Julian Montgomery was not the only thing Ethan had been working on.He had been arrested. The Pierce family had crumbled, the men and women who had used Ethan's kindness and trusted him for a fool were now paying for it, one by one.But there was another target.Someone Ethan had been quietly pursuing, a person whose downfall had been arranged long before the recent events began.For now, Ethan kept that part of his plans to himself.One day after Julian's arrest, Ethan stood on the balcony of his private mansion. The morning air was cool on his skin, the city stretched out below him, bright under the sun. He held his phone to his ear and looked out at the skyline with a calm look on his face, like he was bored.A voice spoke on the other end of the line. It was low and steady and it delivered a short piece of news.Ethan listened without a word.For a few seconds, he remained silent. "I see," he said at last. His tone was soft, almost sad. "That is unfortunate."The voice waited."

The sound of phone ringing could be heard in the dark. Chloe groaned. She rolled over in bed and reached for it with a heavy hand. Her eyes were swollen, her head ached. She had barely slept properly in days.She picked up the phone without looking at the screen."Hello?""Chloe," a voice came, "It's me. I am outside your door."Chloe frowned. She sat up slowly and checked the screen."Mom? What time is it?""I am sorry. I know it is late. Please open the door."Chloe let out a tired breath. She pushed the blanket aside and stood up. The floor was cold, she walked across the small bedroom, through the narrow living room, and unlocked the front door.She had left her old flashy house. The one where she and Ethan once lived and rented this one as she was no longer able to pay the rent which unfortunately was due a few days back. Victoria stood on the step. Her hair was messy, she wore a plain coat over a faded dress, her face was pale, for a moment, Chloe barely recognized her mother

Ethan Sterling sat behind his desk in his executive office at Vanguard Apex headquarters, reviewing a financial report on his laptop.Several documents lay on the desk beside him. One contained the latest figures from the company's logistics division, while another showed the performance of its recent investments.Ethan worked through them slowly. He checked the numbers, made a few notes, and moved to the next report.Sarah was already in the office, seated across from him with her laptop and iPad. She had been reviewing some transaction records for several minutes, but she had barely said a word.Ethan noticed her expression.Sarah was usually quick with information. She rarely hesitated when presenting a report, and she was good at separating facts from assumptions. But this time, she looked confused.Ethan had noticed this confusion in her eyes, but decided to not say a word for now. Sarah checked something on her iPad, compared it with the records on her laptop, and then checked

A private jet touched down at the city's main airport just after noon. It rolled slowly across the runway and stopped near a quiet terminal reserved for high-profile guests. The engines powered down as the stairs unfolded.A convoy of luxury vehicles was already waiting on the tarmac. Black Rolls-Royces. Dark SUVs. A few men in sharp suits stood beside the cars with their hands folded in front of them.The cabin door opened.Dan was the first to step out, a leather folder under his arm. He glanced around, checked the area, and nodded to the men below.Then Gavin Steele appeared at the top of the stairs.He wore a fitted designer coat over a crisp shirt. His elegant hat sat slightly tilted on his head. A neat line of beard ran along his jaw. A thin cigar was already between his fingers.He paused at the top and looked out over the airport. The city stretched in the distance, gray and glittering."So this is it, huh" he muttered"Yes, sir," Dan replied "Welcome."Gavin smirked. He walke