The narrow passage seemed endless.The air grew heavier the deeper they moved, dust clinging to their skin, their breathing growing louder in the confined space.Lucas’s arms ached.His ribs burned.But he didn’t stop.He couldn’t.Ahead, the man leading them suddenly slowed.Then stopped.A hand lifted slightly in the darkness.A signal.“Wait.”Everyone froze.Lucas held his breath, his heart pounding against his chest.For a moment—Nothing.Then the man shifted forward slightly, his hand reaching upward.A faint metallic sound followed.Click.Another.Click.Lucas frowned.“…What is that?”“Second panel,” the man whispered.A pause.“Other side of the wall.”Lucas’s eyes adjusted slightly to the faint line of light above.There was a seam.Barely visible.The man pressed against it carefully.Nothing happened.He adjusted his grip.Pressed again—Harder.This time—A soft crack echoed.The panel loosened.A thin line of light broke through the darkness.Lucas blinked slightly as

The news didn’t stop.If anything—It got worse.Every hour, new updates surfaced. Speculations. Sightings. Analysis. The name Lucas Brown echoed across media platforms like a storm that refused to settle.But while the world focused on the escape—Another collapse was happening quietly.Then suddenly—Not so quietly.Inside what used to be a powerful corporate headquarters—Phones rang endlessly.Assistants rushed between offices.Screens flashed red with falling numbers.Stocks plummeting.Investments withdrawn.Partnerships terminated.The name Brown Group—once respected—Was now avoided.Feared.Rejected.In the center of it all stood Mr. Brown.His office—Once a place of control—Now felt suffocating.A tablet slammed onto his desk.Another notification.“Final investor withdrawal confirmed.”His hands trembled slightly.“…No.”He shook his head, pacing.“No… this can’t be happening…”But it was.Every call he made—Went unanswered.Every ally—Gone silent.Every door—Closed.T

The Cole residence stood in silence, but not the peaceful kind.It was the kind of silence that followed disruption.The kind that lingered after something had gone wrong.Inside the private study, the atmosphere was thick, almost suffocating. The heavy curtains were drawn halfway, allowing only a narrow stream of light to cut across the polished wooden floor. The scent of aged books and leather filled the air, grounding the room in authority and control.But tonight—That control felt challenged.Standing near the center of the room, unable to remain still, was Evans Cole.His posture was rigid.His breathing uneven.His composure—Cracking.Across from him, seated behind a large desk, was his father, Mr. Cole.Unlike Evans—He was calm.Too calm.His fingers rested lightly on the desk, his gaze steady, observing his son the way one would observe a problem that needed solving.Evans finally stopped pacing.“…He discharged me.”His voice broke the silence, low but filled with restrain

The office had finally gone quiet again.The tension from Raymond’s outburst had faded into something more controlled, more calculated. Isabella had already left, leaving Adrian alone with his thoughts and the faint glow of the city stretching endlessly beyond the glass walls.For a moment, everything felt still.Then—His phone rang.The sharp vibration against the desk broke the silence instantly.Adrian glanced down casually at first, expecting it to be another business-related call.But the moment his eyes landed on the screen—He froze.Catherine Morrison.For a split second, he didn’t move.Surprise flickered across his face—rare, genuine.Then something else followed.Relief.Without hesitation, he picked up the call.“Catherine?”There was a brief pause on the other end.Then her voice came through.Soft.Familiar.“Adrian…”Just hearing it made something in him ease slightly.“…It’s been a while,” she said quietly.Adrian leaned back into his chair, his grip on the phone tigh

The private hangar was already secured.Everything had been arranged with precision—transport clearance, medical kits, protective equipment, emergency communication lines, and multiple contingency plans layered quietly beneath the surface.Isabella Reyes stood near the jet, her tablet in hand, reviewing the final checklist one last time. Her movements were sharp, efficient—but there was something else beneath it.Tension.Not visible to most people.But there.“…Everything is in place,” she murmured under her breath, confirming the last item.Behind her, footsteps approached.Unhurried.Casual.Kai.He stopped a few steps away, hands tucked into his pockets, glancing around the hangar with mild curiosity.“…You really went all out,” he said lightly. “Feels like we’re going to war, not a trip.”Isabella didn’t look up immediately.“We are going into a high-risk zone,” she replied, her tone controlled. “Preparation is not optional.”Kai smirked slightly.“Still,” he added, stepping clos