2024-10-29 00:31:01James tried to process the shock as he faced Victor in the grand, opulent office.
“So… you’re telling me my father, the man who couldn’t afford hospital bills, was secretly a billionaire?” James’s voice was thick with disbelief.
Victor nodded, his gaze steady. “Not just a billionaire, James. He built Maple Group, one of the largest conglomerates in the country. And as of today, it’s all yours.”
James laughed bitterly. “This feels like some kind of joke. Why would he keep this hidden from us?”
Victor’s expression softened. “David was a man of many secrets, but he wanted you to inherit everything once you were ready. Today is that day.”
James shook his head, struggling to understand. “So… my sister? Her medical expenses?”
Victor leaned forward. “Taken care of. A private team is with her as we speak.”
James exhaled slowly, relief flooding him. “Thank you… I mean, thank you for everything. But I just… I don’t understand why my father would let us live like that.”
Victor studied him for a moment. “Maybe he wanted you to grow strong without relying on wealth. Whatever the reason, he trusted you with this.”
James blinked, still trying to absorb the news. “And the money… you said there was an account?”
Victor handed him a sleek tablet. “Check it yourself.”
James entered his details, his breath catching as the balance popped up. “$160 million…”
“Consider it a start,” Victor said calmly.
“A start?” James’s voice was barely a whisper. He shook his head, forcing himself back to the present. “Thank you, Victor. I mean it. This changes… everything.”
Victor gave a slight smile. “It’s your legacy, James. Make the most of it.”
At the hospital, James sat beside Emily’s bed, watching her as she lay asleep, a peaceful contrast to the pain that had haunted her.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more before,” he murmured, gently squeezing her hand. “But from now on, everything will be different. I’ll protect you, Emily. I swear.”
He thought back to the accident, his chest tightening with anger. He now knew who was behind it—Tom Mason, the wealthy playboy who’d walked away scot-free.
James clenched his fists. “I won’t let him get away with it,” he muttered. “He’s going to pay for what he did to you.”
The memory of Victor’s words echoed in his mind: Tom Mason might be powerful, but he’s not invincible.
“Not anymore,” James vowed under his breath. He knew what he had to do.
Just then, his phone buzzed. He frowned, surprised to see a voice message from Pamela.
“Hey… I transferred fifty thousand to your account. Don’t ask why. Just… use it for whatever you need,” she said, her tone unexpectedly gentle.
James couldn’t help but smile. Pamela, who always seemed distant, had gone out of her way to help. Maybe there was still some kindness in her after all.
An idea formed. “Time to show some appreciation.”
He found himself at the city’s most luxurious jewelry store, eyes fixed on a dazzling necklace in the display case.
The sales assistant beamed. “This is ‘Eternal Love.’ One of a kind. $800,000.”
Without a second thought, James nodded. “I’ll take it.”
As he arrived home, a black Mercedes parked out front caught his eye. His stomach twisted when he recognized it.
“Tom,” he muttered, a surge of anger rising within him.
Taking a steadying breath, he clenched his fists. It’s time to settle things, once and for all.
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Chapter 111
The lights flickered as the metal doors hissed open.Emily stood frozen at the sight of him.Ethan.But not the brother she remembered—the one who teased her about her cooking, who used to hum old rock songs while fixing the engine on their dad’s truck. This Ethan moved like a shadow. Cold. Precise.His eyes scanned the room with mechanical calculation. When they landed on her, something flickered—but then vanished like mist under sunlight.“Emily Shaw,” he said. Voice monotone. “Target confirmed.”“No—Ethan, it’s me. It’s Em.”She took a shaky step forward. He didn’t move.“I remember the fire,” she said, heart pounding. “Valkyrie base. You told me to run. You covered me with your coat, remember? You burned your arm so I could get out.”His hand twitched.For a second—just a second—his lips parted, confused. But then a sharp, unseen signal surged through him. He straightened like a soldier.“You are a variable,” he said. “You must be neutralized.”She barely dodged the first strike.
