Back at the villa, Oliver’s parents settled into the warmth of their home, but the tension of the night lingered.Elena brewed a pot of tea, her movements quick and precise as if she could chase away the fear that still hung in the air.Oliver stood by the large bay window, his gaze fixed on the horizon, though his mind was far from the serene view.“Oliver,” his mother called softly, pulling him from his thoughts.She approached him, her frail hand reaching for his arm. You saved us. You risked so much... but are you truly safe now?”He turned to face her, his expression tender yet determined.“I’m always safe as long as I know you and Dad are okay.”His father, sitting upright in a chair despite his exhaustion, cleared his throat.“Don’t brush off her concern, son. Grayson is just the beginning. A man like him doesn’t act alone.”Oliver nodded, his jaw tightening.“I’m aware, Dad. I’ll handle whatever comes next.”Elena entered the room with a tray of steaming mugs.“And you won’t
The villa was eerily quiet that night.The kind of silence that hinted at something brewing beneath the surface.Oliver sat in his study, the amber glow of the desk lamp illuminating the papers spread before him. Financial reports, security updates, and a dossier on David’s known associates stared back at him, but his mind wasn’t on them.A soft knock on the door broke his concentration. He glanced up to see Elena standing in the doorway, a steaming mug in her hand.“You’ve been in here for hours,” she said gently, walking over and placing the mug beside him. “It’s late, Oliver. Come to bed.”“I can’t,” he replied, rubbing his temples. “Not yet. There are too many loose ends.”Elena pulled up a chair beside him, her concerned eyes scanning his face.“David’s gone. What more needs to be done?”“It’s not just David,” Oliver admitted, leaning back in his chair. “The network he built—the alliances he formed—they’re still out there. And Grayson wasn’t working alone either. There’s someone
The villa stood in an unusual calm the next morning, its silence deceptive. Oliver was seated on the terrace, sipping his coffee while scanning the latest intelligence reports.Elena joined him shortly, holding her own cup.The soft morning sunlight fell on her face, but her expression was far from serene.“Any updates?” she asked, sitting beside him.“None worth celebrating,” Oliver replied, placing the report down. “Maverick’s arrest gave us some leads, but they’ve hit a dead end. Whoever’s behind him is more careful, more calculated.”Before Elena could respond, Oliver’s phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at the screen and frowned.The call was from an unknown number. Hesitating for only a moment, he answered.“Roberts,” he said curtly.A smooth, unfamiliar voice replied, dripping with mockery.“Ah, Oliver Roberts. The man who toppled empires and sleeps soundly in his ivory tower.”“Who is this?” Oliver demanded, his voice sharp.“You may call me Lucian,” the man said, his tone
The cold air of the French countryside brushed against the estate’s high walls, but the atmosphere inside was far colder. Lucian, once the puppet master pulling strings in the shadows, now sat at the long table like a dethroned king. His slick composure was cracking, his hands gripping the table’s edge as Oliver loomed over him.Nero stood by the entrance, his imposing frame and calculated gaze ensuring no one dared move. Elena, though she had been advised to stay behind, had slipped into the scene, watching the confrontation unfold from a shadowed corner. She couldn’t tear her eyes away from Oliver, who embodied an unstoppable force of justice.Oliver’s voice was cold as steel. “You’ve built your empire on fear and manipulation, Lucian. But tonight, you face someone who doesn’t fear you.”Lucian smirked weakly, trying to recover some semblance of control. “Do you think taking me down will end this game? There will always be another Lucian, another man ready to seize power.”Oliver le
The crowded hall of the law firm buzzed with the sharp clatter of shoes against marble, muted conversations blending into a symphony of white-collar chaos. Oliver Roberts sat quietly in a corner, his posture unassuming.Dressed in a modest suit, he looked more like an intern than a client. His hands rested lightly on the table before him, fingers tracing the edge of a plain folder.A sharp voice broke through the hum.“Mr. Roberts, you’re up,” a young assistant called, barely sparing him a glance.Oliver rose slowly, his movements deliberate and calm, as if oblivious to the dismissive looks cast his way. He walked to the conference room, where a polished mahogany table dominated the space.Sitting at the far end, flanked by two lawyers, was Richard Vaughn—a man whose name commanded fear in financial and legal circles.Vaughn’s sharp features twisted into a smirk as Oliver entered.“Well, well, if it isn’t the infamous Oliver Roberts.”Vaughn drawled, leaning back in his chair. His tai
The sunlight felt foreign to Oliver as he stepped out of the prison gates. After a year of confinement, freedom felt like a breath of fresh air that he had never felt before.However, at the end of the road, Mark, his best friend who had come to pick him up, looked uncharacteristic. His face was pale, and his expression serious.Oliver smiled slightly, trying to lighten the dark mood. "Mark, you look like you just got out of prison, not me," Oliver joked, "Am I that terrifying?"Mark forced a smile, but there was none of his usual cheerfulness. Oliver started feeling curious."Well, where are my parents? And Katie? Why aren't they coming to pick me up?" Oliver asked casually, slightly perturbed by the absence of both his parents and his girlfriend.Mark was silent for a moment, looking hesitant. Oliver's eyes narrowed. Something was wrong.Then, Mark let out a long breath before finally opening his mouth. "Oliver... your father is dying."Oliver couldn’t believe what he just heard. Th
“What? Why? What happened?” Oliver asked, his eyes widening in surprise.Mark told him, "Oliver, actually, after you went to prison, your lover left without a word. She abandoned your parents even after the sacrifices you made for her."All this time, he thought that his girlfriend was looking after his parents while he was in prison. But he didn't expect that she would actually run away from his family.Oliver fell to the floor feeling devastated. He was sad, disappointed, and felt guilty about everything that had happened.And all of this is his fault. If I did he wouldn't defend his girlfriend, who he thought was a good woman. After all the chaos that happened, his lover actually betrayed him.“Now you know what happened to us, right?” his mother asked.Her husband was dying of heart disease. There is no solution for them to cure them because of the lack of money they have.“I'm sorry, Mom… I'm sorry… I didn't know if things would turn out like this." Oliver sobbed as he cried in h
As the gangsters fled, Oliver stood in silence, his breath still heavy from the confrontation.The victory over the thugs gave him no satisfaction; it only brought back painful memories he had tried so hard to suppress."How could Kate do all that to me after the sacrifices I made," Oliver whispered with his hands clenched into fists.Oliver looked down at his father lying weakly on the bed, his breathing labored and his face pale.His heart broke seeing the condition of the man who had raised him so lovingly. Guilt continued to haunt his mind; this suffering was because of him.It seemed like he was too blinded by love. He risked his life for the woman he thought would always be there for him no matter what, but the truth is...While he was in prison, Kate left without a word and abandoned his family.Oliver was inflamed by great disappointment. "I have to see her and ask her for an explanation in person. But before that, I need to heal my mom and dad." His father was dying, and Oli