“He’s the eldest son of the Eastern Sullivan family.”She blinked. “The who?”Richard closed the file slowly. “The Sullivan family. East-coast monarchs of power, both legitimate and underground. Their name is whispered in federal halls and boardrooms alike.”Charlotte scoffed. “The Eastern Sullivans? I’ve heard of them, but they don’t compare to the state capital families. They’re not even on the same ladder.”Richard’s jaw tightened. “That’s where you’re wrong. You think we’re playing a local game? Jack Sullivan is walking across a global board.”Charlotte frowned, but her grandfather continued, his tone deepening.“His third uncle, Nathan Sullivan, is the one who built the underground empire in Carson City—an empire that even federal agents avoid confronting directly. Do you know who handles most of the private security logistics in five states? The Sullivan family.”She swallowed, unease creeping in.“And his mother,” Richard added, “is Margaret Williamson.”Charlotte blinked. “Tha

The late afternoon sun cast golden streaks across the marble floor of Jack Sullivan’s villa. The air was peaceful, laced with the faint aroma of aged Bordeaux wine, and the still ripple of the pool reflected serenity.David Sun leaned back on a lounger, wine glass in hand. “Jack, I’m telling you, you need to let me design a wine cellar here. This place deserves it.”Jack smirked slightly. “You just want to make sure I drink your overpriced imports.”Before David could respond, a click echoed from inside the house.Then another.Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly. The sound wasn’t from the front gate.“Did you invite someone else?” David asked, sitting upright.“No,” Jack replied, already rising from his chair. His bare feet padded quietly across the polished stone as he approached the sliding glass door.A shadow crossed the interior hallway.Then, without warning, a man casually stepped into the courtyard.He was young—late twenties maybe—with slicked-back hair, a smirk that screamed enti

Jason Martinez stood trembling, his face streaked with dried blood, humiliation burning deep in his eyes. He fumbled his phone out of his pocket, fingers shaking as he dialed quickly."You've done it now, Sullivan!" Jason hissed, wiping blood from his cheek. "Once my father hears what you've done, you'll beg for mercy."Jack Sullivan simply sat down again, reaching calmly for another bottle of expensive wine. With unhurried grace, he poured the dark liquid into his glass, the soft sound echoing through the tense silence.David Sun leaned back, amusement clear in his eyes. "You might want to put that phone down, kid. You're embarrassing yourself."Jason ignored him, eyes blazing with arrogant confidence. The line finally connected."Dad! It's Jason," he began desperately. "Jack Sullivan attacked me! He threw a wine bottle at my head—I’m bleeding. He humiliated me in front of everyone!"There was a pause, followed by a deep, gravelly voice on speaker. "Did he now?"Jason smirked triumph

North Harbor was quiet.Too quiet.Keith Rodriguez, ruler of the underground, sat on his balcony sipping warm tea, utterly relaxed. He gazed at the clouds, confident."They'll learn soon," he muttered with a smirk. "Carson City will kneel. Jason may be dead, but my other sons will finish the job."A moment later, his phone buzzed.He ignored it.Another call. Then another.He sighed. "Can't I enjoy one damn cup of tea?"Suddenly, his assistant burst in, pale and shaking. "Boss… North Harbor is under attack!"Keith blinked. "What?"The assistant stammered, "A group… in gray uniforms. Military-grade weapons. They're wiping out every post we own!"Keith stood up, eyes narrowing. "Who are they?!""We don't know. But—Dylan Carter is dead. The south docks are gone. Our armory? Leveled. They've frozen all our accounts. And—"The assistant paused, swallowing hard.Keith's voice turned lethal. "Speak."The man trembled. "Your… your twenty adopted sons… they were all killed. In Carson City. All

Back in Carson City, Henry stood alone in the hallway, staring at the dust-covered portrait of his late wife.“I hope you’re watching,” he murmured. “I’m finally doing what I should have done years ago.”Mike came to his side, hesitant. “You really going to Eastridge with them?”Henry nodded. “We owe it to them. And to her.”Mike looked down. “Think Jack will ever truly accept us?”Henry sighed. “He doesn’t need to accept us. He just needs to see that we’re no longer pretending.”As the sun dipped behind the hills, the lights of Eastridge City began to glow in the distance.Jack leaned forward, watching as the towering silhouette of the Sullivan ancestral estate came into view.Massive gates. Stone lions. Ivy-covered towers.Home.Lisa looked at him. “Are you nervous?”Jack didn’t blink. “No.”He smiled faintly.“Because this time… I’m not coming home to visit.”He paused, voice low and final.“I’m coming home to reclaim everything.”The gates of Eastridge City finally came into view,