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2024-11-27 17:06:51Factions within the company were restless, each vying for power in the absence of Joshua.
He was the only one keeping them in check.
The whispers of betrayal and ambition crept through the halls like a storm on the horizon.
Molly leaned against her desk, a mocking smile on her lips.
"You think you’re something special, don’t you?"
She laughed, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"You’re just a nobody, a lost orphan. If it weren’t for the Anderson family, you’d be begging for scraps."
Joshua’s eyes narrowed at her words.
He knew she was trying to get under his skin, but he had learned from her father, the patriarch of the Anderson family.
Molly rolled her eyes, unfazed.
"We’re about to tie the knot with the Northridge family. Charlie is everything you’re not. He’ll make this family strong, unlike you."
Her laughter echoed, cutting through the silence of the office.
"And when that happens, you’ll see just how irrelevant you really are."
Her words stung, but Joshua remained composed.
He had poured his heart and soul into the Anderson family, but now he sensed the storm brewing within.
He knew that the Northridge family held a pivotal position in the capital, not only with extensive connections but also possessing astonishing power.
Should the marriage alliance be successful, the Anderson family would become even stronger, and as an outsider like him, he would ultimately find it difficult to reverse the situation.
The air shifted as the realization dawned on him: the Andersons had been preparing for this moment for far too long to let him escape easily.
Although he has devoted all his efforts to the family this year, he now feels exhausted and yearns for relief.
"Joshua, you need to come with us," one of the officers said, attempting to sound authoritative.
Joshua met their eyes, calm and unwavering.
"I’ll go with you," he said, his voice low and steady.
The officers exchanged glances, uncertain.
One of the policemen stepped forward to try to put handcuffs on him, but Joshua looked up and gave them a cold glance.
He calmly glanced at them, and the policemen tensed up instantly, involuntarily taking a step back.
They had never felt such immense pressure in anyone's gaze, not even comparable to that of the chief of police.
Joshua strode confidently toward the exit.
The officers, still in shock, stumbled after him, unsure how this encounter had slipped so far from their control.
Molly watched as Joshua walked away, her smile returning with a vengeance.
She quickly dialed Charlie’s number, excitement bubbling in her chest.
"Charlie, it's Molly," she tried to keep her voice calm, but couldn't hide the excitement in her tone.
"Oh, Molly, you sound delighted," Charlie's voice on the other end of the line was gentle and charming, causing a thrill in her heart.
"The plan is complete, Joshua didn't even resist," Molly's voice was filled with pride, "just as we anticipated, he had no way to stop any of this."
Charlie chuckled, his voice exuding confidence.
"That's great, I'm coming to see you today. We need to discuss the next arrangements."
Molly felt her heart race, imagining Charlie by her side, a wave of sweetness welling up inside her.
"I'm ready, waiting for you."
The thought of him sent a thrill down her spine.
He was everything she wanted—a powerful ally, handsome and charming.
Later, Joshua got out of the car and stepped into the police station, a picture of calm.
Walking into the police station, he glanced around indifferently, his gaze falling on the table in front of him, and he slowly sat down.
The officers behind him felt a mix of confusion and unease.
They had expected a defiant suspect, not a man who carried himself with such poise as if he was the chief here.
Joshua smiled, seemingly seeing through their hesitation.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, producing a crisp sound that broke the silence in the room.
"I don't have time to waste on pointless conversations," he added, his tone hinting at a bit of impatience, yet still polite.
"Get your chief here," he said slowly, each word dripping with authority. "I want to speak with him."
