Neon lights of the city flickered like fireflies against the velvet night, casting strange shadows in alleys. Jeremy stood at the edge of the street, feeling the cool breeze cut through his jacket as he watched Clara disappear into the distance. He should have said more to her, done something to convince her that he was still the person she believed in. But his mind was consumed with one thought.
Victor Kane. The man who had ruthlessly destroyed everything Jeremy built. A mentor, a teacher-until he unleashed an appetizer of his ambitions: all out of character for his proclaimed mentorship. It hadn't been simply that Victor bested Jeremy at his very own trading world; more than this, Victor broke pieces of Jeremy's life out completely. Jeremy's fists clenched, and the anger rose once more. But this time, he wasn't going to let it consume him. He had learned one thing over the past year: revenge required so much more than rage. It required strategy. Patience. And above all, it required an ally who was not afraid to take risks. He pulled out his phone and dialed Maverick's number. The line rang twice before Maverick's voice crackled through. Jeremy, what the hell happened? You were supposed to keep it low-key, man," Maverick said, sharp with concern. Jeremy's voice was calm, controlled, but with an undercurrent of fury. "Victor's playing games, Mav. He's taken everything from me. He's behind the margin calls, behind the trades I made. He's sabotaging me. There was a long pause on the other end of the line before Maverick spoke again. "I knew something was off. But Victor? Damn. This is bigger than we thought. What's your move?" "I'm done playing his game, Maverick. I'm going to make him pay, but I need you to help me. We're going to take him down from the inside." Maverick laughed darkly, almost cynically. "You're not messing around, huh? Alright. I'm in. But we need more than insider information. Victor's in too deep with the system. He has his inside guys; he is not going to lie down and die. " Jeremy's mind was racing with ways to strategize his next move. He needed more than financial leverage; he needed dirt, something Victor couldn't spin or escape. "I'm meeting with someone tomorrow," Jeremy said, his voice low. "Someone who knows Victor's past. We'll figure out what we can use against him." Standing before an abandoned building in an industrial side of the city the next day, he stood against cracked concrete walls, the graffiti lining every available space in bright, screaming colors—a definite jump from the world of pure indulgence he had come to love. Inside was a woman he'd met only once: Maya Wells, a former associate of Victor's who would become somebody acquainted with his dark secrets. Jeremy had never trusted her, but she had information he needed. She'd been one of Victor's earliest business partners, back before he built his empire. The fact that she had left Victor's circle told Jeremy all he needed to know about the man-that he was a man to be feared, and Maya learned it the hard way. He knocked on the door, waited. Seconds dragged like minutes, the noise of the city outside growing dimmer. The door creaked open. Standing before him was Maya, far removed from the polished businesswoman he had once met at high-society functions. Her clothes were simple, her hair disheveled, but her eyes cut through ice-sharp, still calculating, still dangerous. You actually showed up," she said, a wry smile curling on her lips. "I thought you'd chicken out." Jeremy raised an eyebrow. "I'm not here to play games, Maya. I need the truth. About Victor. She studied him a moment longer, her eyes flicking to the alleyway behind him before she stepped aside, allowing him in. The room was spare, old furniture and stacks of paperwork filling the room. There was an air of quiet desperation in the space-the kind of place people go when they've lost everything and have nothing left to lose. "I know what you want," Maya said, closing the door behind them. "But what makes you think I'll help you? You're playing with fire, kid." "I'm not the kid I used to be," Jeremy replied, his voice low but full of conviction. "Victor's done more than just cost me money. He's ruined lives-he ruined mine. And I'm going to make sure he pays for everything he's done." Maya watched him, her face inscrutable. "You're not going to win, you know. Victor's untouchable. He's always five steps ahead. I tried to get out once. I couldn't. But you-" She broke off, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You're different. You've got a fire in you. Just be careful, Jeremy. If you go down this path, there's no coming back. Jeremy's jaw clenched. The risks didn't matter now. He was in it too deep. "Tell me what you know. I need to know how to bring him down." Maya nodded and went to a stack of papers, rummaging through them until she pulled out a file. She handed it wordlessly to Jeremy, who opened it and scanned the pages quickly. Inside were documents detailing Victor's early ventures, including shady deals, money laundering, and a whole network of offshore accounts. There were also photographs of meetings-some with people Jeremy recognized: politicians, CEOs, and other power players. It was everything he needed to destroy Victor. But then he saw something that made his blood run cold-a picture of Clara, in a restaurant, smiling from across the table at Victor. The date on the photo was recent. "Wait a minute… Clara?" Jeremy's voice faltered. "What the hell is this?" Maya's eyes hardened. "Victor always has his eyes on everything, including the people you care about. Clara doesn't know what she's getting herself into. Trust me, Jeremy, you're not the only one he's been playing with." A cold realization came over Jeremy. Clara had unknowingly been pulled into Victor's web. She had no idea that Victor was watching her at every turn, even using her for his pawns in his games. Jeremy froze, the weight of the situation sinking in. Clara was in danger, not only from him but from Victor. He had to warn her. He had to keep her safe. But how? How could he protect her when he was already in too deep? His thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of a phone. He glanced at his own-it was a call from Maverick. Jeremy, you have to hear this," Maverick's voice came through the line. "I've been digging into Victor's connections, and I found something big. We might just have our opening… " But before Maverick could even finish, a loud crash came from outside, followed by the unmistakable sound of footsteps rushing toward the door. "Maya, get down," Jeremy hissed, his heart pounding. "They're here. Victor's men. Maya's eyes were wide with terror as she dove under a table right as the door to the room burst open. A group of armed men stormed into the room, their eyes sweeping across it. Jeremy's head was racing, but his body started moving before his brain did. He took the file and jammed it into his jacket before he turned towards Maya. "Stay down," he ordered. The moment when the men closed in on him, Jeremy knew it was time to make a decision: fight or flight. But this was much larger than a game of cat and mouse. This was war. And he was no longer the prey.
