Stefan finished humming his tune at the same time that he entered his bedroom. As he began to undo the buttons on his shirt, he heard a sound that was very unpleasant to him.It was the ringtone of his third phone.Stefan had three phones. The first was the one he carried with him daily; he used it in public and whenever he needed to give out his number to family or friends—which rarely happened—he would give them the number of the SIM card on that phone.His second phone was his work phone, which he used to talk with business partners and contractors for Sinclair Enterprises.Then there was his third phone. It was also a work phone, but it wasn’t for the type of work that he was known for. It was for more off-the-book operations, and an unexpected call on that phone hardly ever meant anything good.With a heavy sigh and a huff, Stefan abruptly put a stop to unbuttoning his shirt and walked over to the bedside drawer.He opened the drawer and took out a scarf from it. He unfolded the
After Willam’s threat, Stefan didn’t say a word, and neither did William. The silence lasted for all of five seconds before William broke it.“What’s the matter, Stefan? You aren’t so high and mighty anymore, are you? I’ll send you the account details so you can transfer me my first payment,” William said smugly.“Go ahead,” Stefan finally said. His tone was calm and almost mocking."Yeah, I’m about to send it,” William replied, misunderstanding Stefan."No, not that. Go ahead and tell Jason,” Stefan scoffed.William huffed angrily. “You think I’m bluffing, don’t you?”"No, I don’t. Go ahead and give him what evidence you think you have; in fact, send the evidence over to me, and I’ll give it to him personally." Stefan mocked Stefan made sure to take extra precautions whenever he did any shady business. He was confident that William didn’t actually have any evidence against him and was only bluffing to extort him.“I can’t wait for you to speak with Jason. He’s an opportunistic lowl
“What are you talking about?” Jason asked his tone a mix of confusion and anxiety.“I can’t say much for now because there’s a possibility that I won't need to disclose the information. But let me know where you’ll be tomorrow night. If you’re lucky, then your enemy won’t meet my requirements, and I'll tell you all you want to know,” William said. Jason grew annoyed by the vague manner in which William spoke. “Can I get a name? Who is this enemy?” Jason asked.“You already know who it is. The man who tricked you and took advantage of your naivety. That’s all I’ll say. Don’t forget to let me know where you’ll be tomorrow night,” William said, then hung up before Jason could voice out any of his questions or confusion.After William hung up, Jason stared at his phone in confusion, but it only took him a second before the answer clicked.“Stefan. It has to be Stefan,” Jason muttered, his voice just loud enough for Connor, who had been listening intently to Jason’s side of the conversat
“How do I look?” Jason asked as he stepped into his living room, his presence commanding the attention of Reuben and Timothy.The long-awaited night of the Elysiam Syndicate anniversary party had finally come.Jason was dressed in a tailored, midnight-black tuxedo that hugged his athletic frame perfectly. The crisp, white shirt beneath the jacket contrasted sharply with the dark fabric, emphasising the sleek lines of the ensemble. A classic black bow tie completed the look, and polished black dress shoes gleamed with each step he took.“Mr. Timothy, quick! Call the North Pole and tell them they're missing a penguin,” Reuben said in a playful tone as he handed Timothy his phone.The three men broke into a fit of laughter before focusing back on Jason.“You look dashing, Young Master,” Timothy said, his voice full of pride."Yeah, if you end up not liking the presidency thing, then you should take up modelling. Vogue would take you in a heartbeat,” Reuben added. Even though he was exagg
“Were you around the Upper West Side recently?” Timothy asked Connor as they waited for Jason and Reuben to join them in the car.Since Timothy was sitting in the backseat and Connor was in the front seat, Timothy didn’t see Connor tense up at his question.“So he did see me the day I was in front of his house,” Connor thought to himself. “Upper West Side? No, I hardly ever have any reason to be in an area like that." Connor lied effortlessly, his voice lower than usual."Hmm, okay then,” Timothy said, but Connor knew that response well, and he knew that it meant that Timothy wasn’t convinced.Being alone in the car with Timothy was almost a suffocating experience for Connor. He felt like he was just one wrong answer or wrong movement away from being found out.He had spent so many years around him, so his fears of Timothy finding him out and ruining his plans were not irrational.After all, he had done it once before.The thing he was most afraid of was Timothy recognising his voic
“With immense pleasure, I present to you the new President of the Elysian Syndicate, the man who has risen to the top against all odds, Mr. Jason Grey.”The reaction to the presidential announcement was nothing short of a mix of emotions.There were the people who erupted into cheers and claps, the loudest among them coming from Reuben and Timothy.There were others who were slightly confused. They were sure that the new president would be a well-known billionaire or the well-known child of a billionaire, but the name Jason Grey was new to them. Nevertheless, they clapped and anticipated his arrival on stage.Then there was the final category of people—the Sinclairs. Nothing could have prepared them for the announcement. Annette, Noah, and David all let out audible gasps, not seeming to care that they were in public.Annette looked at Diana as if she would have all the answers. “Diana, tell me she isn't talking about what we’re all thinking.”“Mom… I don't-”“There’s no way,” Andrew
“Hello Everyone, Sorry, I was late. Last-minute wardrobe change,” Jason said, then he removed his cap, revealing his face to the crowd.The room fell silent. The guests exchanged puzzled glances, trying to determine if this was a joke or if the man in drab clothing was truly the president of the Elysian Syndicate.“No, there’s no way,” someone muttered.“They need to stop wasting time and bring the real president out,” another whispered.Members of the crowd whispered their doubts amongst themselves. But the loudest reaction wasn't one of words, and it came from none other than Stefan.Stefan’s grip on his glass tightened, and his face paled. The realisation hit him like a thunderbolt—Jason Grey, the man he had despised and plotted against, was the president of the continent’s largest company. The shock was so overwhelming that he lost his grip, and the glass slipped from his hand, shattering on the floor.The sound of breaking glass drew a few curious glances, but Stefan was too stun
Once Stefan read the last sentence of the text message, all he could see was red. He gave one last glare towards Jason, who was still speaking, the sight of him only amplifying Stefan’s rage.“You can’t let anyone see you lose control,” Stefan whispered to himself.Determined not to let his emotions show, Stefan took a deep breath and walked out of the crowded hall, concentrating on each step. Every muscle seemed to be under tight control, fighting against the urge to rush or falter. “Where are you going, dear?" Annette stuttered as Stefan walked out, but he didn’t turn back, and soon he was out of the main hall.The Grand Lumière was like a labyrinth, with its myriad rooms and hidden corners. However, Stefan was able to easily locate one of the libraries.As he walked inside the empty, quiet room, he could feel the tension in his body subside. Now that he could think somewhat clearly, he needed to come up with a plan to get rid of William for good. And he needed to do it before Jaso