Chapter 480Santorini Villa – Lana’s CallThe cicadas buzzed in the lavender-drenched air outside the villa, but inside, Lana’s gold bracelets clinked sharply as she paced across the tile floor. One hand gripped her phone, the other gestured wildly as if trying to push the urgency through the signal.“Eric, you have to listen,” she said, her voice low but intense. “James isn’t paranoid—something’s moving under your feet and it’s not a glitch.”On the other end, thousands of miles away in London, Eric Wood stood in his dark-paneled study, the heavy curtains drawn shut against the waning afternoon light. A fountain pen clicked rhythmically in his hand as he stared at the ledger open on his desk, blank except for the margins scribbled with notes—Morris, Oslo node, Sterling?He sighed. “Lana, you realize what you’re suggesting? That Sterling, of all people, planted a virus in the core systems? It’s absurd.”“You said it yourself,” Lana snapped. “The Oslo breach wasn’t random. James traced

Chapter 482EMC HR – Kate’s SchemeThe overhead lights hummed in EMC’s HR department, casting a pale glow over rows of sterile cubicles. Kate Carl sat hunched at her desk, her eyes sharp behind square-rimmed glasses. Her pen moved with practiced precision across the forged report — a damning performance review bearing Ana's name.The scent of lavender from her desk diffuser did little to mask the acidic ink or the bitterness curling in her gut. Each stroke of the pen felt like revenge in motion.> “Not a team player. Poor time management. Potential security concern.”The last phrase was underlined twice. The perfect red flag.Justification was easy. Ana had too much influence. Too much access. And she was beginning to ask questions — the kind that drew unwanted attention. Kate’s plan wasn’t personal. It was survival.But then came the unmistakable sound: heels — sharp, deliberate — clicking on the polished floor.Alisha.Kate didn’t look up immediately. She didn’t have to. The rhythm

Chapter 484Carter Comb – Liam’s FrustrationThe high-rise office of Carter Comb gleamed with ruthless precision. Glass walls. Leather accents. Every surface screamed control.Liam stood near the panoramic window, his hands clenched behind his back. The city stretched before him, but his focus burned inward — seething.Behind him, sprawled in a designer chair like it belonged to him by birthright, was Jaxon Carter — tousled hair, sunglasses still on indoors, a grin playing on his lips.“You missed the vote,” Liam said, voice a whisper barely concealing fury.Jaxon didn't look up. “Did I?”“I needed your vote on the restructuring,” Liam snapped. “You promised you’d show. Instead, I get excuses and a silent seat.”Jaxon shrugged, thumbing through messages on his phone. “Board meetings are performative. You knew the outcome.”“You were the outcome.”Another buzz. Another smile.“Who’s texting you?” Liam asked, eyes narrowing.Jaxon showed him the screen without hesitation.Milly Graves.

Chapter 486SANTORINI – ELLEN’S PLANThe small villa trembled with tension as Ellen threw clothes into a weathered duffel bag. Her hands shook with each movement—whether from fear or fury, even she couldn’t tell. Outside, the Aegean shimmered beneath the harsh midday sun, serene and blameless in its beauty. Inside, chaos."Lana, we have to go now," Ellen hissed, snapping the zipper closed. She looked up. Lana stood in the doorway, arms folded, jaw locked.“I’m not running,” Lana said, her voice like tempered steel.Ellen stepped closer, desperation rising like bile. “He knows. Theo’s compromised. That message from Gregor confirms it. If we stay, we’re handing ourselves over.”Lana’s eyes flashed with fury. “You think I’ll abandon Kai’s work because of a threat? You taught me better.”Ellen exhaled sharply, pushing her palm against her temple. “This isn’t idealism, Lana. This is survival. You don’t know what Theo’s capable of.”“I know exactly what he’s capable of.” Lana’s voice droppe

Chapter 488: EMC – JAMES’S CALLThe Eastern Command Center at EMC pulsed with quiet intensity—monitors flickering, servers humming, encrypted lines glowing in the gloom. Inside his office, James stood alone, back straight, fury coiled beneath his calm.A secure tablet beeped, initiating a quantum-encrypted video feed.Theo appeared onscreen. He was seated on a terrace—white walls, blue dome in the background. Santorini. He wasn’t hiding.“You’re working with Kai,” James said flatly.Theo blinked. “No.”“You told me you were in Geneva.”“I diverted. Things escalated. Ellen—”“Don’t lie.” James’s voice dropped an octave. “Your signal triangated two hundred meters from Lana’s villa. Gregor says you fed him Ellen’s location.”Theo opened his mouth, then paused. He ran a hand through his damp hair.“You don’t understand. Kai wasn’t just building trackers. He found a backdoor into Carter Comb’s security lattice. Lana has the key. If that data leaks—”James’s eyes narrowed. “So you’re protec