THE LOST BILLIONAIRE SON

chapter ten

James watched as the Smith family's empire began to tremble. It was happening just as he had orchestrated. The first part of his plan was in motion. Robert Smith's name had been dragged through the mud in a carefully crafted series of leaks, each one more damaging than the last.

First, an anonymous tip to a major news outlet revealed questionable financial dealings from Robert's company, painting him as a man willing to do anything to secure a deal.

Then, whispers of insider trading spread across the stock market, sending the Smith family’s shares plummeting. James smiled to himself, savoring the success of his work. The groundwork had been laid, and Robert was already faltering under the pressure.

"Everything’s falling into place," James muttered to Victor, who stood by the door, arms crossed and observing. "But it’s just the beginning. Robert doesn’t know it yet, but this is only the first step."

Victor nodded. "The contract’s the next move. We make him desperate enough that he’ll have no choice but to sign on your terms."

James’s eyes gleamed with determination. "That’s the plan. But it’s not just about business. It’s about breaking him."

Jenna sat in the high-rise apartment she shared with James, the view of the city lights doing little to calm the unease churning in her stomach. She had always prided herself on her ability to play the game, to be the perfect fiancée and the perfect partner. But now, as the tension in their relationship grew, she couldn’t ignore the feeling that she was merely a pawn in James’s larger scheme.

As much as she loved him—and she did, despite everything—there was a part of her that felt used. There were moments, like tonight, when she would catch James in the middle of one of his manipulative conversations, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she was being groomed for something far darker than she had anticipated. The power plays. The calculated moves. The way he could twist people around his finger with nothing more than a few words. It was thrilling, but it was also terrifying.

Her fingers tapped nervously on the armrest of the couch as she stared at the papers in front of her. She had caught a glimpse of one of the documents, a detailed list of people he was planning to ruin in Robert’s orbit. She wasn’t sure if she had been meant to see it, or if James had simply forgotten it was lying there. Either way, the realization hit her like a punch to the gut.

I’m a part of this now, she thought. There’s no turning back.

She had to face the uncomfortable truth. The path James was on was dangerous, and she was no longer sure where she stood. Was she just a tool to further his agenda, or was she something more to him? He had told her he loved her, but the way he wielded power made her question everything.

"Jenna, you okay?" a voice called from the kitchen.

It was James. His tone was casual, but Jenna could sense the underlying tension in it. He had been more on edge lately, a sharpness in his eyes that didn’t go unnoticed. She forced a smile and turned toward him, trying to mask her inner turmoil.

"Yeah, just... thinking," she replied, standing up and walking toward him. "About everything. About us."

James raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued but also somewhat distant. "Us? There is no 'us' without the bigger picture. And you know that."

His words hit her like a cold wave. She had once believed in the ‘us,’ in the promise of their future together. But as time went on, it became clear that their relationship was merely another part of his master plan.

"I know," she whispered, the knot in her stomach tightening. "I just... want to know where I fit into this. Into all of this, James."

For a moment, there was silence between them. James’s eyes softened, but only slightly, before he masked his emotions with a smirk.

"You fit exactly where you need to be," he said cryptically. "But remember, Jenna, there’s no turning back from this."

Jenna nodded, her mind whirling with conflicting emotions. She wasn’t sure if she was ready for the path James was leading her down, but there was no escaping it now.

Emma, on the other hand, was doing everything she could to piece together the mystery that was James. She had watched from the sidelines as her world crumbled, her marriage to Mark strained, and her sense of self eroded. The only thing that remained was her obsession with James—his cold indifference to her, his cryptic ways, and now, the growing sense that he was always steps ahead.

Late one night, she found herself following James discreetly. Her heart pounded as she tracked him through the streets of New York, keeping a safe distance behind him. It was clear he was meeting someone. The way he carried himself, the confident strides—he was going somewhere important. But Emma couldn’t help the uneasy feeling that crept up on her as she continued her surveillance.

He entered a sleek, upscale building without even a glance around, disappearing behind the glass doors. Emma hesitated for a moment before pulling out her phone. She texted Mark a quick message: “I’m going to follow him.”

Her heart raced, but she couldn’t back down now. She needed answers, no matter what the cost.

Mark, having spent the past few days trying to piece together the scattered information about his wife’s connection with James, had started to grow more and more concerned. There was something off about the way Emma acted when it came to James. Something that hinted at a deeper connection, something that she wasn’t telling him.

He had already confronted her once, but she had denied everything, and he had let it slide. But the truth was gnawing at him. He couldn’t ignore the signs any longer. And when he saw Emma slip out of the house tonight, he knew exactly what she was doing.

He wasn’t going to let it go any further. He would confront James. He would force him to admit what was going on between them, even if it meant threatening him.

Mark knew this would be dangerous. He wasn’t a match for James in terms of power or manipulation, but he had to try. For Emma. For their marriage.

With a grim determination, Mark made his way toward James’s penthouse. He wasn’t sure how this would end, but one thing was certain: he wasn’t walking away without answers.

Inside the penthouse, James received the call he had been expecting. Mark.

He picked up the phone, his voice smooth as ever. "Mark. What’s on your mind?"

Mark’s voice was tight with barely contained anger. "I know what’s going on, James. I know what you’re doing to Emma."

James’s smirk widened. "I’m sure you think you do, but you don’t."

Mark paused, his frustration evident. "I’m done playing games. Whatever you think you’re doing with my wife, it ends tonight."

James chuckled darkly. "You can try, Mark. But trust me when I say, you’re in over your head."

The line went silent, and James hung up, his face illuminated only by the soft glow of the city lights. This was exactly what he had been waiting for. Mark’s desperation had just become another piece of his plan.

"Let him come," James muttered to himself. "This is only the beginning."

As the night grew darker, the tension in the air became thicker, the web of secrets and lies pulling everyone deeper into its grip.