Mr. McCarthy stood near the fireplace with his hands folded behind his back, watching the flames flicker with a satisfied smile that would not leave his face. Mrs. McCarthy hovered near the tall windows, smoothing the silk of her dress with her fingers while Julian lounged on the velvet sofa like a man who had been handed a crown.They had just received a call from Elizabeth telling them about her success in her plans.Julian spread his hands a little and leaned forward, his eyes gleaming. “When they remove Ryan, I will step in properly. The acting CEO title becomes permanent, and the company falls back into able hands — our hands.”They spoke for a long time and circled the same ideas, adding little flourishes and small laughs. Then Julian’s phone began to vibrate on the coffee table. He reached for it casually, not quite looking at the screen until the caller clicked again and again.When he finally answered, his face — which had been all smug satisfaction a breath before — change

Elizabeth sat on a crate with her hands folded in her lap, staring at the rope that bound Agatha to the chair if it was tied properly. Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She had nearly forgotten she had it — after all, Lord Ryder preferred face-to-face power, not constant chatter. Elizabeth fished the phone out of her pocket.“Elizabeth,” Lord Ryder’s voice came through. “You’ve done well. Very well, indeed. You finally got what you wanted.”Elizabeth drew in a steadying breath, tilting her chin upward as if she could see her. “Yes. I did what needed to be done.”Lord Ryder chuckled lowly, the sound both amused and unsettling. “And now… now you have Claudia’s family member in your possession. You see, I was right all along. This is the leverage you needed to crush her completely. You wanted to destroy her, and here lies your golden chance. Don’t you agree?”Elizabeth pressed her lips together before answering. “I know. And I will use her, just as we discussed. Claudia will learn that sh

Ryan walked calmly beside Claudia, his hands tucked neatly into his pockets, his shoulders squared.They were almost at the boardroom doors when the sound of laughter rang out, sharp and mocking, bouncing off the walls.Ryan slowed, and Claudia turned her head just slightly—only to see Julian standing just a few steps away, his expensive suit tailored to perfection, his lips twisted into a smirk that oozed arrogance. At his side were Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy, equally smug, their postures dripping with the kind of confidence that comes only when one is convinced victory is already in their grasp.“Well, well,” Julian drawled, his voice was venomous. “If it isn’t Ryan Walker, walking into his own execution.” He tilted his head slightly, his eyes glinting with mock sympathy. “Tell me, Ryan, did you really come here today just to humiliate yourself? Or…” He paused for a few seconds, his smirk widening, “did you come to witness history? To see me officially crowned as the new CEO of Nova?”M

The boardroom was silent and every eye was fixed on Mr. Harrison as he leaned forward, his hands folded neatly on the table.“There is just one final step,” Mr. Harrison said, his voice sounding casual. “A simple formality, really. To complete the process, the new CEO must demonstrate his authority by logging into the Nova account. After all, it was through that account that the coins were first mined and later transferred. It is, in a way, the true heart of this company.”A few board members nodded, murmuring softly among themselves.Julian’s face lit with easy confidence. “Of course,” he said quickly, rising from his chair as if eager to show off. “That will be no problem at all.”Mrs. McCarthy clapped her hands together once, delighted. “Finally, we can put all this nonsense behind us.”Ryan watched silently, his lips curving into a faint smile that no one except Claudia noticed. She shifted slightly in her chair, her hand brushing against his beneath the table. Julian stepped tow

Ryan walked out of the mansion, looking around for his driver, but he was nowhere to be found. Ryan frowned and called out. “Adolfo!” His voice echoed into the quiet.There was no answer.He tried again, louder this time. “Adolfo!”Still There was absolute silence. The only sound came from the cooking area of the staff quarters. Just then, the kitchen door swung open, and Grace, the mansion’s long-time chef, appeared, wiping her hands on a towel.“Good evening, sir,” she greeted warmly, though there was a faint crease of worry in her brow.“Grace,” Ryan said, turning toward her, “have you seen Adolfo? He was supposed to be here.”She hesitated, then stepped closer, her tone was careful as she spoke. “Yes, sir. Adolfo got an emergency call. He tried to come see you earlier, but you were in that long meeting with the board members. He didn’t want to disturb.”Ryan’s brow furrowed. “An emergency call? What kind of emergency?”Grace sighed, lowering her voice. “His mother collapsed, sir.