Rica was the first to speak. She straightened in her chair and lifted her chin with the confidence of someone who had never known financial lack, and declared loudly enough for everyone to hear, “I’ll contribute fifty million.”A ripple of impressed applause and murmurs ran through the long dining table. It was precisely the effect she had hoped for: attention, validation, and the glory of being the first to make a bold vow.Nathaniel’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Excellent, Ma'am Marion. Dane Empire is honored.”That single sentence, delivered with charm and authority, sent another surge of enthusiasm through the Marion family. If they were being honored by a man like Nathaniel—wealthy, influential, and connected—then clearly this was a golden opportunity, one not to be missed. Rica’s smugness only grew as she folded her napkin elegantly on her lap and relaxed into her chair like a queen who had just graced her subjects with a grand donation.Not long after, one of the older

Brandon’s phone screen glowed faintly beneath the table lights, illuminating his calm expression as he prepared to reveal proof of Dane Empire on the verge of closure.The entire table leaned forward as he opened the document he claimed contained proof.Jessica kept glancing between Brandon and Nathaniel.She knew Brandon never spoke without certainty. If he said he had proof, then he did.But she also knew Nathaniel.Despite his charming public persona, he hated being embarrassed—especially in front of the Marion family and especially in front of Rica.Nathaniel’s eyes flickered down at Brandon’s phone screen, and in that split second, a jolt of panic shot through him like an electric shock. He recognized the logo, and then, the headline.Underground Finance Network Bulletin.It was a specialized, exclusive investigative site that released confidential reports before the mainstream media caught wind of them.And the title?DANE EMPIRE: INTERNAL COLLAPSE AND POTENTIAL SHUTDOWN EXPECT

Brandon’s heart clenched the instant Jessica’s broken voice filtered through the speaker, thin and shaking as if every breath she took was falling apart in her lungs.“…he’s fading. My Grandpa… he’s about to give up the ghost…”The words hit him with the force of a physical blow. Her voice which was normally steady and vibrant, now sounded like someone drowning—fragile, fractured, barely holding on. The raw pain that poured through the line pierced him like a blade. He had not expected anything like this. Moments earlier he had called with excitement, ready to congratulate her about the news feature circulating online—an article celebrating one of her recent accomplishments. He’d thought he would hear her laugh or at least smile. But now? Any thought of celebration evaporated instantly.“Miss Marion,” Brandon breathed, “I’m coming. I’ll be with you soon.”He didn’t wait for her reply. He ended the call, shoved his phone into his pocket, locked his door with shaking hands, and rus

Upon hearing Brandon say the second time that he wanted to assess Pa Marion, the reaction was instantaneous. It was as though the air itself had shifted, carrying a sudden weight that pressed on every chest in the room. Every pair of eyes snapped to him. Rica bolted upright in her chair, her body trembling violently as both anger and fear warred within her. Her hands clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms. “Assess him? Brandon! Are you out of your mind? This is not some experiment!” she shouted, her voice quivering with both grief and fury. “He’s dying, and you think you can just—just ‘assess’ him? You—” She spun toward her in-laws, her words spilling over in a torrent of disbelief and horror. “He’s not a doctor! He’s not even remotely qualified! Let him near Pa Marion, and I swear…”Her threat lingered in the room, charged with desperation. “Exactly!” one of Jessica's cousins interjected sharply, his face pale with a mixture of disbelief and outrage. “You’re m

Everyone in the room stared at Brandon as if he had just spoken madness. The tension in Pa Marion’s bedroom was already unbearable but Brandon’s request for herbs made that tension coil even tighter. It was as though he had dropped a live spark into a field of dry grass.“Herbs?” Rica scoffed loudly, almost shrill. Her eyes were swollen from crying and her hair messy from hours of running her fingers through it in panic.“What use will herbs be to a dying man? My father-in-law is barely breathing! Are you trying to finish him off?”Her in-laws murmured in agreement, exchanging dark, accusing looks. Jessica’s uncle folded his arms tightly over his chest in suspicion.“This is nonsense. Herbs? At this point? Who does he think he is?”Even the professor of medicine looked troubled. He had already declared that nothing more could be done—that Pa Marion’s organs were shutting down, that his body was slipping away. But still… herbs? From a man who walked in and made declarations none