Two weeks had passed and many things had changed and progressed in that time. Much to Roland’s dismay, Kent had given Andrew one percent of his shares and ‘convinced’ Victoria to give Stefan 1% of hers. Amelia had begun warming up to Victoria with small but deliberate gestures. Jason had been tirelessly researching the Russian investors, looking through Kent’s documents and communicating steps of the plan to his contacts. He had also been in contact with Dario asking for updates on Reuben but his cousin hadn’t managed to find him yet which worried Jason to no end. Currently, the four marble-clad walls of Kent’s office were witnessing an argument between Kent and Roland that had become more frequent in the past two weeks.‘’You still haven’t made me vice president’’ Roland snapped, pacing Kent’s office with frustration.Kent,seated behind his mahogany desk, leaned back in his chair and watched Roland with indifference ‘’I'm thinking of taking Amelia out tonight. What restaurant do you

The Elysian Syndicate was eerily quiet at night. Amelia stepped out of her car and glanced up at the towering glass building, its imposing façade glinting under the pale moonlight. The parking lot was nearly empty, and the lobby lights cast a sterile glow. She took a deep breath, smoothing her blouse as she approached the doors.Inside, the air was cool and still, with only the faint hum of machinery and the occasional rustle of the watch guards making rounds. She passed by the front desk with a polite nod. The guards barely glanced at her. She worked here, after all—what reason would anyone have to question her presence?Amelia made her way to the elevator, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor. Her pulse quickened as she stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the executive floor.As the elevator doors opened, she stepped out into the dimly lit hallway. The space was deserted, just as she had hoped. All the secretaries had long gone home, and the only sound

The next day, Saturday, Kent, Stefan, and Andrew gathered in a quaint cafe. They had managed to secure a private corner. The three men sipped their coffee, their conversation laced with low chuckles and hushed tones.“So, Monday’s the day,” Andrew said, leaning back in his chair with a smug grin. “Everything’s falling into place.”His father nodded, stirring his espresso. “Let’s hold our celebrations until the money is in our accounts, son.” he sighed “Don’t call me on Monday. Both of you. When all of this goes down, I need to be seen in public and not in contact with either of you.Andrew felt his heart fall to the bottom of his chest. “You don’t trust that we’ll succeed.”Stefan raised a brow. “Do I have a reason to?”Kent remained quiet as he watched Stefan crush his son’s spirit for the umpteenth time, his gaze darting to the door every now and then. He didn’t like public meetings, especially when discussing Syndicate business, but Stefan had insisted.Stefan leaned forward, focus

Roland’s head throbbed as consciousness returned. His eyes fluttered open, squinting against the dim light of the unfamiliar room. The first thing he noticed was the uncomfortable pressure on his wrists. He tugged instinctively but found them bound to the arms of a chair. Panic surged.The second thing he noticed was the man standing in front of him, a tall, broad figure with an amused smirk on his face.“Where the hell am I?” Roland demanded, his voice raw. “What did you do to me?”Shadow leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed. “Calm down, big guy. You’re in Brooklyn.”Roland frowned. “I know I’m in Brooklyn; I drove here.” He glanced around the apartment, disoriented. Shadow chuckled. “So why did you ask?”Roland jerked against the bindings, his anger flaring. “I'm asking why I am in this room and why I am tied up. You better let me go, you thug.Shadow pushed off the wall, his demeanour darkening. “You’re the one who went berserk and attacked someone outside. This? This is

It was the morning of Sunday, and Roland hadn’t left the room since Jason untied him the previous day. He sat by the window, unmoving, the breakfast Amelia had brought earlier untouched on the desk. His gaze was fixed on the horizon, but his thoughts churned endlessly, far removed from the peaceful view outside.Amelia was with him in the room, partially because she didn’t want him to leave and not agree to help them but mostly because, as much as she hated to admit it, a part of her felt sorry for him.Jason was sitting in the living room of the apartment; the documents Amelia had given him were sprawled across the table in front of him, and his ear was to his cell phone as Dario updated him on his search for Reuben. “Well, the bad news is that we haven’t found him, but the good news is that we haven’t found him.”“What?” Jason asked.“It’s good news because we haven’t found his lifeless body. So at least for now we’re sure he’s not dead. Dario replied; he spoke of death so casually