On the highest hill in the city stood a giant mansion.It was a huge white building with tall glass walls and a gated driveway wide enough for ten cars worth billions of dollars.Guards walked the grounds around the clock. The lawn was lit like a stage.On the top balcony, a man stood alone at the railing.He held a thick cigar between two fingers, wearing a fitted designer shirt, tailored trousers, and an elegant hat tilted slightly to one side. A neat line of beard ran along his jaw. He looked like a man who had never been disrespected. Two security guards stood quietly behind him with their hands behind their backs. The man took a slow drag and let the smoke out into the night air. The city lights glittered below him.Footsteps sounded on the marble floor as his assistant, Dan, stepped onto the balcony. He was a thin man in a dark suit with a leather folder under his arm. He bowed deeply."Mr. Steele.""Dan," Gavin Steele replied without turning around. "Tell me something good.

All Julian could think of was the fact that he was already a step away from becoming a freeman, and possibly walking away with everything he had done. "You actually did it?""She is here with me." Darius muttered proudly, his voice echoing in the room. "I need proof."Not like Julian doesn't trust Darius, but at the same time, he wanted to be on the safe side. The Montgomery did not want to be excited only to get disappointed, finding out Darius didn't get the right girl."Wait."Darius lifted his phone and turned the camera toward Sarah. He walked a slow circle around her chair. The lamp light fell on her face, her bound hands, the gag in her mouth. Then he stopped the recording and sent the video.On the other end, Julian opened it. He watched the clip in his dark living room, a glass of whiskey in his hand now, Julian watched Sarah's frightened eyes, his eyes dropped to the rope around her wrists. ‘It was real, they truly found her’If he was over the moon before. Then he was o

“But you let them take me” "Yes." Ethan nodded. Sarah's eyes widened. That wasn't the answer she was expecting. "I am sorry," Ethan said again. "Letting them proceed was the only way to link Julian directly to the crime. If I had stopped them early, they could have claimed they were only following you.”“There would have been no proof. This way, I have a kidnapping, a ransom demand, and a recorded call. It is stronger evidence than anything we could have gathered otherwise.""I see.""I never meant to leave you in danger. Every step was monitored. If anything had gone wrong, my team would have moved in immediately."Sarah was quiet for a long moment.She was beginning to understand. She had thought she was alone on that dark road, she had thought she was helpless. In truth, she had been watched the entire time. The fear in her face slowly turned into shock. Then she was calm. She let out a shaky breath. "I thought no one would find me," "I will always find you. You are safe now,

Darius's head snapped back. Blood flew from his mouth, plastering the concrete floor, he groaned and slumped against the chair.It was a hard punch. Ethan lowered his hand. He wasn't angry, this was punishment for Darius. "That is for scaring Sarah," Ethan said quietly.Darius spat blood on the floor but didn't argue."You tried to use her fear as leverage," Ethan went on. "You laughed at her, treated her like a bargaining chip. Whatever happens to you now, remember this. You do not touch someone under my protection."Darius looked up through swollen eyes, fear enveloped him like a canopy. .Ethan walked back to the center of the room and faced his security team."Listen carefully," The operatives straightened at once."Julian will be here shortly. I want him to walk in believing everything is still under Darius's control. He must not suspect anything.""Yes, Boss""Move the convoy. All the vehicles, take them around the back, Park them out of sight. The front lot should look empty

Julian couldn't find his voice, tables had turned all of a sudden, Ethan was supposed to be begging and bargaining for the release of his secretary but now Julian was the one on the ground, with a bleeding nose. "Your family name cannot change what is happening, your connections cannot change it, your little threats cannot change it." Ethan continued. Julian's eyes were wide. The confidence he carried into the building had almost completely vanished. He had come expecting to see fear on someone else's face. Instead, he was the one lying in his own blood.Every man in the room obeyed Ethan without question, every order Ethan gave was followed in silence and this baffled Julian so much. Ethan lifted a hand and gave a brief nod to one of his security men. The operative stepped forward at once. He was carrying a black document bag, used for confidential files and sensitive corporate records. He opened the zipper and took out a thick file, handling it respectfully to Ethan.Ethan he