Dawson Weather, better known to the world as Chairman Weather, sat stiffly at the head of the long dining table, his eyes locked on his plate. For the first time in Yvonne’s life, his voice had risen sharply at her over something so trivial. At least, it seemed trivial to her.He couldn’t even meet her gaze now. The lines around his mouth were set in stone, and though his fork moved, she could tell he wasn’t tasting a thing. It was unlike him.Yvonne stared, more startled than hurt. Her father had always been the patient one who had control of himself. This sudden snap felt foreign.Even Ricky had glanced over at the unexpected outburst before quickly averting his eyes, resuming his post like nothing had happened.The tension pressed on her like a weighted blanket. She finally set her fork down with a soft clink and asked quietly, “Why shouldn’t I forget about them, Father? Are they… inauspicious?”Dawson’s brows drew together. “Don’t just talk about them. Can’t you obey that?”She si

In the middle of the night, the city slept under a blanket of silence, but Zach’s balcony was steeped in a different kind of stillness, one that pulsed with focus.Barefoot on the cool marble floor, he sat cross-legged, the night air brushing over his skin. His eyes were closed, his breathing deep, rhythmic, each inhale drawn down to the pit of his stomach, each exhale slow enough to feel his pulse in the tips of his fingers.His mind had long since learned the art of shutting out the world. Tonight, however, the meditation was more than calm, it was a hunt.Zach had trained himself to channel his mental strength, to cut through the fog of his memory loss like a blade. It wasn’t easy; every attempt before had left him drained, sometimes even dizzy. But tonight, the pull inside him felt sharper, hungrier.His inner strength wrapped around his thoughts like a steady current, guiding him deeper, farther back.Find her.The words formed inside his head without sound, like a command from s

Dawson’s breath caught. The stale, cold air in the underground chamber seemed to thicken, curling heavy in his lungs. The dim oil lamp flickered, stretching Lex’s shadow long across the stone wall, sharp, angular, like a predator looming over prey.The hand gripping Dawson’s collar was unshakable, the fingers digging into the tender skin at his throat. His father’s gaze burned into him, dark irises swirling with something unnatural.Dawson had grown up knowing Lex could kill without blinking. The man’s history was written in blood and whispered threats. But tonight… tonight the promise in those eyes was more than a threat, it was a deadly vow. And worse, Dawson knew if Lex willed it, he could crush him here and then go after Yvonne without anyone in Yorktown daring to intervene.His voice trembled. “F–Father… please, give me more time. I can fix this.”Lex’s jaw tightened. “More time? You’ve had years, Dawson. YEARS. You couldn’t find the boy when he was barely ten years old, wanderin

The room was a cave of shadows. The single bulb above dangled loosely, flickering as though reluctant to keep breathing. Every blink of its weak light threw quick shadows across the cracked walls, then surrendered them back to the dark. The other glow came from a laptop, its pale blue screen stretched across Rabiu’s sharp features, carving his face into an alternating mask of brilliance and shadow. His fingers moved over the keyboard like a pianist playing an endless, haunting symphony. Each tap, each pause, spoke of discipline.For an outcast, Rabiu carried himself with the air of a man who still believed the world had not seen the best of him. Dominion’s Shadows had cast him out, stripped him of insignias and rank, but he wore the invisible crown of his skill. They could discard him, yes, but they could never erase what he was—the informant who once pulled truths from silence, who knew how to bend the unseen currents of power in his favor. His reputation lived, even if only in whisp

Darius stared at the vial, his hands curling into fists. “And if I don’t believe you?”“You have no other option,” she whispered with a shrug. “I’m the only one you can count on right now.”His lips twisted. “Your way is unlawful.”Maya burst into laughter, sharp and cutting. “Unlawful? Don’t make me laugh, Darius. Haven’t you done worse than this already?”He glared at her, still weighing her words. “And after that? What happens?”Her smile returned, sly and cold. “Then I’ll make sure you disappear. I’ll help you leave the country for good. The police won’t find you… because my men will fake your death.”Darius stood silent, eyes locked on hers. The flickering light hummed above them, casting their shadows long across the stone floor.His eyes darted between Maya’s face and the small vial in her hand. His chest rose and fell in sharp, reluctant breaths. He had fought too many battles, played too many games of deceit to not recognize the glimmer of suspicion that had clawed its way in