The news spread through the upper-class social circles like wildfire. Magnus Gonzalez—former patriarch of the Gonzalez family, once-respected businessman—was getting divorced. And not just any divorce, but a spectacular public implosion complete with evidence of years of infidelity.Within forty-eight hours, everyone who mattered in Duskfort's elite society knew about Magnus's affairs, his stripped title, his humiliation. The gossip was delicious, scandalous, the kind of fall from grace that people couldn't stop talking about."Did you hear about Magnus Gonzalez?""The patriarch who got caught cheating? Multiple affairs?""His wife took him for everything. Half his wealth gone in the divorce settlement.""Serves him right. Victoria Wellington-Gonzalez is a saint for putting up with him as long as she did.""I heard his own family voted to remove him as patriarch. Even his son sided with the wife.""What kind of man loses his entire family like that? Pathetic."The laughter echoed thro

Magnus sat there staring at his phone, Marcus's final words still echoing in his mind. Don't call me again. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a father anymore.His son. His only child. Gone.The pain in Magnus's chest felt physical, like someone had reached into his ribcage and crushed his heart in their fist. He'd lost everything—his position, his wealth, his family, his company—and now even his son had turned his back on him completely.How did it come to this? Magnus thought desperately. How did I fall so far?But before he could sink deeper into despair, his phone buzzed in his hand.Incoming call: SARAH CHEN.Magnus stared at the name on the screen, and something dark and viscous bubbled up from deep in his gut. Anger. Pure, undiluted rage."That SLUT," Magnus muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening around the phone until the device creaked. "That backstabbing, money-grubbing SLUT."Sarah Chen. His mistress of three years. The woman he'd spent hundreds of thousands

The private hospital room was lavish—more like a luxury hotel suite than a medical facility.Floor-to-ceiling windows overlooked Duskfort's skyline, expensive artwork adorned the walls, and state-of-the-art medical equipment hummed quietly in the corner.Nigel Portman lay in the adjustable hospital bed, his legs elevated and wrapped in complex bracing systems. Monitors tracked his vital signs.IV lines delivered pain medication and nutrients. Everything money could buy to ensure the fastest, most complete recovery possible.His legs—the legs Darius Kane had shattered at the medical conference—had been saved. Barely.It had taken a team of twelve specialists flown in from around the world. Surgeons from Switzerland, orthopedic experts from Japan, neurologists from Germany—the best medical minds money could hire.They'd worked in shifts around the clock, performing multiple surgeries, using experimental techniques and cutting-edge technology that most patients would never have access to

Victor stood silently by Nigel's hospital bed, his posture perfectly straight, his expression neutral, waiting for the storm of Nigel's rage to pass. He'd learned over the past few days that arguing or trying to defend himself only made things worse. Better to remain still and silent, like a tree weathering a hurricane.After several long minutes, Nigel's breathing finally slowed. The red flush faded from his face. The monitors beside his bed stopped their alarmed beeping as his heart rate returned to something approaching normal."Fine," Nigel said finally, his voice exhausted. "You can speak. Tell me—what updates do we have on Darius Kane's movements? Where is he? What is he doing? Who is he meeting with?"Victor consulted his notes, though he'd memorized the information already. "That's... difficult to say with certainty.""What do you mean 'difficult to say'?" Nigel's eyes narrowed dangerously."Kane is extremely careful about his movements," Victor explained. "He doesn't follow p

Nigel's expression transformed completely at Victor's proposal. The rage and frustration that had dominated his features moments ago melted away, replaced by something darker and more satisfied—the look of a predator who'd just spotted wounded prey."Yes," Nigel said, his voice filled with eager anticipation. "Yes, make it happen. Reach out to Gonzalez and Wesley. Set up meetings. Coordinate strategies. I want this alliance formed as quickly as possible."His eyes gleamed with malicious joy. "Three families united against one target. Kane won't know what hit him. Won't be able to defend against attacks coming from multiple directions simultaneously. We'll overwhelm him, crush him, destroy everything he has.""I'll begin immediately," Victor assured him. "Discreet inquiries first, then formal proposals if they show interest.""They'll show interest," Nigel said confidently. "They have as much reason to hate Kane as we do. More, maybe. Gonzalez lost everything—his position, his family, h