UNDER THE ASHES

Meeting Victor

“Ethan, it’s been too long.” The voice came from behind him, familiar but sharper than he remembered.

Ethan turned around slowly. His heart raced at the sight of a figure stepping out from the shadows. “Victor?” His voice was filled with disbelief.

Victor Chen, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, smiled, though his eyes didn’t quite match the expression. “Surprised to see me?” he asked, walking closer, his hands casually resting in his pockets.

Ethan blinked, trying to make sense of it all. “I... I didn’t think you were still around. After all these years...”

Victor chuckled softly. “You think I’d just disappear? No, Ethan. I’ve been keeping an eye on you. Quietly, of course.”

Ethan frowned, stepping closer, feeling the weight of their history. “Why didn’t you ever reach out?”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “And what would I have said? That your so-called perfect life was about to collapse? That your wife would betray you, and you’d lose everything?” He shrugged. “You wouldn’t have believed me.”

Ethan clenched his fists, his mind flashing back to everything that had happened with Sophia. “You knew?”

Victor’s smile faded, and his expression turned serious. “I knew what was coming. I saw it all from the sidelines. But you weren’t ready to hear it. You needed to fall, Ethan. You had to lose it all before you could rise again.”

Ethan’s jaw tightened. “And now?”

Victor’s eyes gleamed. “Now, you’re ready.”

There was a long pause between them, the weight of the past and the uncertainty of the future hanging in the air.

Ethan finally broke the silence. “So, what now? You’ve been watching. Do you have a plan?”

Victor smirked. “I always have a plan.”

Ethan shook his head. “Why are you here, Victor? After all these years, why now?”

Victor’s eyes softened for a moment. “Because, Ethan, you need me. And whether you like it or not, we’re still brothers.”

Ethan let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. The memories of their childhood—running through the streets, dreaming of a future they thought they could control—flooded his mind. But now, things were different. The stakes were much higher.

“I don’t know if I can trust you,” Ethan admitted, his voice low.

Victor chuckled again, but this time there was no humor in it. “Trust? Ethan, trust is a luxury we can’t afford anymore. Not with what’s coming.”

Ethan frowned. “What do you mean?”

Victor stepped closer, his voice dropping to a whisper. “Sophia... Lucas... they aren’t the real enemy.”

Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Then who is?”

Victor glanced around, as if checking for anyone who might be listening, then leaned in. “The ones behind them. The ones who’ve been pulling the strings this whole time.”

Ethan stared at him, confusion and anger swirling inside him. “You’re not making any sense.”

Victor’s eyes hardened. “I’m making perfect sense. You just haven’t seen the full picture yet.”

Ethan took a step back, his head spinning with questions. “What do you want from me, Victor?”

Victor’s smile returned, but it was colder this time. “I want what’s mine. And together, we can get it.”

Ethan’s stomach twisted. “This isn’t just about revenge, is it?”

Victor shook his head slowly. “Revenge is just the beginning.”

Ethan crossed his arms, feeling the tension between them grow. “So, what’s your role in all of this?”

Victor smirked, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “I’m the one who takes down the king.”

Ethan raised an eyebrow. “King?”

“Sophia, Lucas, the board members—they all think they’re untouchable,” Victor explained, pacing slowly. “But they don’t know what’s coming. They don’t know you’ve returned.”

Ethan was quiet for a moment, thinking about everything Victor had said. His mind raced with possibilities. Could Victor really help him bring them down? Could they work together after all these years?

“I’m not the same person I was,” Ethan finally said. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

Victor stopped pacing and looked directly at him. “That’s where you’re wrong, Ethan. You are exactly who you need to be. They took everything from you, but they couldn’t take your name. And now, you’re going to make sure they never forget it.”

Ethan swallowed hard. His hands shook slightly as he thought about what Victor was saying. Sophia and Lucas had destroyed him, humiliated him, thrown him aside like he was nothing. But what if Victor was right? What if this was his chance to take everything back—and more?

“And what do you get out of this?” Ethan asked, eyeing Victor suspiciously.

Victor smirked again. “I get my piece of the empire. I helped build it, remember?”

Ethan’s eyes widened. “What are you talking about?”

Victor stepped closer, his voice lowering again. “You think your family’s empire came from nowhere? Think again. I was there. I helped them make deals, connections... everything. But when your family collapsed, I was pushed aside.”

Ethan’s breath caught in his throat. “You... you were involved?”

Victor nodded slowly. “More than you know.”

Ethan shook his head, trying to piece everything together. “So you want what’s owed to you.”

Victor smiled. “Exactly.”

The rain outside had stopped, but the tension inside the room was palpable. Ethan felt like the ground was shifting beneath him, the truth unraveling bit by bit.

“So, what do we do now?” Ethan asked, his voice steady but uncertain.

Victor’s eyes gleamed. “We take them down, one by one. Starting with Sophia.”

Ethan’s heart raced at the mention of her name. “Sophia...”

Victor nodded. “She’s the key. Take her down, and the rest will fall.”

Ethan clenched his fists, anger bubbling up inside him. Sophia had treated him like dirt, but now he had a chance to turn the tables. With Victor by his side, he might actually stand a chance.

“But what’s your plan?” Ethan asked, his voice firm.

Victor leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. “It’s simple. We make her think she’s still in control. We let her think she’s won. And then, when she’s at her most vulnerable, we strike.”

Ethan’s mind raced. Could he really do this? Could he play the same game that Sophia had played on him? It felt wrong, but at the same time, it felt like justice.

“I don’t know if I’m ready,” Ethan said quietly.

Victor’s hand landed on his shoulder, squeezing it tightly. “You’re ready, Ethan. You’ve been ready for years. You just needed someone to remind you.”

Ethan looked up at him, uncertainty flickering in his eyes. “And you’re sure this will work?”

Victor smiled, his eyes gleaming with confidence. “Trust me. By the time we’re done, Sophia won’t even know what hit her.”

Ethan took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his decision settle over him. He had spent so long being the victim, letting others control his life. But now, with Victor by his side, he had a chance to change everything.

“I’m in,” Ethan said, his voice firm.

Victor grinned. “Good. Now, let’s get to work.”

Ethan glanced out the window, the city lights flickering in the distance. His mind was swirling with thoughts, plans, and possibilities. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he had some control over his life. 

But as the car began to move again, a nagging thought gnawed at the back of his mind.

“What happens if we fail?” Ethan asked quietly, his voice barely audible.

Victor’s grin faded, and he looked Ethan square in the eyes. “We won’t.”

Ethan’s stomach twisted, his mind racing with doubt. Could they really pull this off? Or was this just the beginning of another nightmare?

He wasn’t sure. But one thing was clear—there was no turning back now.