Damian blinked, clearly confused. “Focus on what?” Ethan laughed softly and shot a glance at Magnus. “Has he not been told?” “I’m here to make sure your presentation is on point,” Ethan replied. Mr. Richard, looking lost, turned to Magnus. “I… honestly don’t get it.” He shrugged slightly. “Is he a legal consultant or what? Our legal teams have already checked everything and given the green light, so…” “It’s just a bit confusing, and I think others feel the same way,” he said, glancing around the room. Most of the stakeholders nodded in agreement. Magnus didn’t even look at him as he said, “You all know I don’t sign anything unless I’m sure. Think of this as one last check.” Mr. Richard swallowed hard and nodded. Damian shot him a disbelieving look. As his father’s right-hand man who had been helping to drive the deal forward, he expected Mr. Richard to fight tooth and nail to get the deal signed, not giving up like this. Then, Magnus shifted his gaze to Ethan, leaning back o

The tablet’s speakers crackled a bit before playing an audio recording between Damian and John, a former Hayes Pharmaceutical employee. In the recording, John was telling Damian about a dangerous chemical compound they were using to make one of their drugs—a compound that actually caused cancer. Damian sighed heavily in the audio. “And how many people know about this?” John paused before answering. “Just a few of us in the research department. And now you and Mr. Gareth.” When John tried to threaten Damian by saying he’d tell the shareholders of Copper Group since Damian refused to stop making the drug, Damian shot back. “You’re forgetting something important. You're new here. You think you’ve discovered some big secret that nobody else knows? The company executives and Copper Group shareholders already know all about this." "They do?!" Disbelief was laced in John's voice. "You’ve just scratched the surface. And if you’re trying to ruin my company, you’re sadly mistaken.” “I’m

Damian scanned the room, looking for a way out, a lifeline—just anything. Murmurs swirled like a brewing storm as the stakeholders exchanged uneasy glances, the air now suffocating. “Sir? Can you hear me?” Mr. Gareth’s voice came through again. "I can’t hear you. Where are you?” Ethan’s lips twisted into a smirk. “I think we’ve heard enough. You can hang up now.” Without a word, Damian ended the call. “I told you the deal wouldn’t go through because of you, didn't I?" A smirk played on Ethan's lips. Magnus clenched his fists on the table, his gaze narrowing with icy sharpness at Damian. Damian gulped as his panicked gaze darted back to Ethan, whose smirk only deepened, savoring the moment. “W-what have you done?” He finally managed to croak out, his voice trembling. Ethan tilted his head slightly, eyes gleaming with ruthless amusement. "Oh, nothing much,” he said with a feigned innocence, “Just did what needed to be done." "You see, saving lives is a noble cause. I’d hate t

The boardroom was now empty except for Ethan, Lara, and Magnus. Lara was still trying to process everything that had just happened. Like Magnus, she was completely stunned. She turned to face Ethan, her confusion obvious. “But how did you figure all of this out?” she asked, her voice full of bewilderment. "I mean, finding the problems with the deal, discovering that dangerous chemical they were using to make the drug, getting hold of all those documents, and especially that recording. How did you manage all of that?“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ Magnus scoffed. “Obviously, it’s the superior intellect that comes with being the ring bearer and King of the World." “Because if someone like me—who has spent weeks dissecting that damn proposal—missed those flaws, yet he spotted them in just a few days…" He gave a slight shrug. "Well, that’s the only explanation that makes sense." Ethan just smiled, saying nothing. However, the betrayal still burned in Magnus' chest as he paced a few steps away

Still inside the car, sweat beaded on Damian's forehead, rolling down the side of his face like the slow drip of impending doom, even as the AC blasted at full speed. He didn’t even wipe it away because his mind was too clouded with thoughts of what awaited him. His fingers were now gripping the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white as his father’s words, "Consider yourself disowned. You are no longer my son," echoed in his mind. The weight of humiliation settled deep in his chest because he knew that his father's decision was absolute. He had never known a life without wealth, without privilege. He had always been his father’s son—untouchable, respected, feared. Now? Now he was nothing—it was being stripped away like a filthy rag. The thought alone sent a wave of panic crashing over him. The sleek interior of his Maserati felt suffocating now, like a luxurious coffin. "Fuck!" he shouted, voice cracking. "This can’t be happening. This can’t be real," he mutter