Maxwell got into his car and drove home.He despised competition, though his friends would never see it. If he ever claimed his true status, he wouldn’t just be the richest among them—he’d be the wealthiest man on the planet.Unlike his friends, who enjoyed flaunting their wealth with extravagant tastes and bodyguards shadowing them everywhere, Maxwell only used protection when necessary—when in unfamiliar places or crowded spaces. He kept a low profile, never challenging anyone who claimed to be richer than him.They compared properties, measuring their fortunes against his. But they only knew about the few assets he had allowed them to see.Even Emily, the woman who called herself his wife, had no idea of the true extent of his wealth.No one did.Despite his immense power, he had never misused it. He wasn’t like others who wielded influence to punish those who dared step on their toes.What his friends didn’t know—what no one would ever believe—was that his wealth surpassed that of

As morning broke, Emily woke up to a missed call on her phone. It was from one of Mr. Maxwell’s security men—the one who regularly fed her inside information in exchange for a generous tip.Despite being mere security personnel, Mr. Maxwell’s guards earned as much as bankers. Yet, this particular man was desperate enough to betray his employer, even after swearing that any act of treachery against Mr. Maxwell would bring ruin upon him.Seeing the missed call, Emily’s lips curled into a smirk. A new update. And, as always, before he spilled anything, she’d have to send him a tip—his price for silence and loyalty, however temporary.She dialed his number, but he didn’t pick up. She understood immediately—he couldn’t take her call if he was around the other security guards.A few minutes later, her phone rang.“Hello?” Emily’s voice was calm and confident as she sat before her mirror, applying makeup with practiced ease.“Hello, ma,” the man whispered.“What do you have for me?” she aske

Even Lucas, her own son, didn’t know the truth about his birth. He had always believed he was the son of the wealthy Harrington family.“So clueless,” Emily thought to herself.“Okay, Lucas. You’re right,” she finally said with a small smile.“I’ll be heading to my room. I didn’t get much sleep last night, so I need to rest,” she added, fabricating an excuse to leave.Lucas eyed her suspiciously, sensing something off, but without any solid reason to question her, he simply nodded. “Alright, Mom.”As soon as she entered her room, urgency took over. She pulled out her phone and dialed the security officer who had recently passed information to her.The first call went unanswered.The second time, it rang but was cut off.She tried a third time—still no response.By the fourth attempt, the phone was switched off.Frustration burned in her chest.“Damn it! Why won’t you pick up, you idiot?” she muttered under her breath.Locking the door behind her, she moved away from it, ensuring that

“I’ve been thinking about my company, my family… how everything that was once perfect suddenly fell from grace. Now, my wife has left because she’s ashamed of this family, and my daughter ran away because her mother forced her to marry an incomplete man… I’m just fed up with everything.” Mr. Caldwell’s voice was filled with frustration, his eyes welling up with tears as he spoke.Ethan took a moment to process his words.“Did you say Sophia ran away because her mother forced her to marry someone?” he asked, his expression darkening.Mr. Caldwell met Ethan’s gaze before nodding. “Yes.”“I had a friend—Mr. Greyson. For years, he insisted that I let Sophia marry his son, Alex. Even before everything started going downhill for my family, he kept pressuring me, but I always stood my ground. I knew Sophia would never agree to it.” He paused, taking a deep breath before continuing.“But after that disastrous robbery night, Mr. Greyson gave my wife money—like he was buying her loyalty. And fr

“I know you’re trying to help, but the truth is that you don’t have to sacrifice yourself,” Mr. Caldwell added.Ethan, keeping his usual calm demeanor, simply smiled.“Okay, sir. Thank you for your kind advice. I’ll be on my way now—I have other things to take care of,” he said politely.“Are you upset that I’m telling you the truth?” Mr. Caldwell’s voice sounded weaker, yet he forced himself to speak.“No, sir. But I’ll be back tomorrow when the contract is ready,” Ethan replied curtly.“If so, take care. I just wanted to tell you what’s on my mind,” Mr. Caldwell said.Ethan turned to leave as the conversation ended.His mind was now set on returning to the hotel. This time, he’d conduct his investigation and uncover the full truth about James. Once he had the final answers, he’d report back to his father with the required information before stepping in to rescue the Caldwell family.As he stepped out, he spotted Elizabeth sitting on the couch, glancing around absentmindedly.The mom