The world slowed.Celeste lay on the cold, ancient stone of the Colosseum, her breath shallow, her body trembling from the pain. Blood pooled beneath her, dark and glistening under the moonlight.Ethan stood above her, breathing hard, his fists still clenched. His knuckles were raw, split open from the battle, but the pain didn’t matter.He had won.The fight had been brutal. Relentless.Celeste had matched him in every way—strength, speed, ruthlessness. She had fought with the desperation of someone who refused to accept defeat.But in the end?Fate had already decided.Celeste coughed, a weak, bitter laugh escaping her lips. Blood stained her teeth.Ethan didn’t move.He didn’t need to.She was done.Lisa and Mike stood at the edge of the arena, their weapons raised, ready to intervene if needed. But Ethan knew this was his fight alone.Celeste lifted her head slightly, her golden eyes meeting his. Even now, dying, there was defiance in them.“You think this is victory?” she rasped.

The Colosseum was quiet. Too quiet.Ethan stood motionless over Celeste’s lifeless body, blood pooling beneath her, soaking into the ancient stone. His heartbeat should have slowed, his breath should have steadied, but something inside him refused to settle.His fists were still clenched, knuckles raw and torn. His muscles ached from the fight, a dull throb spreading through his ribs where Celeste had landed her last vicious hit. He had won.And yet—It didn’t feel like victory.For years, The Serpent had been the force in the shadows, the empire that had ruled nations, corporations, and crime syndicates alike. And now? It was gone.Celeste was gone.So why did it feel like something wasn’t right?Then, his phone had buzzed.Just moments after Celeste’s final breath.A simple message. Anonymous. Encrypted."The Serpent’s death was necessary. Now, it’s time for something even greater."Ethan’s jaw tightened. His grip on the phone almost cracked the screen.Someone had been waiting for

Lisa slammed her hands on the table. “This isn’t your fight anymore, Ethan.”Ethan barely blinked. His eyes stayed locked on the black screen. The last image of the hacker’s lifeless body was burned into his mind.The Dominion had sent a message.They weren’t hiding. They were calling him out.Mike leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “Lisa’s right. We don’t even know what we’re dealing with. The Serpent wanted power—these people? They don’t want power. They want to burn everything down.”Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Then I’ll make sure they burn first.”Lisa exhaled sharply, stepping closer. “You can’t fight ghosts, Ethan. The Dominion doesn’t operate like The Serpent. They don’t have a throne for you to take, or a leader to kill. They exist in the shadows, rewriting history as they go. You go to war with them?”She shook her head. “You disappear.”Ethan didn’t flinch. “Then I’ll make them regret calling me out.”Lisa groaned in frustration. “Are you even listening to yourself?”Mike c

Then, without looking away—He ripped it in half.The pieces fluttered onto the table like ashes.Then, he turned.Walked out.And as the boardroom door slammed shut behind him—he was already planning his next move.Ethan sat in the back of his car, watching the city move past him.His city.Or at least, it had been.Now?It felt like he didn’t exist at all.The massive LED screens in Apple Square flashed breaking news—his name in bold, flashing letters.“Elliot Enterprises OUSTS Former CEO Ethan Elliot in Corporate Restructuring!”“Ethan Elliot: A Legacy of Chaos Ends in Public Disgrace.”“New Leadership Ushers in a ‘New Era’ for Elliot Enterprises.”Lies.Every headline. Every carefully curated narrative.All scripted. All planted.Lisa sat across from him, arms crossed, fuming. “It’s everywhere, Ethan. They’re controlling the news, the media, the damn stock market.”Mike muttered from the front seat, “They’re making you a villain. And the worst part? It’s working.”Ethan barely mo

The vault was still heavy with silence when Lisa noticed it first.A small, unmarked safe built into the back wall.“Here.” She pointed. “Something’s hidden.”Ethan didn’t hesitate.With one swift motion, he yanked it open.Inside, there was only one thing.A single bullet.Resting on a velvet-lined case.Lisa took a sharp breath. “That’s not just any bullet.”Ethan lifted it slowly, turning it over.And froze.His name was engraved into the casing.ETHAN ELLIOT.Mike exhaled. “What kind of sick message is this?”Ethan ran his thumb over the engraving, his mind turning.The Dominion never sent empty threats.Every move they made was calculated. Measured.This bullet?It wasn’t just a warning.It was a promise.Lisa’s voice was quiet, deadly. “They made this a long time ago.”Ethan didn’t look up. “They were always planning to kill me.”Lisa shook her head. “No.”She swallowed.“They were always planning to use you.”Ethan closed his fist around the bullet, the metal digging into his p