All Chapters of The Formidable System: Alex Cole Secret Heir: Chapter 21
- Chapter 30
45 chapters
Chapter 21
Three weeks had passed since the Orbitway debacle, and the world had already begun rewriting its narrative. Investors whispered that Orbitway’s golden touch had dulled; competitors began circling like quiet predators. Ethan watched it all unfold with stillness, the satisfaction tempered, never boastful.He had learned …the Cole legacy was not about noise. It was about control.Jonathan entered the room with his usual composure, carrying two folders. “Zurich’s holdings are stabilizing,” he reported. “And our Ghana branch just received preliminary approval to resume operations.”Ethan nodded. “Orbitway’s influence in the region?”“Shrinking,” Jonathan said. “Wilson’s still trying to clean up the mess, but confidence is hard to buy back once it cracks.”Ethan leaned back, eyes still on the floating data. “Then the silence did its work.”Jonathan watched him for a moment. “You sound more like your grandfather every day.”Ethan’s lips curved faintly. “Maybe that’s the point.”The office fe
Chapter 22
Two days later, Lisa Sanders stood before the glass doors of Cole Consortium’s executive wing. Her reflection stared back. a woman composed on the outside but unraveling within. She hadn’t been here since the day she’d broken Ethan publicly, trading him for Daniel Flake and Orbitway’s world of status.Now she was back, sent on a mission she barely understood, her mother’s strained voice echoing in her mind.“Please, Lisa. You owe me this one favor.”The receptionist recognized her instantly. “Miss Sanders,” she greeted warmly. “Mr. Cole is expecting you. His schedule is clear for the next fifteen minutes.”Lisa hesitated before entering. When she did, Ethan was already standing by the window, hands behind his back, posture calm and unreadable.“Lisa,” he said evenly. “It’s been a while.”“Yes,” she managed, forcing a smile. “I… thought maybe we could talk. There’s potential for collaboration between Orbitway’s marketing division and your AI subsidiary.”Ethan turned, his gaze steady.
Chapter 23
The storm had passed, but the city still wore its aftermath. slick streets, a silver-gray sky, and a tension that refused to leave the air.Inside the Sanders penthouse, the morning light spilled through glass walls, cutting across marble floors. The silence was sharp, broken only by the soft clink of a glass on wood as Elizabeth Sanders poured herself another drink she wouldn’t finish.Her eyes were hollow. She had barely slept.“You lied to me, Mother.”The voice came from behind her. soft but edged like a blade. Lisa stood near the doorway, arms crossed, her hair loose, eyes burning.Elizabeth didn’t turn. “Good morning to you too.”“You told me it was just a harmless favor. A marketing relay.”“I told you what you needed to hear.”Lisa stepped closer. “No, you told me what Wilson Flake wanted me to hear.”Elizabeth’s shoulders stiffened, the name cutting through the air like static. “You don’t understand what he’s capable of.”“I understand perfectly,” Lisa shot back. “You let h
Chapter 24
Ethan Cole stood before the glass wall of his office, hands clasped behind his back, watching the reflection of his empire move below. The news feeds still spoke of Orbitway’s collapse, of Wilson Flake’s sudden silence, of investors retreating. Yet, Ethan’s mind wasn’t on victory.It was on betrayal.The System’s faint hum filled the room. a pulse of awareness, like a silent conscience.[Directive pending: Ethical evaluation . Betrayal response required.][Objective: Determine outcome based on heir’s interpretation of justice.]He exhaled slowly. “So even justice is a test now,” he murmured.Behind him, the elevator doors opened with a soft chime. Lily Harper stepped in, the sound of her heels crisp against the polished floor.She looked radiant … freshly returned from her fashion tour across Europe, dressed in a minimalist white suit that caught the light like silk. But the moment she saw Ethan, her confident smile faltered slightly.“You didn’t tell me you were back early,” Ethan sa
Chapter 24
Ethan Cole stood before the glass wall of his office, hands clasped behind his back, watching the reflection of his empire move below. The news feeds still spoke of Orbitway’s collapse, of Wilson Flake’s sudden silence, of investors retreating. Yet, Ethan’s mind wasn’t on victory.It was on betrayal.The System’s faint hum filled the room. a pulse of awareness, like a silent conscience.[Directive pending: Ethical evaluation . Betrayal response required.][Objective: Determine outcome based on heir’s interpretation of justice.]He exhaled slowly. “So even justice is a test now,” he murmured.Behind him, the elevator doors opened with a soft chime. Lily Harper stepped in, the sound of her heels crisp against the polished floor.She looked radiant … freshly returned from her fashion tour across Europe, dressed in a minimalist white suit that caught the light like silk. But the moment she saw Ethan, her confident smile faltered slightly.“You didn’t tell me you were back early,” Ethan sa
