Hugo laughed, a deep, rolling sound that seemed to shake the crystal chandeliers overhead. He slapped his knee, eyes glinting with unrestrained triumph. “Yes! Finally! Nothing can touch us now. Everything is in place. And thanks to everyone here, especially you, Ron, it’s all done perfectly. Every single move executed flawlessly.” Ron smiled, smoothly accepting the praise, his eyes scanning the room like a predator surveying territory. “It was a team effort, of course,” he said, voice warm, smooth, practiced. “But… I’d be lying if I didn’t admit a little guidance helped along the way.” He raised a hand modestly, eliciting laughter from Hugo and Marco. Gary Watson, sitting back in his chair with a glass of dark red wine, leaned forward, voice precise and controlled. “To victory,” he said simply, each word measured, deliberate, slicing through the noise of celebration like a blade. The group clinked glasses, the sharp chime ringing through the hall, laughter echoing and mingling with

Meanwhile, that same night, the grand hall of the Bellano estate gleamed with opulence. Crystal chandeliers cast shimmering light across the polished marble floor. Long tables were adorned with gold-trimmed china, fine silverware, and elaborate floral arrangements. Waiters in crisp black vests moved silently between the tables, carrying trays of champagne and delicate hors d’oeuvres.The Bellano family and the Watsons were already gathered, dressed in their finest evening wear. Hugo, the patriarch, looked unusually radiant in a tailored black tuxedo, his white hair perfectly combed, and his eyes glinting with satisfaction. Marco wore a dark navy suit, pocket square matching the silk tie, a smug grin plastered across his face. Parker, uncomfortably adjusting his cufflinks, tried to mask the nervous excitement bubbling inside him.Gary Watson, dressed immaculately in a sharply cut charcoal suit, leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing across his face. “To victory,” he said,

Gary Watson’s hand tightened around his wine glass, the crystal rim digging into his fingers. His face, usually a mask of icy control, betrayed a flicker of disbelief. He stared at the screen, then at the hall around him, his mind racing. He had sent his best man—no, the best of the best. The man who had never failed. The operative who could disappear into the shadows and erase any trace of a target. Yet here they were: Ethan Storm and Elsa Logan, alive, confident, standing before the world, their parents safe.“How… how is this possible?” Gary muttered under his breath, voice sharp with incredulity. “He… he should be dead. That man… Ethan… is he… is he immortal?”Parker, trembling slightly, swallowed hard. “Sir… maybe… maybe they anticipated everything? We… we did what we were told…”Gary’s eyes snapped to him, icy as daggers. “Don’t speak. Don’t you dare speak unless I ask you.”Before anyone could respond, Hugo’s voice boomed, heavy with frustration and disbelief. “Gary, look at

Meanwhile…At the press conference, Ethan and Elsa stood side by side. Cameras flashed so rapidly it looked like lightning trapped indoors. Reporters leaned forward over the barricades, waving microphones, shouting over each other.“Ethan! Elsa! Where have you been?”“Did someone hide you?”“Is it true you were kidnapped?”“Are the rumors real or not?!”Ethan lifted his hand. Slowly, like waves calming after a storm, the noise faded.“We are fine,” he said, voice steady as stone. “And the truth is now clear. The people who tried to hurt us, and who targeted Elsa’s parents, have been caught.”The room instantly surged again.“Who did it?”“Was it Ron Logan?”“Did the Bellano family do it?”“Why target you? Why now?”Elsa stepped forward, taking the mic. She looked calm, but her eyes burned with focus.“We will let the police release the official report,” she said. “But yes, the truth is coming out.”Another reporter shouted, “Elsa! Are your parents safe? There were rumors—”“They’re sa

Through this crisis, Ethan and Elsa not only stopped the danger… they also earned over two billion dollars in the stock market.And the Bellano family… was gone.Completely gone.Bankrupt. Shattered. Finished.Nova rose to the top of the city like a bright light, while the Bellano name faded into dust.⸻Backstage, right after the press conference…Elsa grabbed Ethan’s arm, her voice shaking with joy.“Ethan… Ethan! We did it!” she said, almost shouting. “You saved my parents… you saved all of us!”Ethan gave a small smile. “We did it together.”“No!” Elsa shook her head fast. “No, Ethan, listen to me. You saved my parents. You saved me. You saved Nova. You destroyed the Bellano family. And… and you made over two billion dollars on top of it!”Ethan laughed. “That part was a bonus.”Elsa punched his shoulder lightly. “Bonus?! That was insane! You’re insane! But in a good way!”“I try,” Ethan said, a little proud.Elsa stepped closer. “Thank you, Ethan. Thank you again. And again. And