Jackson stepped into the center of the glowing circle. The light pulsed around him, casting strange shadows across his face. He could feel the weight of the ritual pressing against his chest—ancient, hungry, waiting.Miles raised his hands. "Begin."Sophia's voice rose, reading the ancient words from the text. The symbols on the floor flared brighter, and the air grew thick, heavy with power.Jackson closed his eyes and opened himself to the resonance.The bond with his family—Jacqueline, Celestine, Sophia—flared to life. Their light joined his, pushing back against the darkness that pressed at the edges of the circle."The veil is thinning," Miles warned. "Steady."Jackson spoke the ancient binding words.The sound echoed off the stone walls, reverberating through the chamber. The symbols blazed, and the air tore open.The veil shimmers and tears.A rift appeared in the center of the circle—dark, swirling, hungry. It was narrow at first, then wider, gaping like a wound in the fabric

"He went in there to save her! He gave everything—and now he's gone!" Jacqueline's voice broke. "This is on you, Andrew. On both of you."Andrew didn't retreat. He didn't defend himself. He stood there, his face pale, his eyes hollow."You're right," he said quietly.Jacqueline faltered. "What?""You're right. I should have stopped her. I should have—" His voice cracked. "I should have been the one to go in. Not Jackson."Jacqueline stared at him, her anger warring with the grief rising in her chest.She wouldn't have been this mad if they had not warned Andrew and Hailey of the consequences of their actions. Yet they still went ahead with it without the rest of them knowing about it.Sophia stepped forward, placing a hand on Jacqueline's arm. "This isn't the time for blame. We need to focus on finding a way to bring Jackson back."Jacqueline shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "Miles said we can't reopen the veil."Miles spoke then, his voice quiet but steady. "I said we c

Miles nodded. "It crossed over with Jackson. It was drawn to the vessel—to the bond, to the love it represents." He looked at Andrew. "Your grandmother's locket saved him. It drew the fragment of the entity out of Jackson and into itself."Andrew stared at the locket, his throat tight. "Can it escape?"Miles shook his head. "Not if we seal it properly. Not if we bury it in consecrated ground."Jackson pushed himself to his feet, Jacqueline at his side. "Then let's do it. Now."Miles led them out of the central yard, through the corridors of Sky Tower, into the garden. The willow tree stood at its center, its branches swaying gently in the morning breeze. The first light of dawn was breaking over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of gold and rose.Miles stopped beneath the willow tree, the locket cradled in his palms. He knelt, pressing it against the earth."Consecrated ground," he murmured. "Blessed by the tears of those who have loved and lost. Protected by the bonds that cann

Ruth turned to face her daughter, her face pale but composed. "Gilbert escaped from prison tonight. His people ambushed the transport. He's out there somewhere."Jacqueline's blood ran cold. "What?""He called me just now," Ruth continued. "He's threatening the family. He wants the company, the estate... and me."Jacqueline's hands clenched into fists. "He's delusional.""He's dangerous," Jackson corrected. "And he's been planning this for months."Jacqueline moved to stand beside her brother. "What do we do?"Jackson pulled out his phone. "First, we increase security. Whitaker is already mobilizing his team. Second, we warn everyone. No one goes anywhere alone. No one takes any chances."Ruth nodded slowly. "And third?"Jackson looked at his mother, his jaw tight. "Third, we find him before he finds us."Jacqueline placed a hand on Ruth's arm. "We won't let him hurt you, Mom. Any of you."Ruth covered her daughter's hand with her own. "I know. But Gilbert knows us. He knows our weakn

The attack came at 3:47 AM. Hart Corporation's servers were breached by a sophisticated cyberattack, the intruders slipping through firewalls like ghosts. By the time the security team detected the breach, sensitive financial data had already been copied and exported.Jackson's phone rang, jolting him awake. He listened, his face growing grimmer with each word."I'll be there in an hour," he said, ending the call.Bella stirred beside him. "What's wrong?""Gilbert's people hit the company servers. They stole financial data." Jackson swung his legs out of bed, already reaching for his clothes.Bella sat up, her face pale. "How bad is it?""I don't know yet." Jackson pulled on his shirt. "But I need to get ahead of it before the markets open."***The boardroom was packed when Jackson arrived, the faces of shareholders and executives etched with worry. Jackson stood at the head of the table, his hands resting on the back of his chair."I'm not going to lie to you," he began. "We were at