Three days went by before Mark and Cathryn finally got the smallest chance to contact Frederick.The opportunity came when they least expected it, it was during a fire drill.Just after two in the afternoon, a loud alarm echoed through the entire estate.The sharp, nonstop sound filled every hallway, and staff members immediately began leaving their workstations.No one panicked, everyone moved calmly, following a routine they had obviously practiced many times before.Mark and Cathryn blended in with the crowd as they were guided through a side exit and onto the large lawn behind the east wing.Dozens of employees stood around in small groups, quietly waiting for the signal that it was safe to return inside.For the first time since arriving at the estate, no guard seemed to be paying close attention to them.Mark suddenly felt Cathryn’s fingers lightly brush against his sleeve.It was the silent signal they had agreed on.Without saying a word, they slowly moved away from the larger

Caiden noticed the change in them long before Mark or Cathryn realized they had started giving themselves away.It happened during one of Iowa’s routine debriefing sessions.The kind she held every few days to measure their progress and test how much they had learned.Everything looked normal on the surface, yet something felt different.Cathryn answered each question just a second too late, as though she had to drag herself back from somewhere far away before she could speak.Her usual focus had become clouded by thoughts she couldn’t silence.Mark wasn’t much better.The steady confidence that usually defined him was still there, but it no longer came naturally.Every answer sounded carefully measured, as if he was constantly weighing every word before allowing it to leave his mouth.His shoulders stayed tense, and his eyes carried a quiet exhaustion that no amount of sleep could fix.They were only small changes, and small little cracks in them.The kind that most people would overl

Over the next few days, the training hall no longer felt like a place where people simply learned new skills.It slowly turned into a command center where every decision mattered.Every table was covered with documents, maps, laptops, and handwritten notes.The room was always busy, filled with quiet conversations and seriousness as everyone worked toward the same goal.Iowa stood at the center of the room, arranging several files across the long table.The bright laptop screens displayed reports, financial records, and timelines.Every paper represented another piece of a much bigger picture that Mark and Cathryn now had to help complete.“Frederick still believes you’re secretly giving him information about Caiden’s plans against DEZ OILS,” Iowa said calmly as she looked at both of them.“That trust is our greatest advantage right now. As long as he believes you’re on his side, we can use that to pull him to our advantage.”Cathryn leaned closer to the table, studying the files with

Daniel Phillips agreed to help, but he had one condition.“I want them to face the truth with their own eyes,” he said quietly after listening to the plan.“I don’t want this to end with some court document they can bury with money and powerful lawyers. I want to stand in front of Frederick and Derrick.”“I want to see the look on their faces when they realize I’m still alive, and that I have everything I need to bring them down.”Caiden thought about Daniel’s request for a moment.“That’s a dangerous thing to do,” he said. “Not just for you, but for everyone standing beside you.”Daniel slowly shook his head.“I’ve spent the last three years hiding,” he replied, his voice much steadier than before.“I’m tired of living in fear of men who became rich by destroying other people’s lives. If I’m going to risk everything again, then it has to be worth it.”No one argued with him after that.It took another two weeks of planning before everything was finally ready.During that time, Mark a

Iowa spent four exhausting days following the trail of the suspicious transactions.When she finally uncovered the person behind them, she stared at her screen for a moment before quietly speaking the name.“It’s Gerald Stanley.”The room instantly went silent.Caiden’s face darkened, every trace of emotion disappearing. “My chief financial strategist?”Without saying another word, Iowa projected the financial records onto the screen.“He has been secretly moving money through Bellcastle’s backup accounts for several months,” she explained.“In the beginning, the withdrawals were tiny, almost impossible to notice among thousands of legitimate transactions.”“But once Bellcastle expanded its investment in DEZ OILS, Gerald grew bolder. The amounts he diverted became much larger.”Cecilia’s expression hardened as the realization hit her.“So he’s been robbing us all along.”Iowa gave a slight nod.Caiden let out a slow breath, his eyes never leaving the evidence before him.“And he used