Elijah stepped away from the dining area, glancing at his phone once more. The caller ID read Isla Delaney. He answered calmly.“Good afternoon, Manager.”“Good afternoon, young master. Are you back?” Isla asked.“Yes, I returned today,” Elijah replied. “How are things going?”“Everything is going well, young master. About the project—you’ll be pleased to hear this—I’ve secured a large piece of land we can purchase,” she said.Elijah’s eyes lit up immediately. “That’s good news.” He paused, already envisioning it. He made a plan of building something massive… a mall like Marina Bay. A place that has everything so hearing they've gotten land made him happy.“It fits perfectly with that vision,” Isla continued. “The land is located right along the main road—direct frontage, very strategic. I already had meetings with the government. We’ve secured half of it officially, and for the remaining portions owned by private individuals, I’ve negotiated and begun paying them off.”“What’s the si

Isla didn’t hesitate. She replied evenly, as if she had expected the question.“For everything secured so far—including government portions and private holdings—it came to just over two hundred and thirty million.”She added, “That covers the frontage, the inner plots, compensation payouts, and initial legal processing. The remaining section will push it slightly higher once today’s meetings are concluded, but it won’t exceed the margin we discussed.”Elijah nodded slowly, unfazed. The number didn’t weigh on him—it only confirmed the scale of what stood before him.“That’s fine,” he said simply.Isla watched his reaction closely, then allowed herself a small nod.“The location alone will double its value once development starts.”Elijah nodded once, then said calmly,“After we secure everything, announce it. Let the city know what we’re about to build. I want to see which of the rich ones will want to tap in once they hear the scale.”Isla smiled faintly, understanding immediately. “T

Harold picked the plan up properly this time, lifting it closer to his face. His eyes moved slowly over the drawing, taking in the scale of it all. The design was bold yet elegant — a massive multi-level structure with wide open courtyards, glass-fronted sections, green rooftop spaces, and clearly marked zones for retail, entertainment, offices, parking, and leisure. There were access roads carefully planned around the perimeter, underground parking levels, pedestrian walkways, and even emergency routes thoughtfully drawn in. It wasn’t just a mall; it looked like a self-contained city hub, modern and ambitious, something New Ember hadn’t seen before. After a long moment, Harold placed the plan back on the desk and slid it slightly aside. He nodded once. “It’s… nice. Very nice, actually.” There was a pause. Then his tone shifted. “But,” he said, folding his hands together, “projects like this aren’t approved just because they look good on paper.” He leaned forward and began firin

Harold suddenly sprang up from his chair.“Hey—hey! What’s going on?” he blurted out, panic creeping into his voice. He looked at Isla, then at Elijah. “Did you really just make a call to get me fired?”Isla met his eyes without a hint of hesitation and nodded once.“Yes.”The word hit him harder than any shout could have.Harold’s face drained completely. His confidence collapsed in an instant, replaced by fear. He shook his head rapidly, stepping out from behind the desk.“No, no, no… let’s not escalate this,” he said hurriedly. “I was only joking earlier. You know how meetings get—just jokes.” His voice cracked. “I have a family. Please.”His hands trembled as he grabbed the file on his desk, flipped it open, and pulled out the approval document. Without reading it again, he slammed the stamp down hard—once, twice—then shoved it forward.“Here,” he said breathlessly. “Done. Permission granted. Everything approved.”The room went quiet.Elijah stepped forward, picked up the stamped

Sierra couldn’t take it anymore.Her fingers trembled as she hit Elijah’s name again, her heart racing. The call connected almost immediately.“Hello?” Elijah’s voice came through.“Baby!” Sierra cried out, panic spilling into her words. “Are you bleeding a lot? Are you hurt badly? Felix is driving, Betty is here too—we’re on our way. I’m calling an ambulance and the police, okay?”Inside the BMW, Elijah shook his head quickly even though she couldn’t see him.“No, no, no—don’t do that,” he said firmly but gently. “I’m fine. I thought I was bleeding at first, but I realized the bullet didn’t hit me.”There was a pause on the line.“I’m not bleeding at all, babe,” he continued calmly. “It missed the target. The glass shattered, that’s all. The windshield was strong.”“Really?” Sierra asked, her voice breaking as relief washed over her. You could hear her breathing slow down.“Yes,” Elijah said softly. “Of course. I’m okay.”In the car, Sierra leaned back against the seat, closing her e