one hideout to another, staying just far enough away not to be detected. They’d spent their nights in the car or in the bush, catching only brief moments of sleep between shifts of surveillance.Tonight was no different, and Gregor’s tired eyes burned as he watched the screen, hoping for any sign of movement.James lay stretched out on the ground beside him, his jacket pulled over his face to block out the faint moonlight filtering through the trees. Hi
Chapter 393Jack paced back and forth in the dimly lit room, his gun laid out on the table as he meticulously assembled and armored it. Each metallic click echoed in the stale air, punctuating the tense atmosphere.They had to switch hideouts when Ben rejoined them, in case he was being tailed. Jack carefully considered the situation and concluded that bringing him back into the operation as an additional resource would be a wise decision, just in case they encountered any unexpected challenges but he made sure they switch hideout from time to time. But their main exchange point was still the old bunker because it has a lot of escape routes and underground tunnels.Ken was nearby, double-checking their supply of ammunition, while Denver and Ben lounged on an old, battered couch, their excitement barely contained.“Finally, we’re getting out of this shithole with a bundle of millions,” Denver said to Ben, leaning back with a smug grin. He flicked a discarded cigarette butt into the cor
Chapter 392The evening sky was a dusky orange, streaked with long trails of purple as the sun dipped below the horizon. Williams parked the sleek, black car that Mr. Sterling had secured for him—a high-profile Lamborghini that was both remarkable and practical for what was about to go down.The tinted windows gleamed faintly in the fading light as he stepped out, dressed in a dark hoodie and jeans. He adjusted the baseball cap on his head and pulled it lower to obscure his face further.Kane was already waiting near the edge of the gravel lot, leaning casually against a rusted lamp post that barely flickered to life. His stance was relaxed, but his eyes darted around, sharp and alert. A few paces away, Tom and Dorian lingered by the entrance to the abandoned warehouse, their conversation low but punctuated with short laughs.Williams approached Kane with purposeful strides. Without a word, he gestured for Kane to follow him a short distance away from the others.“They ready?” William
Chapter 391Andrew’s pen hovered over the page. “Eric Wood? The CEO of EMC?”“Yes,” Sterling said, his voice steady now, laced with conviction. “He’s had a vendetta against my family for months. He’s jealous of our success, our influence. And now, with everything happening at EMC, I wouldn’t put it past him to stoop this low. My two sons were kidnapped in a sparse of a few weeks. Is it not strange?”Andrew tilted his head, his expression skeptical. “That’s a serious accusation, Mr. Sterling. Do you have any evidence to support this?”Mr. Sterling sighed heavily, as though burdened by the weight of his own claim. “Not concrete evidence, no. But think about it. He has the resources, the motive. And I heard through some… private channels that he’s been meeting with unsavory characters lately. People who could easily pull off something like this.”Andrew jotted a few notes, his pen moving quickly. “I see. I’ll look into it. But you understand we can’t act on hearsay alone.”“Of course, of
Chapter 390As soon as Mr. Sterling ended the call with Williams, he hurried to his closet, throwing on a sleek navy suit and matching tie. His hands trembled slightly as he adjusted the knot, but he steeled himself, taking a deep breath.This wasn’t just a favor for Williams; it was a calculated move to get his two sons back. Grabbing his keys, he rushed out of his mansion, the elevator ride to the ground floor feeling agonizingly slow.When he finally stepped outside, the cool morning air bit at his face, but he paid it no mind. His black sedan waited at the curb, and he climbed in, starting the engine with a growl. As he sped toward Sky Suite, he rehearsed the lies he might need to tell to retrieve Jaxon’s car.The towering Sky Suite hotel loomed ahead, its modern glass facade gleaming brightly under the early morning sun. As Mr. Sterling approached the entrance, his stomach tightened. The sight of two patrol cars parked near the lobby entrance made his pulse quicken. Uniformed off
Chapter 389As soon as Kane received the message from Tom that Jaxon had finally broken under the pressure and confessed, he immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Williams. His tone was sharp, clipped, and direct as he relayed the crucial information.“He finally talked,” Kane said without any preamble. “He’s given up Jack’s location—some bunker near the old docks.”Williams, on the other end of the line, didn’t respond right away. The faint sound of tapping, likely his pen against his desk, filled the silence. “Good,” Williams finally said, his voice steady but tinged with calculation. “Did he say anything about how many men Jack has with him?”“Yeah,” Kane replied. “Three, including Jack himself. He said one of them ran away. It’s a small crew.”Williams let out a low hum of approval. “That’s manageable. We’ve got the numbers, four to three. Here’s the plan,” he said, leaning forward in his chair. “You’re going to prep Jaxon to lead you straight to the bunker. He’s our key. Ma