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Ethan and his team stared at the crowd around them, rooted to the spot.On every side, people packed the streets, eyes lifted with reverence as a single name thundered from their lips."Welcome, Joshua!"The chant echoed, a wall of sound, reverberating off every surface, drowning out the city’s usual chaos.Ethan’s grip tightened on his weapon as he exchanged glances with his men, each of them wide-eyed, shaken.These people weren’t here to challenge them—they were here for Joshua.But how had he done it? How had he, amidst all this turmoil, gathered a crowd so vast and loyal?The man in question, Joshua, stood in the center of it all with serene calm.His eyes swept across the throng before he took a single step forward, his voice low but cutting through the noise."Jaguar gave me his word," Joshua stated, his tone firm but level. "He said he wouldn’t cross the border. Has he gone back on that?"A figure moved within the crowd, breaking through with quick, deliberate steps.A man in
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The suited man stood at the edge of the mountain plateau, his sharp silhouette cutting against the overcast sky."Because this place is sacred." His voice carried an almost reverent tone, the words heavy with meaning."Down there—" he gestured vaguely toward the unseen valley below "—men spill blood like water. But up here? No one dares disturb the mountain’s peace."Ethan shivered, though it wasn’t from the cold.Even from a distance, Joshua seemed untouchable, a monument of quiet strength against the raging storm.From beneath his coat, he produced a small bottle of whiskey he just bought, its amber contents gleaming briefly before he poured a generous measure onto the grave.The liquid darkened the snow in front of the marker, steam curling up like a fleeting spirit.“Teacher,” Joshua murmured, his voice low but firm, carried away almost instantly by the howling wind.The name on the gravestone was Jack Anderson, a name that had once commanded respect and fear alike.Jack wasn’t ju
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Charlie stood in the office, staring at the bank statements in disbelief. His mind raced, but the numbers didn’t add up. How had Joshua managed to give away so much money—year after year—without anyone noticing? It was impossible to reconcile with the image of the man they’d always known. The amount of money he was sending to these families, the support for all these widows, it didn’t fit into the clean narrative Charlie had built around Joshua’s financial dealings.“This is...” Charlie trailed off, a sense of unease creeping into his voice. “This is more than just charity. Something’s wrong here.”Calvin, who had been sitting in a chair across from him, gripped the edge of the desk. He had always been a man of calculated moves, and this revelation shook him to his core. “I don’t get it. How could he afford this? How could he give away this much and not raise suspicions?”Charlie’s mind worked quickly, sifting through the pieces of the puzzle. The answer seemed clear now—Joshua had be
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Chapter 17
Victor O’Brien stood by the window of the small prayer hall, staring out at the sun-drenched horizon. His mind was a storm of conflicting thoughts. The news of Joshua’s arrest had hit him like a slap in the face. The young man had left in such a hurry, but the words had stuck in Victor’s mind, gnawing at him.Joshua, the one man who had forced him to abandon his old, profitable ways—his illicit businesses, the quick money from the border's shadows. With Joshua gone, the path to returning to those practices had just opened up. In the harsh world of Texpanse, where survival often meant bending or breaking the rules, the temptation to go back to his old ways was strong.But something didn’t sit right.Victor had known Joshua for years. He wasn’t just some political pawn or corrupt officer. The man had genuine influence, and a man like Joshua didn’t just fall without a reason. The arrest could be a setup—a trap to test Joshua’s loyalty, a political game orchestrated by those in power. Vic
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Chapter 16
Charlie felt a cold sweat trickle down his spine as he stood before the grieving women, his knees feeling unsteady under the weight of their collective sorrow. They had protested his every word, their voices rising with anger, confusion, and raw pain. Now, they were crying—some silently, others openly weeping.The child in one of the women’s arms stared at him with wide eyes, as if trying to understand why the man before her had brought such destruction to her world.Charlie opened his mouth to speak but found no words. His throat felt tight, his arrogance and defiance now crumbling before the fierce grief in front of him. He looked at the women, each one clutching the memory of a husband, a brother, a father—each one a living testament to the sacrifices their loved ones had made for this country.And Charlie, in his attempt to destroy Joshua, had brought this upon them.He straightened, trying to regain some semblance of control, but the room was silent. The only sound was the soft,
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Ethan’s jaw tightened. His gaze was unwavering, filled with disgust.“You call yourself a patriot? What you’re doing is disrespecting the very heroes who died for this country. These women are grieving. They deserve respect, not your baseless accusations.”Charlie stood tall, arms crossed, staring across the room at Ethan with a cold, dismissive expression.The tension between them was palpable.“You’re making a mistake, Ethan,” Charlie said, his voice laced with arrogance.“I’m not here to ask for permission. Joshua’s actions demand scrutiny. And these women—these so-called ‘widows’—are part of his twisted web.”Charlie sneered, glancing around at the other governors, who were uncomfortably silent.“And what would you have me do, Ethan? Turn a blind eye? These women have been living under Joshua’s protection, enjoying the fruits of his ill-gotten gains. If that means stepping on a few toes to expose the truth, so be it.”Ethan took a step forward, his voice sharp.“This isn’t about e
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The crowd stood in stunned silence as Mary’s voice rang clear, the photograph in her trembling hand a symbol of a life lost for Texpanse's safety.One by one, the other women stepped forward, their own photos clutched against their chests like shields.Each picture told a story of sacrifice, of husbands who had given everything for the state's prosperity.Charlie shifted uncomfortably, his confidence wavering.The silence from the gathered assembly was deafening.His narrative of "mistresses" crumbled beneath the weight of these solemn truths.“These women are the widows of heroes,” Mary declared, her voice strong despite the emotion in her tone.“Our husbands laid down their lives for this state, and Joshua gave us a home to honor their sacrifice.”Ethan, watching from the sidelines, let out a long, quiet sigh.He had never believed the wild accusations against Joshua, but hearing the full truth deepened his respect.He now understood Joshua’s calm demeanor earlier that morning.He’s
