In the dining room of the Aurelius mansion, a lavish feast had been prepared to celebrate Magnus’ vindication and freedom. The long mahogany table was laden with the finest dishes, and the air buzzed with joy and relief.Magnus sat at the head of the table, looking more relaxed than he had in days. To his right sat Ethan, and beside him was Lara, both beaming with the satisfaction of a hard-fought victory.Around the table sat Marcel, Max, and several other members of Ethan’s army—men who had worked tirelessly behind the scenes to uncover the truth and secure this triumph. Their faces glowed with pride and contentment as they enjoyed the celebration.Magnus raised his wine glass, his voice carrying clearly through the room. "My friends, we gather tonight not just to celebrate my freedom, but to honor the loyalty and dedication that made this victory possible. According to my son, all of you played a crucial role in exposing the truth and bringing justice to light. Without you all,

In his luxurious penthouse, The Ghost sat rigidly in his leather armchair, staring at the massive flat screen television with disbelief etched across his features. The breaking news banner scrolled across the bottom of the screen: “MAGNUS AURELIUS ANNOUNCES SHOCKING TRANSITION OF POWER.”What he had expected to be a public apology—Magnus groveling for his incompetence in allowing criminal operations to flourish under his nose—had turned into something completely unexpected.The press conference was packed with reporters and cameras, all focused on the podium where Magnus stood with quiet dignity. Beside him stood Ethan, calm and composed, while Lara remained slightly behind them both.“After careful consideration,” Magnus was saying into the microphone, “I have decided to step down as Chairman of the Aurelius Conglomerate. Furthermore, I am announcing that Ethan Cross has been serving as the anonymous Chairman of Aurelius Pharmaceuticals Group, and will now assume leadership of the

The silence that followed was deafening. Even the pool water seemed to stop moving. Nicolas stared at Ethan for what felt like an eternity, his jaw working as if chewing on something bitter.Then he scoffed—a sound that cut through the tension like a whip crack. “Was that really a dare?” He shook his head slowly, his smile returning but colder than before. “It can never be. You wouldn’t dare.”Nicolas' brows narrowed into a deadly line. Then, he leaned forward. "And what if it really were?”The guards around them tensed, hands moving to weapons.Ethan leaned back in his chair, his posture casual but his eyes blazing. “It’s unheard of the president of a lawful country making such demands. If we're hesitant about it, shouldn’t you be the one to press charges instead?”Nicolas’ smile twisted into something ugly. "It’s for your family’s own good.”Ethan blinked in mock surprise and pointed to himself. “For our own good? Really?”Nicolas heaved a sigh that sounded more like a growl. “I

“What do you mean by everything?” Cavill’s voice cut sharply through the quiet room.Ethan’s smile disappeared.His face grew serious as he started explaining how The Ghost had been hunting him and Magnus for months, going through each one in detail.The words sank like stones into still water.A few of them shifted uneasily.Dr. Richter blinked rapidly behind his glasses. “After you? What do you mean after you?”“Why?” Grant’s voice was sharp."Why would this Ghost person be after you?”Magnus was confused too, but not for the same reason as the others. He was wondering where Ethan was going with all this.Ethan exhaled slowly, his fingers drumming once on the table before stilling. “Because he wants to destroy us.”Dr. Richter’s glasses slid slightly down his nose as he leaned forward. “Destroy you for what reason exactly?”Ethan’s eyes moved from face to face, studying each reaction."Because he knows I’m the King of the World.”The silence that followed was suffocating.“Just like

Lara's grip tightened around the paper bag in her hand, the contents rattling faintly.She forced her face into neutrality even as her pulse spiked because Viktor's presence reeked of surveillance.His smirk widened as his eyes flicked down to what she carried."What’s this?" He drawled, his tone taunting, as if amused to catch her off guard."What are you doing out here all by yourself?”Her throat tightened, but she masked the panic with defiance."It’s none of your business,” she shot back, her voice steady even if her heart wasn’t.She shoved the bag closer to her chest, collected the last of the supplies from the apprentice, and muttered a quick thanks before turning as if to leave.But Viktor didn’t move.He stayed exactly where he was, hands still buried casually in his pockets, his gaze fixed on her like a predator who had no reason to rush the kill. The smirk still lingered.She held her breath, thinking he might be there to kidnap her as Ethan and Magnus' warnings pounded th