Chapter One Hundred and Forty-TwoThe Great Elder, Silas Vale, was on his hands and knees, scrambling toward the spittoon like a starving dog toward a bone. His fingers, adorned with jade rings worth millions, plunged into the murky water, ash, and cigar butts to retrieve the Sovereign Card."Found it!" Silas shrieked, his voice cracking with a hysterical, greedy joy. He held the dripping card aloft, oblivious to the grey sludge running down his silk sleeves. "The wealth of the Vales is mine! Adrian, you fool! You came here to save a dying girl, but you’ve given me the keys to the world!"Adrian stood in the center of the hall, his arms crossed over his stained sweater. He didn’t move to stop him. He looked like a man watching a clown finish a particularly pathetic performance."You really think," Adrian said, his voice cutting through the sycophantic murmurs of the guests, "that I would give the ultimate authority of the Vale lineage to a man who can’t even see he’s being evicted fr

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-FourThe Zimmerman Tower was a monolith of glass and steel.Leo Zimmerman sat in his leather-bound chair, swirling a glass of expensive scotch, watching Lina Andrew with the eyes of a wolf cornering a fawn."Lina, don't be difficult," Leo sneered, sliding a contract across the desk. "Your department is failing. Your husband is a literal garbage collector. If you sign over the logistics rights, I might find a place for you in my private office. If you don't, well, I hear your grandfather is quite old. It would be a shame if his medical insurance through the company were to suddenly lapse, wouldn't it?"Lina’s hands trembled on her lap. She looked at her phone hoping for a reply from Adrian but there was no reply from Adrian. She felt a wave of despair. "Leo, this is blackmail. My team has worked for these rights for years.""In this city, Lina, 'Rights' are bought by people with sovereignty. And you? You're married to a man who can't even afford a suit f

Chapter One Hundred and Forty-SixAdrian stepped out of the Southern Medical Center, his mind still on Emily’s recovery. He was heading toward his truck when he saw a sleek, silver Bentley Continental stalled right at the main hospital exit.A woman stood by the open hood, her brow furrowed in frustration. She wore a deep emerald silk dress that screamed high society—Seraphina Moore. She was clearly heading to a prestigious event, but the car had other plans."Excuse me," Adrian said, wiping his hands on his rag as he approached. "You’re blocking the ambulance lane. Need a hand?"Seraphina looked up. She saw a man in a faded, oil-stained jacket. To her, he looked like a hardworking laborer, likely struggling to pay the medical bills for a relative inside."The engine just died," Seraphina sighed, looking at her diamond-encrusted watch. "I have a charity gala in twenty minutes. The mechanic said it would take an hour to get here."Adrian didn't say a word. He leaned over the engine b