The city lights blurred past as Ven’s vehicle glided through the late evening traffic. It was one of those nights where the air felt wrong, despite the hum of life around him. Elisa had called earlier, her voice calm yet trembling slightly, requesting to meet him. She wanted to talk. About what, he wasn’t sure, but the tone in her voice had suggested something final, something she couldn’t delay anymore. He too wanted to see her as he had missed her greatly. Even if he didn't show it,the news that she divorced gave him the option that he still has an opportunity if he survive the Empire's war, but will still like to take things slowly. He checked the rearview mirror again after noticing a strange thing his eyes captured earlier.Two cars back, the same silver SUV. It had been behind him since he left his apartment.Ven’s jaw tightened. Coincidence? He doubted it. He had lived too long in the shadows to ignore the feeling in his gut. Having encountered different life situations,it w

The morning broke over with a sense of electric anticipation. The city’s usual bustle was overlaid with a buzz of breaking news, the kind of headline that commanded instant attention across every network, every screen, every whisper in every corridor of power.“Prominent Business Figure Declared Dead in Fiery Crash, Identity Confirmed as ‘Ven,’ Recently Revealed Blood of the Late Brown Chairman.”Broadcasts rolled on a constant loop.Footage of the charred wreckage pulled from the riverbank was shown side by side with images of Ven’s face, taken from his recent television interview. News anchors spoke with the practiced solemnity reserved for stories that captured the public’s fascination.“Authorities confirmed this morning that the body of the man known publicly as ‘Ven,’ who recently made headlines claiming to be the lost son of Alex Brown, has been recovered near the river east of Kand City,” intoned one reporter. “Investigators state preliminary evidence indicates he perished in

Henry stood watching the symbol of the empire his father had built and he had inherited, and now a fortress besieged from within.He took a slow breath, eyes narrowing as he thought of his siblings.Victory and Davis.Both vultures, circling what they believed to be a dying beast. Victory, with his backroom deals and smug superiority, and Davis, with his perpetual pretense of loyalty while plotting to dethrone him. Henry had been in this game long enough to recognize betrayal before it came. They believed they were clever, but he knew every move they were making.Reports from his private reporting confirmed as much. Davis was courting Enterprises, dangling subsidiaries,while Victory had been rallying minor shareholders under the pretense of “family unity.” Fools. They thought him blind because he had played the benevolent elder brother for decades, quietly running the empire, never raising his voice, never showing his claws.But if there was one thing his father had taught him, it was

The ballroom of the Brown Empire’s headquarters had been transformed into an arena of power.Every major shareholder had taken their seat, the tension in the air so thick it seemed to weigh on the room itself. This was not just a vote for a chairman, it was a vote for the future of the Empire.Rows of cameras lined the back of the hall, set to broadcast this momentous event to select private feeds worldwide. Security was doubled, guards in crisp black uniforms stationed at every entrance. The mood was electric, a storm brewing beneath the surface.At the front of the room sat the current chairman, Henry Brown. He exuded a calm confidence, though those who truly knew him could see the tension in his eyes. This vote was his to lose. He had weathered scandals of his siblings while the Chairman, internal betrayal, and even an assassination attempt on an outsider who had claimed to be the son of the late chairman, Ven. Henry had publicly dismissed him as a fraud, and now, with Ven “dead,” t

The river flowed dark and silent beneath the moonlight. On the opposite bank, in the shadows of the trees, a man crouched low, breathing heavily as he clutched a small device in his hand. He had watched everything,the chase, the crash, the brutal ambush, and finally, the lifeless body of Ven Brown being tossed like garbage into the cold current."Target’s down," he whispered into the device. "They dumped him in the river. I ....I think he’s dead.” He stuttered.The line crackled, and Cyrus’ voice came through, cold and sharp. “Stay on him. Don’t let those bastards see you. I’m on my way. Do not lose him.”The man known simply as Locke nodded instinctively even though Cyrus couldn’t see him. His eyes swept the area, ensuring the assassins had truly gone before he broke from cover and raced down the bank. The river’s current was sluggish here, but it still took every ounce of his strength to dive in and catch hold of the body that was slowly drifting downstream.Ven was very cold. Lock