Chapter 219Eric sat at his desk, his fingers drumming nervously on the polished wood surface. He couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in his stomach after his conversation with Liam Carter. The phone call had been brief, but the implications were heavy. Liam had threatened him for something he hadn't done, and now he felt cornered.The legality of the situation was undeniable. He had signed a document that left him vulnerable to Liam's manipulations. The weight of that realization pressed down on him like a leaden blanket.Eric sighed deeply and leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling as if it might offer some divine inspiration. What was Liam planning? And more importantly, what could he do to protect himself? The room was silent except for the faint hum of the air conditioner and the rhythmic tapping of his fingers on the desk.After a few moments of contemplation, Eric reached for his phone and quickly dialed James' number. He needed to talk this through wit
Chapter 220James picked up his phone when he saw Ellen's name on the screen."Hey, Ellen," he greeted warmly."Hi, James," she replied, her tone equally warm. "How are you holding up?"James sighed. "It's been a rough day. How’s everything with you and your folks?""We're doing well," Ellen said. "My dad’s pre-campaign meeting is going strong. He’s been meeting with a lot of important politicians, and my mom is right by his side, supporting him every step of the way.""That’s great to hear," James replied. "I’m really proud of you all. I know how much work goes into these campaigns.""Thanks, James," Ellen said sincerely. "But I actually called because of Lana. She’s really worried about you."James frowned. "Worried about me? Why?""She thinks you’re angry with her after what happened at her office," Ellen explained. "She asked me to call and talk to you. She feels terrible about the whole situation."James sighed again, rubbing his temples. "I’m not angry with Lana. I’m just frustr
Chapter 221The next day, just as Williams and Mr. Sterling had planned, Williams decided to investigate Peter, the juror that Barrister Harris Drums had mentioned before he was killed.Williams was convinced that Harris wasn't lying. Facing death can make anyone reveal their deepest and darkest secrets.He disguised himself in a plain suit and glasses. He went to the court early in the morning, trying to blend in with the crowd. He looked like any other person attending the trial, but his eyes were sharp, scanning the room for Peter.Just as he arrived at the courthouse, Williams was greeted by a security guard standing near the entrance. The guard, a burly man with a stern face, eyed him with suspicion.Williams approached with a casual smile. "Good morning. I'm looking for a Mr. Peter, one of the jurors. Could you point him out to me?"The guard's eyes narrowed as he scanned Williams from head to toe. "Why are you looking for Peter?"Williams chuckled lightly, trying to seem as non
Chapter 222After a while, Williams chided himself not to rely on thoughts but rather take action.He immediately took out his phone and dialed Mr. Sterling's number, just as they had planned beforehand.Mr. Sterling picked up on the second ring. "Yes?""Mr. Sterling, it's Williams. I just spoke to Peter. You'll never believe what I found out," Williams began, keeping his voice low as he paced near his car."What is it?" Mr. Sterling's voice was tense with anticipation."Liam Carter. He's the one pulling the strings. He's the one who replaced the initial judge," Williams revealed. “He knows all about our plan and right now I'm suspecting that his next move will be to buy a share at EMC. Once he's in, he'd try to eliminate us and take over the operation.”There was a brief silence before Mr. Sterling cursed under his breath. "Damn it. We need to do everything possible to prevent Liam's plan, even if it means killing him."Williams responded quickly, "Mr. Sterling, killing Liam Carter w
Chapter 223After the call with Williams, Mr. Sterling quickly gave the details of Peter's car to Morris Huggo, who was in the front seat, ready for action."Blue sedan, license plate PTR 558. Middle-aged guy with graying hair," Mr. Sterling relayed the information.Morris nodded approvingly, always ready to carry out Mr. Sterling's evil intentions. "Got it. I'll handle it."Mr. Sterling added, "One more thing. Before you do it, make sure you retrieve all the dollar notes in his possession. I don't want any traces coming back to us."Morris gave a reassuring nod. "Consider it done."They continued the drive, scanning the road ahead. After a few minutes, Morris spotted Peter's car coming from the opposite direction. "That's him," he said, pointing.Mr. Sterling glanced at the car and then instructed the driver, "Trail him. Keep a safe distance. We need to find a discreet location."The driver nodded and fell in behind Peter's car, maintaining a careful distance. They followed him throu
Chapter 224Liam drove alone to see Richard Carl at the hospital, dressed in a brand-new collared shirt and plain jeans.This was the second time he had visited Richard Carl in the hospital. The first time, he wasn't given access to Richard's ward because, according to the nurse, it was Richard's resting hours. Richard had been undergoing vigorous treatments ranging from physiotherapy to surgeries to heal him from paralysis. During that visit, Liam had only managed to have a conversation with Alisha before driving her home and then heading to his own mansion.Today, however, was different. He had been given a specific time to come and see Richard. He entered Sky Care and parked his car in the garage, feeling a mix of anticipation and concern.As he walked into the hospital, the sterile smell of disinfectant filled his nostrils. He made his way to the reception desk, where a friendly nurse greeted him."Good afternoon, Mr. Carter. You're here to see Mr. Richard Carl, correct?" she aske
Chapter 225After paying Richard a visit and spending quality time with Alisha, Liam left the hospital and drove home, looking forward to a good rest after the day. But on his way, his phone rang. He glanced at the caller ID and saw it was one of his top workers."Hello, what's up?" Liam answered."Hello sir, it's Carter Comb. The building is on fire!" The worker's voice was filled with panic."What?!" Liam couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Are you sure? How bad is it?""It's not a small fire," the worker continued, his voice trembling. "You need to come down right away. The fire department is on their way, but it's spreading fast."Panic and terror gripped Liam. "I'm on my way," he said, ending the call abruptly. He pressed down on the gas pedal, driving as fast as he could towards Carter Comb.As he drove, he dialed another number, calling Kai Nakamura. "This is Liam. Have you heard about the fire at Carter Comb?""Fire? No," came the reply. "I'll be heading there now. Do you ha
Chapter 226Liam made his way towards the two firefighters, his heart heavy with worry.Mr. Carter," the chief firefighter greeted him, his voice calm despite the situation. "We need to talk.""What’s going on here?" Liam demanded, struggling to keep his voice steady. "Why did you call me in?"The chief nodded towards the control center. "The fire is mostly contained to the security unit and control center. We believe it was deliberately set."Liam's eyes widened. "Deliberately set? By who?""We don't have all the details yet, but we found some suspicious materials that suggest arson," the chief explained. "We need your cooperation to ensure the safety of everyone trapped, secure all data and to help us understand who might have done this."Liam felt a surge of anger and determination. "What do you need from me?""First, we need to secure any important documents or sensitive information that might be targeted," the chief said, pointing towards the control center of Carter Comb. "Then,
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