The press conference was broadcast live from the marble atrium of Stannis Holdings’ newly revealed headquarters. The cameras panned across the sleek hall lined with banners of deep navy and gold—symbols of power that until now, no one in the industry had paid much attention to. But today, the entire world was watching.Gary adjusted his tie at the podium, the glint of the lights catching the sharp lines of his suit. His smile was just intact, his eyes alight with the fire of someone who not only knew his position but intended to wield it like a weapon. The moment the room quieted, he leaned toward the microphone.“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began, his voice steady but commanding, “today marks a turning point. For too long, the global stage of commerce has been dominated by the so-called old empires. Families who built their legacies on secrets, manipulation, and bloodlines they think make them untouchable.”The words landed like grenades. Reporters shifted forward, pens scratching, cam

Philip returned home that evening with the weight of the world pressing against his shoulders. The doors of the estate seemed heavier than usual as he pushed them open, his steps dragging across the marble floor. His mind was still haunted by the way Gary had looked at him earlier with those eyes that were filled with not just anger but with something far worse: disappointment.For Philip, that cut deeper than any insult ever could. He had achieved a lot in his life, yet at that moment, he felt like the one title he should have earned effortlessly was slipping through his fingers.Julia was waiting in the living room, perched elegantly on the sofa with a book in her lap, though her eyes hadn’t touched the pages in a long while. The moment she saw him, she stood quickly.“Philip,” she breathed, crossing the room toward him. She didn’t wait for him to explain. She simply wrapped her arms around him, holding him tightly as though her embrace could shield him from the torment clawing at

Gary steeled himself as he entered into Doomdoer's chambers, Brenda gliding a step ahead of him. Though he told himself not to react, not to show weakness, he couldn’t help the way his eyes darted over the carved crown moldings, the silk rugs so rich in color they looked wet, the faint scent of rare incense curling through the air like smoke from another century.Doomdoer always had a way of making him feel small here. Always had a way of letting him know his place before a word was spoken.“You’re late,” Doomdoer said at last, his voice a deep, rolling baritone that carried not anger, but authority. The kind of tone that required no force, but only inevitability. His gaze flicked lazily toward Gary as though measuring him, then he gestured to the empty chair across the table.Brenda moved to Doomdoer’s side, her posture tall, regal, as if she belonged there, as if she had never belonged anywhere else.Gary lowered himself into the chair, “I’m here now,” he said flatly, his tone stri

Chance and Fredrick arrived at the location where the man they were supposed to meet had told Frederick over the phone.“This is it,” Frederick muttered from the driver’s side of the black sedan on which they had come with, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel. “The address from the call.”Chance pushed open the door and stepped out, the crunch of gravel under his shoes sounding far too loud against the suffocating hush. He scanned the alley, and all he could see were just broken crates, damp pavement, and a row of rusting fire escapes that led nowhere. No movement. No sound.Fredrick cut the engine and reached for his phone again. “Let me ring him. Something about this feels… off.”Chance gave a short nod, his gaze sweeping the narrow alley with caution. The shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally long, swallowing the edges of the cracked pavement, while the faint drip of water from a rusted pipe echoed like a countdown.Fredrick dialed. The phone rang once—twice—before the sam

The night after Chance’s confession had been a restless one for Chloe. She had replayed his words over and over, turning them like a stone in her hand, feeling the rough edges no matter which way she turned it. He cared for her—that much she knew—but he had also held her at arm’s length, his grief and his secrets building walls between them.It hurt.Not because she doubted his feelings, but because every time she thought they were getting closer, something would push them apart again.She had really thought that after what happened between them the last time, they'd be more open with their relationship, and then, everyone would know that they're now a couple.But it seems none of that was going to happen, and it really got to her more than she had expected it would.Staring at her reflection in the mirror that morning, Chloe made a quiet resolution. If Chance couldn’t let her in yet, then she would prove herself worthy of standing beside him—not just leaning on him when the world wa