Later that evening, Caleb did not find Dante in his study, but in the sprawling, book lined library of the mansion. Dante was sitting in a worn leather armchair, a low fire crackling beside him and an open but ignored book in his lap. He was staring at the flames, with the day’s weight etched on his face.“I see even the CEO’s sanctuary has its limits,” Caleb said in a loud voice.Dante looked up, and his eyes softened immediately as he said in surprise, “Caleb, I thought you would be home by now. Drink.”“I think I need one,” Caleb said, as he walked over to the decanter on the sideboard and poured pit two fingers of scotch and sat down on the armchair opposite Dante. Then he said amusedly, “I had a delightful double feature today. First, your favorite lawyer. Then, your favorite fiancé.”Dante’a jaw tightened as he growled under his breathe, “ Peter and Mason. A marched set of vipers. What did they want?”“The usual. To posture, to threaten, and in Mason’s case, to try a truly pathe

The library in Dante Vance’s mansion was quiet and warm in the evening light. His daughter Daisy sat at the big table, with a frown on her little face as she looked at her math homework.“Papa,” she said. “Why does algebra have to exist? Who decided letters and numbers should mix together. This is so hard.”Dante smiled and walked over to help her. That was their special time together. For one hour, he was not the busy CEO of a big company. He was just a dad.Then his special phone buzzed suddenly. The one only few people had. He saw the caller id: Liam, and he only called at this time of it was important.Dante answered. “Liam.” “Sir.” Liam’s voice through the speaker was serious. “We have found one of the leaks. The person who have been given our secrets to the other side. You need to see what we have found.”Dante looked at Daisy. She was watching him intently through her lashes. “Hold on,” Dante told Liam. Then he covered the phone.“That was Liam from work,” he told Daisy. “I h

Dante was in his home office when his phone rang. He did not know the number, but he answered. “Dante Vance.” He said clearly. “Mr Vance. This is Harold Fitch. From Lotus Group.”Dante sat up straighter. Harold Fitch was one of the oldest members of the Lotus board. He was known for being honest and quiet, and he never called anyone.“Mr Fitch,” Dante said, with respect in his voice. “This is a surprise.”“No time for small talk,” Fitch said, his voice rough and direct. “I am in the city. I need to meet. Somewhere private.”“Of course. My office—”“Not your office,” Fitch cut him off. “Somewhere neutral. The bistro at Wellington and Fifth. Le Jardin. One hour.”The call ended and Dante put down his phone slowly. A call from Harold Fitch meant something big was happening.An hour later, Dante sat at the corner table in the quiet restaurant. The air smelled like herbs and old wood.Harold Fitch arrived right on time. He was an older man, thin, with white hair and sharp eyes. He moved

The Vertex pharmaceuticals laboratory was silent except for the buzz of equipments. Dante Vance observed a small lab rat in an isolation chamber, breathing very shallow and rapid and it’s vital signs on a nearby screen traced a steady decline.Dr. Anya Chen stood beside him and reported in a clear tone. “The neuro toxin is at full effect. We are ready for the antidote trial.”Two other researchers watched closely, but Liam stood apart from them, as he looked at the scene before him with vigilant eyes. “The last tissue trial was promising,” Dr. Chen said with a glassy look in her eyes. “If this works, we can request clinical trials next quarter.”Liam stepped closer and requested for permission. “A critical juncture, sir.”Dante nodded, with his eyes pinned on the suffering animal. The work was important. But he was aware that it is not every one present was there for the science alone.“Proceed,” Dante said.As Dr. Chen moved to retrieve the antidote vail, Dante held up his hand. The

The penthouse suite of the Lockwood hotel stood tall above the sprawling city, and Mason stood by the floor to ceiling window, with a glass of whiskey in his hand. His best friend and lawyer, Peter, sat on a low leather sofa, scrolling through a tablet.“The pressure on Vertex is working,” Mason said without turning back. “Their stock dipped another two percent after the regulatory inquiry was announced. Dante is spending his days putting out financial fires.”Peter looked up, and asked with a slight frown on his face. “And the board? Any movement on the trustee proposal?”Mason smiled and replied with an absent wave of his hand, “Fitch is stubborn, but the others are listening. Chen is worried about instability. Adebayo is concerned about reputation. I have had dinners with the three of them this week. They are starting to see Dante not as a guardian, but as a liability. The vote will happen soon. We just need a tight moment to call it.”“And Dante?” Peter asked as he set his tablet