"Wouldn't he?" Victoria pressed. "Think about it. Every person here can testify against him. Every person here knows his face, his voice, his plan. The smart move—the only move—is to eliminate all of you once Michael pays.""Marcus wouldn't let him—""Marcus is using Derek just like Derek is using you." Victoria kept her voice reasonable, conversational. "Marcus gets his cut, then what? Derek doesn't need him anymore either. Everyone in this building is a loose end waiting to be tied off."The young thug looked uncertain now, fear creeping into his eyes."Here's what's going to happen," Victoria continued softly. "Michael Thompson will find this place. He's probably already looking. When he comes—and he will come—there's going to be violence. People will die. The question is: which side do you want to be on?""I—I need to think—""Jake!" Marcus's voice boomed across the factory floor. "Quit chatting with the merchandise!"Jake scurried away, but Victoria could see the seeds of doubt s

The island was paradise—white sand beaches, crystal-clear water, and not a single reminder of boardrooms or enemies. Michael and Sarah spent their days swimming in the ocean, their nights under stars that seemed brighter than anywhere else on Earth."I could stay here forever," Sarah said, floating on her back in the shallow water. "Just forget about everything else and live like this."Michael pulled her close, water lapping around them. "We could. I have enough money to buy this entire island if you wanted.""Don't tempt me." She kissed him softly. "Though I'd miss civilization eventually. Maybe."They had dinner on the beach that night—fresh seafood, wine, candlelight. No phones. No interruptions. Just them."I've been thinking," Sarah said, swirling her wine. "About what comes next. For us.""What do you mean?""The company, your empire, all of it." She set down her glass. "What do you actually want to do with it? You've built this massive fortune, but what's the endgame?"Michael

The video dropped at 6 AM across every major news platform simultaneously. By 6:15, Michael's phone was exploding with notifications."Boss, turn on the news. Any channel." Santiago's voice was tight with urgency.Michael grabbed the remote. CNN showed his face—except it wasn't him. The footage showed "Michael Thompson" in what appeared to be a secret meeting, discussing bribes to foreign officials."—another fifty million in unmarked cryptocurrency. Make sure the minister understands this buys his complete cooperation—"Sarah gasped beside him. "That's not you.""No. But it looks like me." Michael flipped channels. Every network was running the same story. "Deepfake. Has to be."His phone rang. Harrison from the board. "Michael, what the hell is this?""It's fake, Harrison. Fabricated—""It doesn't matter if it's fake! It's everywhere! The stock is already dropping!" Papers rustled in the background. "We're down twelve percent in fifteen minutes. Investors are panicking."Another cal

The press conference bought Michael breathing room, but not much. Stock prices stabilized, but didn't recover. Investors remained nervous. And the board meeting loomed just twenty-four hours away.Michael was reviewing security protocols with Santiago when his phone rang. Mr. Chen's name flashed on the screen."Michael." Chen's voice was barely a whisper. "I need to see you. Now. In person.""What's wrong?""Not over the phone. Please. My office. Come alone."The line went dead.Michael exchanged glances with Santiago. "That didn't sound good.""Could be a trap.""Then you'll be watching from outside." Michael grabbed his jacket. "Let's go."Chen's office was dark despite it being midday. The older man sat behind his desk, his face pale and haunted. When Michael entered, Chen didn't stand. Didn't greet him. Just slid a small box across the desk."What is this?" Michael asked."Open it."Michael's blood ran cold at the tone. He lifted the lid slowly. Inside, wrapped in cloth soaked wit

Victoria's investigative team worked through the night, cross-referencing shell companies, financial transactions, and property records. By dawn, they had three possibilities."These are the only properties that match Isaac's pattern," Victoria explained, pointing at the map. "All registered under different shell companies, but the money traces back to accounts he had access to before his arrest."Michael studied the locations. "We hit all three. Simultaneously. No warning.""That spreads us thin," Santiago warned."It also prevents Isaac from getting a heads-up if we hit the wrong one first." Michael divided the map. "Santiago, you take the industrial complex on Harbor Street. B1, the office building downtown. I'll take the warehouse on Riverside.""Michael, you should stay back," Sarah interjected. "Coordinate from here—""No." His voice was firm. "If Isaac is at my location, this ends tonight."Sarah's jaw tightened, but she nodded. "Then be careful. Please.""Always."Midnight. Th