Chapter 26
The morning after the first media storm, the city buzzed with speculation.Screens across downtown streamed headlines, the same story repeating with polished venom:COLE CONSORTIUM UNDER ETHICAL REVIEW – SOURCES QUESTION AI TRANSPARENCY.Social feeds spun wild theories. Some accused Ethan of concealing data breaches; others claimed the Formidable System itself was a rogue entity.But through the chaos, Ethan Cole remained silent.Inside the top floor of Cole Tower, the System glowed faintly, processing thousands of mentions per second.[Reputation status: Declining – 18%.][Investor confidence index: Stable.][Public trust variable: Fluctuating.]Ethan stood by the window, calm as ever, as Jonathan Hale read through crisis reports.“Vector Media is coordinating the narrative,” Jonathan said. “Anonymous sources, recycled data, nothing provable…but effective. People love a mystery to hate.”Grayson crossed his arms. “Wilson’s fingerprints are all over it.”Ethan nodded. “He sold Orion t
Chapter 27
The storm outside Cole Tower had not yet broken, but thunder rolled somewhere beyond the skyline …distant, patient, like a warning that refused to fade.Inside, the air was still.Ethan Cole stood at the center of his office, a man surrounded by silence, power, and screens that never slept.Every headline glowed the same way. sharp and poisonous:“Lisa Sanders Defends Ethan Cole … Redemption or Manipulation?”“Former Fiancée’s Sympathy Speech Sparks Speculation.”The world hadn’t forgotten her betrayal; it had merely repackaged it.Behind Ethan, Lily Harper watched the feeds from a side console, her expression composed but her pulse steady with irritation. She had seen Ethan dismantle corporations with less precision than the restraint he now showed toward Lisa’s sudden reappearance.“They’re calling her your defender,” Lily said.“Defenders don’t need attention,” Ethan replied. His tone was calm, clinical.“And what does she need?”“Redemption,” he said. “People chase it when truth
Chapter 28
London’s skyline shimmered beneath a sheet of fine rain, glass and fog folding into each other like secrets. The city was half-asleep, but within the upper floors of Cole Consortium, strategy never slept.Ethan Cole stood before a holographic projection of global stock feeds, his reflection caught between numbers and clouds. Every pulse of light represented movement. the world shifting beneath his touch.But his expression was unreadable, almost detached.Grayson entered quietly, tablet in hand. “Orbitway’s media proxies are bleeding influence. Wilson’s campaign lost three key advertisers overnight.”Ethan didn’t look up. “Intentional leaks?”Grayson nodded once. “From us, through intermediaries. The reports trace back to Vector Media, but not directly. They’re imploding without realizing who set the spark.”A faint smile curved Ethan’s lips. “Good. Let them blame the air.”The System hummed softly from the wall display, its text appearing like whispered thought.[Observation: Strateg
Chapter 29
Chapter 29 The night was still in Belgravia, but Lisa Sanders couldn’t sleep. The city outside her window glowed faintly through the drizzle, its hum distant, steady… a reminder that London never truly rested, not even when the heart wanted to.She sat before her mother’s old tablet…a piece of tech she hadn’t touched in years. Elizabeth Sanders had kept it locked with biometric encryption, but Lisa had spent the last two nights bypassing its defenses. Not because of curiosity … because of something else.Something Wilson had said kept echoing in her mind:“Your mother helped build the foundation I’m standing on.”At first, it sounded like flattery. Now it felt like a confession.The tablet finally unlocked with a soft click. Files bloomed across the screen…board minutes, private correspondence, encrypted memos. Among them, one message stood out.It was dated two weeks before the Orbitway breach.From: Wilson FlakeTo: Elizabeth SandersElizabeth,Our agreement holds. Deliver the acce
Chapter 30
The train slid into Gare du Nord beneath a washed-out sky that looked half asleep. The city of Paris exhaled a long, misty sigh, as if unsure whether to welcome the morning or mourn it. To most travelers, the station was alive. clattering luggage, murmured French announcements, the faint aroma of croissants and diesel. But to Ethan Cole, it felt like stepping into a memory that didn’t belong to him.No digital overlay. No predictive routes. No silent voice guiding his every step. Just air — human, raw, unsupervised.He adjusted his coat as he stepped off the train. For the first time in years, his hands felt oddly empty. No boardroom calls. No System directives. Only the weight of his own breathing.Beside him, Lily dragged her small suitcase, her auburn hair glinting in the dull light. She turned, smiling the way only she could …like she had already forgiven the world for being chaotic.“You look like someone who doesn’t know what to do with peace,” she said.Ethan’s lips twitched in