2026-03-23 15:52:38
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chapter 108
Before he could answer, his phone rang. James's name on the screen.Ethan put it on speaker."Have you seen the international news coverage?" James asked without preamble."No, I've been dealing with domestic media all morning.""Your name is everywhere. Including places you don't want it to be.""Meaning what exactly?""Meaning hostile foreign entities now know who you are and where to find you. Anyone who wants to target Sterling Global or its leadership knows exactly who to target now."Claire's face went pale."The Shadow Order?" Ethan asked."Morrison's been monitoring all known channels. No movement yet, but that could change now that you're public."After James hung up, the office was quiet for a moment."Should we have waited longer before revealing your identity?" Claire asked."It's too late to second-guess that decision now.""But if you're in danger—""I've been in danger this whole time, Claire. At least now I'm not hiding anymore. I can face whatever comes head-on instea
chapter 107
The next morning, business news channels couldn't talk about anything else.Bloomberg had it as their top story: "Sterling Global Stock Up 23% Following Chairman Reveal"The Wall Street Journal's headline read: "Ethan Cross: From Prison to Power"Financial Times went with: "The Hidden Chairman Who Changed Everything"Every major business publication was running the same story with different angles, and the markets were responding exactly the way Claire had predicted they would.At Drake Pharmaceuticals, Edmund Drake sat at the head of the conference table with his board members looking nervous.One of them cleared his throat. "Mr. Drake, should we release a statement about the Sterling Global situation?""Yes. Full support. Ethan Cross has my complete confidence."Another board member shifted uncomfortably. "But sir, he's a convicted—"Edmund cut him off. "He saved my company when nobody else would. He got me the documents I needed when I had no other options. That's all I need to kno
106
The sun was starting to set when a black car pulled up to the entrance.Ethan's car.All five of them straightened up immediately.The driver got out and opened the back door. Ethan stepped out in his suit, looking at his phone.He didn't even glance in their direction. Just started walking toward the entrance."Mr. Cross!" Gerald called out.Ethan stopped walking but didn't turn around."Please. Just listen to what we have to say."Ethan turned slowly and looked at them.All five of them standing there after waiting all day. Desperate. Pathetic. Exactly what they'd become.He walked toward them and stopped about three feet away."You've been here all day.""Yes," Gerald said."Security told you to leave.""We're not leaving until you hear us out.""Hear what?""Our apology."Ethan looked at each of them one by one. Gerald. Patricia. Howard. Linda. Thomas."Go ahead."Gerald took a breath."We're sorry. All of us. For what we did at the gala. For how we treated you before that. For ev
CHAPTER 105
The morning after the press conference, Gerald stood across the street from Sterling Global headquarters with his hands in his pockets.Employees streamed into the building like they did every morning. Swiping badges. Checking phones. Carrying coffee. Living their normal lives while his had completely fallen apart.He saw Patricia walking toward him from the parking garage. Then Howard appeared from the other direction. Linda and Thomas showed up a few minutes later.All five of them standing on the sidewalk like strangers waiting for a bus that would never come.None of them belonged here anymore."We need to apologize," Gerald said. "Publicly. In person."Howard shook his head. "He won't listen to us.""He might. If we're sincere enough."Patricia let out a bitter laugh. "We humiliated him in front of 600 people, Gerald. There's no apology big enough for that.""We have to try." Gerald looked at each of them. "What else do we have?"Silence.Because he was right and they all knew it
CHAPTER 104
Marcus sat on the edge of his bed in the small rehabilitation center room. The physical therapist had left an hour ago after another failed session trying to teach him how to write with his left hand. It wasn't working. His brain kept wanting to use his right hand, the one that didn't work anymore. The TV was on. Same news channel Vivian was probably watching right now. He stared down at his right hand. The bandages were mostly off now. The wounds had healed weeks ago but the damage was permanent. His thumb was gone. His index finger was gone. His middle finger was gone. Only his pinky and ring finger remained, looking strange and useless without the others. He tried to make a fist. His two remaining fingers curled slightly but there was nothing for them to grip. No strength. No purpose. He picked up a pen from the small table beside his bed. Tried to hold it between his pinky and ring finger. It slipped out immediately and clattered to the floor. On the TV, they were repl
chapter 104
Within minutes, the news spread everywhere. Social media feeds exploded with the announcement. Business news networks interrupted their regular programming to show clips from the press conference. Stock market tickers showed Sterling Global shares climbing steadily upward as investors reacted to the news. In boardrooms across the city, executives stopped their meetings to watch. In coffee shops, people pulled out their phones to see the ex-convict who'd been running a billion-dollar company in secret. In offices and living rooms and restaurants, the same conversation was happening everywhere. Did you see this? The chairman of Sterling Global was in prison. Can you believe it? --- Vivian's apartment was small and dark even in the middle of the day. She has rented an apartment after the stay in the hospital. She sat on her couch with the TV on, though she wasn't really watching it. Some morning talk show was playing in the background while she stared at the wall and thought about
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