Chapter Fifty-OneThe neighbors peeked through their windows and whispered in gossip the moment they saw Martha strutting out of the old building, acting like a queen in the expensive fur coat Beatrice threw at her. Behind her walked a quiet Andrew and a completely exhausted Lina.Adrian walked at the very back, carrying a beat-up duffel bag over his shoulder."Adrian, look at this car!" Martha hissed, rubbing her hands all over the leather seats of the Maybach. "This is how we were born to live! No more listening to your broke student talk, and no more hiding in the cheap corners of Cape City. We are mixing with the real Main Branch billionaires now!"Adrian leaned back as the car sped toward the runway. "Auntie, just remember that the flashier the car, the harder it crashes when it goes off a cliff.""Oh, keep quiet!" Martha snorted, rolling her eyes in disgust. "You are just burning with jealousy because your tech client only treats you like a paid servant, while the real Vales are

Chapter Fifty-Three"You are just the son of a kicked-out, erased branch pretending to be a real Vale," Arthur sneered, tossing his head back. "You’re a penniless nobody who got lucky by helping Ironclad Solutions. You used a cheap digital pass to freeze our regional accounts on Friday. But you forgot one thing—this is the Capital. Here, your little client is a nobody. We own the banks, we own the judges, and we own the very air you breathe."He slammed a thick piece of paper across the mahogany table. It was a relinquishment form."Sign the Founder’s Key and all Grand Azure Trust money over to the Main Branch right now," Arthur barked, his face twisting into a cruel grin. "Do it, and I will let Andrew keep his little regional job and throw your boss five million dollars to get lost. If you refuse..." Arthur snapped his fingers, and a wall screen flickered to life.The screen showed a live camera feed of the old Historical Wing. A gang of main branch thugs stood in a circle around the

Chapter Fifty-FiveAdrian pulled out a cheap burner phone, his thumb lazily tapping the screen. The line connected before the first ring even finished."Master," Chase Goodman’s voice came through, completely sharp. "My men are exactly three minutes away from flattening the Long Clan's entire compound if you want them gone.""Stand down, Chase," Adrian said, watching a hawk circle the dark moonlit sky—the exact same symbol Long Wei wore on his white silk robe. "You don't smash an empire with soldiers. You do it by looking at what they owe.""What do you mean, sir?""Long Wei wants my Founder’s Key," Adrian said, a lazy, cold smirk touching his lips. "Check their main shipping fund from three years ago. They had a massive shortfall when their fleet got trapped out east."On the other end, keyboard keys clattered rapidly. A few seconds later, Chase let out a sharp gasp. "Found it. Master, your memory is terrifying. They took a twelve-billion-dollar emergency loan from a shell bank. And t

Chapter Fifty-SevenAt the main gates, the Long Clan’s blockade stood like a solid wall of shiny white steel. Fifty high-end SUVs were packed together nose-to-tail, guarded by thugs in matching polo shirts who were confidently swinging heavy security batons.The lead guard, a guy with a jagged scar stretching across his throat, saw the rusted, dented van speeding down the driveway toward them. He let out a loud, mocking laugh and signaled his boys to stand their ground.“Look at this garbage,” the guard barked, pointing a finger. “The Vales are so broke they’re trying to escape in a laundry truck! Throw the tire spikes!”“Adrian, stop!” Martha shrieked, grabbing her throat as the heavy metal spikes were pushed right onto the asphalt in front of them. “The tires! We’re going to pop!”Adrian didn't even blink. He casually reached over and flipped a switch on the dashboard.“Chase Goodman's mechanics built this van, Auntie,” Adrian said, his voice completely calm and bored. “These tires a

Chapter Fifty-Nine“Of course, Mr. Vale. I will handle the review right away,” Governor Sterling stammered, hurrying out of the grand hall before the Vales could even process what happened.Adrian let out a quiet sigh, turning back toward Chase Goodman. But before he could speak, Martha erupted into total, manic joy. The sight of a sharp white-suited corporate giant forcing the highest political power in the province to sweat turned her greed into absolute ecstasy.“Director Goodman! So you are my dear Adrian's multi-billionaire client!” she squealed, swatting her hand hard across Adrian's arm. “You should have let me know sooner, Adrian! I wouldn't have screamed at you during the bank protest. We could have discussed your little tech contract over a luxury dinner!”“Auntie,” Adrian warned coldly, his face flat. “Chase Goodman is a businessman. Once I am of no service to his network, he won't look at me twice. So I would be very careful about your expectations.”Martha coiled back, for