Chapter 32: The ConfessionThe storm outside had quieted by the time Lucas entered the penthouse. The air still carried the heavy scent of rain, and the faint rumble of thunder echoed from somewhere over the Hudson. He loosened his tie and sank into the armchair, his thoughts circling endlessly. The meeting earlier had gone according to plan, yet victory felt hollow. He had secured control over another division of the company, but every gain came with a shadow. Every triumph demanded a sacrifice.Julian’s words still burned in his head, sharp and precise. “You may have the name, Lucas, but do you have the strength to bear it?” The memory played over like a broken record. Lucas’s fingers tightened against the armrest. He wanted to believe he did. He wanted to believe the man he was becoming could endure the storm that came with power.The sound of footsteps pulled him back. Emily stood near the doorway, her hair slightly tousled from the wind, a folder clutched in her hands. Her eyes w

Chapter 34: Fractures of LoyaltyThe city was still half asleep when Lucas stood at the window of his office. Morning light poured in over the skyline, gilding the sharp edges of the towers beyond. From here, New York looked silent, almost peaceful, but beneath that calm was the hum of motion, a thousand deals being made, a thousand secrets being traded.Lucas had not slept. The evidence they had found two nights ago still burned through his thoughts. The image of his father stepping into that car, Julian’s shadow cast behind him—it played over and over in his mind like a warning he could not escape.The folder lay open on his desk. Inside were the photos, the reports, the proof. With each glance, he felt his resolve deepen. The moment he showed this to the board, Julian’s empire would begin to crumble. But there was a problem—Julian had been one step ahead for years, and any false move would destroy everything Lucas had built.A knock came at the door. It was soft, almost cautious.“

Chapter 36: The Midnight ContactThe city was quiet in that way only midnight could bring, when the lights still burned but the voices had faded, leaving behind the hum of electric dreams. Lucas sat in the back of a town car that cut through the Manhattan streets like a whisper. He watched the reflections of passing neon lights on the windows, each one a fleeting memory of the chaos his life had become.Reginald had warned him that this meeting was dangerous, that whoever reached out to him had motives layered deeper than truth. Yet Lucas knew he had no choice. Every path that led to Julian was blocked, every piece of evidence buried under legal shields and paid silence. The only way forward was to follow the single lead he had been given: a name and a place.Daniel Cruz. Midnight. The rooftop bar of the Grand Lyric Hotel.The car stopped outside the towering structure. Lucas stepped out, his coat catching the chill of the late-night air. He glanced up. The rooftop lights glimmered fa

Chapter 38: The Council of Shadows The morning sun cut across the skyline like a blade, slicing through the haze that hung over Manhattan. Lucas stood in front of the glass doors of Ren & Associates, the firm that had represented the Foster family for generations. The polished brass letters gleamed against the marble facade, reflecting a legacy of power and control. He had not seen Victor Ren since the day of Godfrey Foster’s memorial, and even then, the man had seemed distant, as though he were already calculating the family’s next move. Lucas took a deep breath before entering, his steps measured, his mind steady. The receptionist greeted him with professional courtesy. “Good morning, Mr Foster. Mr Ren is expecting you. Please, this way.” Lucas followed her through the corridor, lined with oil paintings and framed contracts that told silent stories of influence. When she opened the door to Victor Ren’s office, the air shifted. The man behind the desk was in his early sixties, s

Chapter 40: The Zurich BetrayalThe morning after Zurich’s chaos was eerily calm. The sun filtered through the curtains of the hotel suite, scattering pale light across the hardwood floor. Lucas sat on the edge of the bed, still dressed in yesterday’s clothes, his eyes fixed on the city skyline.Sleep had not come. His mind replayed every detail of the previous night—the flickering screens, the black car, the shadow of Julian’s reach stretching across continents.Emily moved quietly behind him, packing their few belongings into a travel bag. She had been awake too, her eyes hollow but steady. The silence between them carried a weight that no words could soften.Finally, she spoke. “Lisette’s gone. I checked the apartment after sunrise. Empty. Everything wiped clean.”Lucas nodded slowly. “She did what I told her to.”“She might also have been taken,” Emily said quietly.Lucas’s hands tightened into fists. “Not if she’s smart. She knows how to vanish.”The sound of his phone vibrating