Chapter 110
Emergency lights bathed the courtyard in a crimson hue as sirens pierced the night. Faculty scrambled through corridors, ushering students out of their dormitories. Within five minutes of Nash’s call, the school was nearly empty—except for one figure.Emily.She stood in the library’s upper gallery, staring out the window at the chaos unfolding below. Her breath was steady, her hands clenched. She knew Liam was making his move. And she wasn’t going to run.Maple HQ – Tactical Bay – 1:07 AM“We have motion sensors tripped on the Academy’s west perimeter,” Damien reported. “Evacuation’s in progress. No casualties—yet.”Victor’s eyes locked with James’s. “You think he’s bluffing?”James shook his head. “Liam doesn’t bluff. He performs.”Pamela rushed in, phone to her ear. “Emily’s not answering. She’s not on the evac list.”James’s expression hardened. “She stayed behind.”“Why would she—”“Because she wants to end it.”James grabbed his jacket and turned to Victor. “Prep the team. We go
Chapter 109
Liam’s MistakeLocation: Ravencliff – Abandoned Rail YardTime: 9:12 PMThe rain came down hard, slicing through the dark like glass. James stood at the edge of the old Ravencliff rail yard, hidden beneath the overhang of a rusted structure. His breath misted in the cold air, but his mind burned—sharp, focused.This was Liam’s last known meeting point. According to intel extracted from the captured intruder—now rotting in a hidden cell beneath Maple HQ—Liam was scheduled to meet one of his European allies here.Victor’s voice crackled through James’s earpiece.“North tunnel’s clear. No sign of movement.”“Copy,” James replied. “Damien?”“Got eyes on the east. There’s someone approaching.” A beat. “Female. Tall. Blonde. Marissa Vane.”James’s jaw clenched.Time to move.Platform 3 – 9:17 PMMarissa Vane stood beneath a cracked canopy, her designer heels out of place against the gravel and rust. She lit a cigarette, hands trembling slightly. Her eyes scanned the dark. No Liam.Then Jame
Chapter 108
Underground Bunker – 03:17 AMEmily jolted awake, drenched in sweat. The lights above flickered briefly before stabilizing. Silence settled again—too deep, too complete. She swung her legs over the edge of the cot, listening.Then she heard it.A faint, rhythmic hum—metal on concrete. Wheels. Slow. Deliberate.Emily moved swiftly to the control panel, triggering the silent alarm James had taught her to use only in emergencies. Green lights blinked—no breaches registered. But something wasn’t right.The hum grew louder.She reached under the bed, pulling out the emergency pistol stashed beneath the floorboard.Maple Group Command Center – Same TimeJames’s phone buzzed once.He checked the encrypted alert on his private screen. His blood turned cold.BUNKER: PERIMETER SENSOR FAILURE – EAST CORRIDORHe was already moving before Victor could speak. “Lock down the estate. Scramble the bunker guards. I want eyes on every access point.”Pamela stepped into the room, her expression drawn. “E
Chapter 107
Note inside the box:“You missed. Again. But don’t worry—next time, I won’t.”—LVictor scanned the area with growing unease. “He’s mocking us.”James stared at the bullet in his palm. It was polished, engraved with a number: 82.Pamela’s age? A countdown? A code?Damien circled the perimeter. “No surveillance. No footprints. They scrubbed everything clean. He wanted us to find this.”James slipped the bullet back into the box and handed it to Victor. “Send it to forensics. I want every trace of print, chemical, or toolmark pulled from that casing.”Victor nodded, already on his comms.Damien tilted his head. “You think this is a threat to Pamela?”James didn’t answer immediately. Then, grimly, “No. I think it’s a threat to me. A reminder that he can reach anyone I care about.”James’s Estate – Later That MorningPamela sat curled on the edge of the sofa, watching the fire crackle in the hearth. Her hair was still damp, her robe exchanged for one of James’s oversized shirts.He steppe
Chapter 106
The Trap TightensThe next morning, Emily stood by the window of her safehouse, coffee untouched in her hands. She hadn’t slept. The silence of the apartment was suffocating, each creak and shadow pulling her nerves tighter.She flinched when her phone buzzed.Unknown Number: You should’ve stayed on campus.Her hands trembled. A second message appeared—this time, an image. It showed her from behind, standing at that same window, moments ago.Emily dropped the phone.Downstairs, one of the guards caught the alert from the security system. James’s team had swept the apartment, locked down the perimeter, but clearly, someone had gotten close—too close.Maple Group HeadquartersJames’s eyes were bloodshot as he read Emily’s forwarded messages.“She’s supposed to be in a secure location,” he growled.Victor was already coordinating. “I’m pulling the surveillance now. Whoever got that photo had to be within fifty feet. If we’re lucky, they tripped a motion sensor.”Pamela hovered nearby, te
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