Night had finally came, Inside the cell, Lucas sat silently on his bunk. Across from him, the inmate from earlier finally rose and walked over without drawing attention. “No sudden movements,” he muttered. Lucas nodded once. “I’m listening.” The man crouched beside the bunk and tapped the wall behind it. “The route starts here.” Lucas frowned. “Behind the wall?” “There’s a maintenance panel hidden underneath. Sealed from the outside, loose from this side.” Lucas glanced at the concrete again. He had spent days in the cell and noticed nothing. “And after that?” “A narrow service passage,” the man explained. “It connects to old utility ducts beneath the prison.” Lucas lowered his voice. “How many people know about this?” “Enough to make it work. Not enough to ruin it.” That answer told Lucas everything. This wasn’t random desperation. It had been planned carefully. “The timing matters,” the man continued. “Guard rotations leave this section unwatched for three minutes.” “Thr

The next morning, notification flashing across phones and television screens, and within minutes, every major news station carried the same headline. BREAKING: HIGH-PROFILE PRISON ESCAPE Footage flooded the media immediately—armed officers surrounding the prison, police vehicles blocking roads, reporters shouting over the noise of the crowd. Then Lucas Brown’s face appeared on the screen. The polished heir people once recognized was gone. In his place was someone colder, someone whose eyes no longer carried arrogance, but resentment. The reporter’s voice echoed across the city. “Lucas Brown, heir to the Brown group, escaped prison alongside four inmates late last night. Authorities confirm that two escapees were killed during pursuit. Three fugitives, including Brown, remain missing.” The footage replayed again and again, forcing the public to memorize his face. Adrian sat on the soda in his office, watching the reflection of the broadcast. The office door opened behind him. I

Lucas sat in front of a battered television resting on a metal crate, watching the late-night news replay the collapse of everything his family once controlled. Then the screen showed his father surrounded by security at an airport terminal. “…Sources confirm that Mr. Brown left the country early this morning and has declined to comment—” Lucas muted the television. Silence settled over the room just as footsteps approached from behind him. The man who had led the prison escape entered calmly and leaned against the doorway. “You’ve been staring at that for twenty minutes.” Lucas kept his eyes on the frozen image of his father. “Maybe I’m enjoying it.” “You’re not.” A faint smile crossed Lucas’s face before disappearing just as quickly. “No,” he admitted quietly. “I’m not. You really saw through it” The man studied him for a moment. “Still hurts?” Lucas finally looked over. “My father abandoned me in prison. He called it damage control, I deserve to be hurt, all this would ha

Adrian leaned forward slightly, his expression calm as his gaze swept across the boardroom. “Let me simplify this,” he said. “Since no one is willing to take responsibility for calling this meeting, then we can assume it was never formally authorized.” The statement instantly stirred the room. Several shareholders exchanged uneasy looks while another adjusted his glasses, visibly uncomfortable. Raymond finally broke the silence. “This meeting doesn’t require your approval to exist.” Adrian turned to him slowly. “No? Then whose authority does it operate under?” “The board,” Raymond answered firmly. Adrian nodded once. “Good. Then the board collectively approved it.” Silence followed. His eyes moved across the table. “Did they?” The atmosphere tightened immediately. What started as pressure on Raymond now spread across the entire room. One of the older shareholders cleared his throat. “We were informed the matter was urgent.” Adrian’s gaze landed on him instantly. “By who?” T

Adrian walked back to his seat, and pressed the intercom on his desk. “Director Reyes.” “Yes, Chairman Cole,” Isabella responded immediately. “Come here, we have something serious to discuss” he said. "Okay Sir" she replied and he hang the call.. Moments later, Isabella entered the office with her tablet . One look at Adrian’s expression told her this wasn’t routine business. “You called for me?” Adrian stood from behind his desk. “I’m leaving tonight.” Isabella frowned slightly. “Leaving?” “I’m traveling.” The concern in her expression deepened. “You never mentioned a trip earlier. Is this related to the board meeting?” “No.” That answer only made her more alert. “Then what is it?” Adrian walked around the desk and stopped in front of her. “It’s medical.” The atmosphere shifted instantly. Without wasting time, Adrian briefly explained what Catherine had told him—the outbreak, the neurological symptoms, the rapid progression rate, and the increasing deaths among medical