Five minutes passed before the elevator doors slid open once more. About five minutes before that time, inside the elevator, Merrick Strauss and his entourage had already entered, their conversation was casual and confident. The six men were scattered inside, engaged in low discussions, oblivious to their surroundings.Nolan’s gaze flicked to the group of men once again. He noticed one man in particular—a tall figure with sharp features, wearing an ash-gray suit. His demeanor was different from the others—cold, calculating. This man didn’t have the look of someone who had earned his position; he looked as though he was simply waiting for what was rightfully his.“That one,” Carter said, his voice was a soft whisper, barely audible over the hum of the elevator. He gestured subtly toward the man in the gray suit. “That’s Merrick Strauss. Mr. Timothy Strauss’s first son.”Nolan frowned, his eyes narrowing. “Merrick Strauss?” he repeated. “The first son?”Carter nodded. “He’s the percei

The room fell into a heavy silence as Mr. Timothy Strauss was carefully helped into the boardroom. His once powerful and confident frame now looked fragile, as though the weight of years had suddenly caught up with him. Two aides gently wheeled him to the center of the room, making sure he was comfortable in the chair that awaited him. As the aides assisted him, Nolan couldn't help but stare. His eyes remained locked on Mr. Strauss, his mind was racing with questions. What happened to him? He had been full of life just days ago. How could he have deteriorated so quickly?Nolan’s mind quickly tried to come up with logical explanations. Could it be some sort of illness? A sudden stroke? Or maybe a poisoning, something that would explain such a rapid change? He ran through the possibilities in his head, but each answer seemed less likely than the other. Could it be stress? The pressures of running a major company like Timo Fintech Enterprise could take a toll. He shook his head

Mr. Strauss exhaled.“And I have come to a decision…”He let the words hang in the air.“The person who will succeed as CEO of Timo Fintech Enterprise… is—”He looked up, his eyes were scanning the room slowly.“…Nolan Rhys!”The words dropped like a thunderclap.A sharp silence followed—then came the confusion.Heads turned. Eyes widened.A few board members began whispering as their voices were low and puzzled.“Who is Nolan Rhys?”“Nolan who?”“Was that a mistake?” someone muttered.Dan’s jaw dropped slightly.Merrick blinked twice, stunned, as if he had misheard.Their eyes darted toward each other, then to their father, then around the boardroom.Their faces were tight—flushed with disbelief.“Who is Nolan Rhys?” they murmured again, this time they were louder.There was confusion, frustration—and a touch of embarrassment.Dan leaned back in his seat, fists clenched.Merrick sat frozen, his lips pressed into a thin line, it was evident that his dreams were slipping quietly throug

Inside a quiet lodge on the third floor of Marriott Crest Hotel, Dan paced the room like a lion in a cage. His jacket was flung on the sofa, his tie loose around his neck. His face was still burning with anger.Merrick sat in an armchair by the window, silent, watching his brother walk back and forth.Dan finally stopped and turned sharply. “Can you believe that nonsense back there?” he shouted. “He embarrassed us! Right there, in front of everyone on the board!”Merrick didn’t answer.Dan threw his hand toward the table. “We should’ve done something. We should’ve pushed back. We looked weak!”Merrick sighed and leaned forward. “And do what, Dan? Argue more? Deny it and make things worse?”“Yes!” Dan barked. “We should’ve stood our ground! The board was confused. Some of them didn’t even believe him until he made that final speech. We gave him too much power.”Merrick shook his head slowly. “No, Dan. Talking more would have only made things worse.”Dan’s eyebrows pulled together. “Ho

The black SUV pulled away from Timo Fintech Enterprise, speeding toward the quiet hills of Bullwick.Nolan sat in the back seat again, this time silent.His wine glass was gone. The calm was gone.Only the weight of the news remained.He was supposed to be relishing in the comfort of his new office, but as fate would have it, he was embarking on an emergency journey, on his way to meet the man who had changed his life—Mr. Timothy Strauss.The car stopped in front of a large iron gate. It opened slowly, revealing a beautiful mansion sitting on a hilltop. The Strauss estate was grand—tall, wide, and quiet, surrounded by trimmed hedges, sparkling fountains, and gold-plated lion statues.Two guards in dark suits stepped forward and opened the door.“Mr. Nolan, we’ve arranged a wheelchair for easier access,” one said respectfully.Nolan nodded slowly. “Thank you.”He didn’t argue.His legs still hurt. The stitches across his cheek itched. The crutches would slow them down.A smooth, black