Keith stared at the party’s invitation letter in his hands with a peculiar gaze. It was from the Maldivians family. Why would they send him an invitation letter? What’s going on? Are they trying to more openly challenge him?His phone rang in his hands, it was a private number.“Hello Keith,” A familiar female’s voice sounded from the other end of the line.“Ms. Bella?” Keith asked, raising a brow as he stared at the invitation letter. “Have you decided to agree to my proposal?”“Of course, I will be happy to work with your company,” Bella replied. “And also, I know that you have received an invitation. Take that as a gift from me to you.”Keith furrowed his brows at her statement. “What do you mean?”“Well, not to intrude though, but I would sometimes look into my clients’ portfolio to know if they are accountable and reasonable to work with it and also not to be on the losing side as it could counter my reputation negatively if anything goes wrong,” She paused, letting her words sin

Keith knew the Maldivian name. Everyone did. Never known for its ability to be measured, the family controlled trade routes, energy networks and had close ties to significant political personalities across continents. Still, Keith should have questioned more, though. Bella had persuaded him it would be fun. A getaway, she said. A high-society event with which they'd be able to leave unscathed. But even before they had set off in a sleek black car from the plane, Keith noticed the driver didn’t have a word to say. Didn’t smile. Just drove.And now, here they were. Bella inched closer to Keith as they moved through the crowd slowly. “Keith, you’re looking that way again. The one that tells you to pull out a gun.”Keith forced a laugh. “Just... being cautious.”Bella nodded and her hand touched his. “Well, be cautious and handsome. People are watching.”Keith couldn’t help but grin. For a second, Bella's presence softened the turmoil in his heart.They headed towards a length of glass

The room seemed genuinely elegant, the chandeliers reflecting sunlight across the smooth floors and figures of those in tuxedos. Even with the glamour and laughter surrounding him, Keith was well aware that a considerable unease lingered below the surface.For a few minutes, he searched the room, weaving between dignitaries and executives, all of them wearing careful smiles. He located her at last, settled far away in a corner where light was scarcely visible. She loosely gripped a champagne glass half full with wine.Her eyes found him and she pulled her lips into a quiet smile.Before he could start speaking, she said, “I got bored. Everyone was either pretending to be happy or lying. I assumed you wouldn’t be able to resist coming after me for long. I thought you might come looking for me quickly.”Keith walked into the chair beside her, the quiet creak of the seat cutting through the room’s background noise.“At least inform me before you move, this gathering is a little bit off.

A fatal hush fell over the hall, a cutting wind blowing across there. The only noise possible was the muffled groaning sounds of the man in agony on the marble floor, with his thigh sunk into pools of blood and clamping the gaping gunshot wound. Barry’s boots struck a clanging note as he walked down the podium with measured grandeur – a very measured grandeur – serene… almost too serene.Every eye was upon him – wide, horrified, and disbelieving. It was like they were all suspended in this moment they hadn’t expected and which they feared deep down could happen. Barry’s custom made suit looked at cruel contrast to the chaos he had whipped up. There was no panic in him but rather an evil calm which would suggest he enjoyed the discomfort in the room.He pulled in just inches from the man who was bleeding, who whimpered as he desperately tried to scoot backwards with a useless leg lagging behind him. The scent of blood started to emanate — sharp and metallic— and the lovely conference r

The words were like falling lead in the room. No one moved. The silence was deafening.Then, a woman – CEO of a tech startup – came forward. Her lip trembled, her hands shaking while holding her purse. “Please,” she said. “Oh, there must be another way – please.”Barry lifted a palm up, and one of his men placed a gun at her.She froze.He smiled. “You know what, there is another way. You can say no. You can come out of here. It will just be in a body bag.”Tears rolled down her eyes and she signed.“Smart choice,” Barry said, rolling the gun on his fingers.One after the other, the dominoes started to fall. Fear crushed pride. Greed surrendered to survival. They huddled, defenceless, humiliated, trapped. They put their shaky signatures, each of them a confession of defeat, on the document.Keith stood rooted in place. He hadn’t moved. Neither had Bella.When Barry raised his head and looked Keith in the eyes, the room seemed to hold its breath once more.”You,” Barry said with a cold