Chief Reynolds opened his mouth carefully, clearly attempting to regain control of the conversation before it slipped any further from procedure.“Mr. Lorenzo, I understand this is an emotional—”“I will not have my company sealed because of the death of a non-entity like Moses.”The sentence landed across the lobby with such brutal sharpness that even the movement around them seemed to falter.Silence followed immediately.One of the officers close to the entrance visibly stiffened. Holloway blinked hard as though unsure he had heard correctly. Even the constant flashes from the reporters outside seemed distant for a moment beneath the weight of what had just been said.Ivy suddenly lifted her face, eyes fixing on her grandfather in awe.Her eyes were swollen from crying, lashes damp, and the disbelief on her expression struck almost harder than the words themselves.“Grandpa…”Pa Lorenzo didn't turn to her. He remained standing with one hand resting atop the polished head of his ca

Christopher lifted the wineglass again, turning it slowly between his fingers while the city glimmered behind him through the wall of glass. The sunlight had shifted lower now, staining parts of the office amber and gold, but the warmth of it did little to soften the cold calculation settled across his features.“Derrick will die sooner or later,” he said evenly.The words carried not a single emotion or anger. Just certainty.He took another drink before continuing. “The only reason certain people tolerated him this long was because of his father’s shadow hanging over him. That legacy protected him.” His mouth curved faintly as he lowered the glass. “Now that shield will be destroyed too.”Vincent frowned slightly at what he just heard. He shifted his weight where he stood near the desk, one hand brushing absently against his sleeve as something uncomfortable worked its way into his thoughts.“Legacy?” he asked slowly. “You’ve never mentioned Derrick’s father before.”Christopher

Ivy pushed open the door to the sitting room and walked in.Helena sat hunched on the wide velvet sofa, her shoulders trembling with each ragged sob. Her usually composed face was now swollen and raw, eyes red-rimmed and distant.Ma Lorenzo sat beside her, one arm wrapped firmly around Helena's shoulders. She rubbed slowly circles on her back, murmuring words to offer little comfort.Ivy's chest tightened at the sight. She crossed the room and knelt in front of Helena, taking the woman's trembling hands in hers and squeezing gently."Aunt Helena," she whispered in a thick voice. "We're here. You're not alone in this."Helena's breath hitched and another wave of tears spilled down her cheeks. She clutched Ivy’s fingers with surprising strength, as if afraid to let go.The three women remained like that for a while. Eventually, the storm of weeping eased into exhausted sniffles. Ivy rose, brushing a stray of locked hair from her face. Then she offered a small smile. "I'll prepare some

In his office at top floor of the Maguire Group building, Christopher ended a call with a satisfied click.A thin, predatory smile curved his lips, softening the hard lines of his face for the briefest moment. He slipped the phone into the inner pocket of his tailored suit and rose from behind the massive desk. Late afternoon light slammed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting long shadows across Persian rug in the office.Christopher walked out of his office and down the private corridor connecting the executive suites, his polished shoes silent on the marble floor. Without knocking, he pushed open the door to his son's office.Vincent sat hunched over the large monitor on his desk, fingers flying across the keyboard with focused intensity. The glow of multiple screens painted his features in cool blues and whites.A half-empty cup of coffee sat beside him, and his tie hung rather loose around his neck."Have you cracked the video yet?" Christopher asked, his voice smooth b