Latest Chapter
Chapter 62: The Awakening
A deep, resonating hum filled the chamber. It started as a low vibration, barely noticeable beneath their feet, but within seconds, it grew into a deafening pulse. The massive structure at the center of the room flickered with light, its veins of energy glowing brighter, more intense.Jeremy barely had time to register what was happening before the machine let out a piercing whine, like metal twisting against metal.Luca’s smirk widened as he took a step forward, his soldiers fanning out behind him, weapons raised. “You have no idea what you’ve stumbled into, do you?” he mused, his voice almost mocking. “This machine… It’s not just a weapon. It’s the future.”Jeremy’s pulse hammered. His gun was still trained on Luca, but he could feel the shifting air around them, the way the energy from the machine crackled like static electricity. This wasn’t just some relic hidden beneath the ruins. It was alive.Maya took a slow step back, her eyes locked ont
Chapter 61: Beneath the Ruins
The collapse was instantaneous. One moment, Jeremy was standing firm, his heart pounding with adrenaline, and the next, he was free-falling into darkness. Rocks tumbled beside him, dust choked his lungs, and the sound of splitting stone echoed all around.Then—impact.Jeremy hit the ground hard, the air knocked from his chest. Pain shot through his ribs, but he forced himself to roll onto his side, coughing violently as the dust swirled around him. His fingers scraped against cold stone, trembling as he pushed himself up onto his elbows."Maya," he gasped, his voice hoarse.Silence.The dust was too thick, turning everything into a dense, suffocating haze. His heart hammered in his chest. Where was she? She had been right next to him before the tunnel collapsed—before the ground split open beneath them.A groan echoed from somewhere nearby. Jeremy’s head snapped toward the sound, his breath catching. "Maya?"A cough, the
Chapter 60: The Light in the Darkness
The light exploded in a blinding flash, overwhelming Jeremy’s senses. For a split second, the world around him seemed to freeze, everything washed in white as if time itself had come to a standstill. The intense glow swallowed them whole, consuming everything—every sound, every movement, every breath.And then, just as quickly, the light was gone.Jeremy blinked rapidly, disoriented, his vision blurry as he tried to adjust to the sudden shift. The hum of the machine, once deafening, was now silent. The screeching metal, the heavy steps—it was as if the world had shifted entirely.He could barely see. The dust, the smoke—everything was still too thick, but the oppressive feeling of the mechanical beast was gone.“Maya?” Jeremy breathed, his voice shaky with fear. His heart raced in his chest, as if it were trying to break free. His gaze frantically searched the room. Was it dead? Had it been destroyed?“Maya!” he repeated, his voice rising
Chapter 59: Fractured Fate
The darkness swallowed them whole.Jeremy couldn’t tell if it was the ceiling collapsing or his mind spinning, but everything went black in an instant. The air was thick with dust, the taste of rust and soot bitter on his tongue. He felt his body slam into the ground, his head hitting something hard, and then the sensation of nothingness took over—deafening silence and stillness.His pulse drummed in his ears.For a moment, Jeremy wasn’t sure if he was alive or dead. His body ached as if it had been crushed, and the air in his lungs was thick, making it harder to breathe. He tried to move, but everything felt heavy—his limbs, his mind, his thoughts.“Maya…” he croaked, his voice barely a whisper, but no sound came from his lips. His eyes were still closed, and the weight of the world pressed against him. His breath came in shallow gasps as he tried to lift himself, but the weight of the debris around him seemed to have pinned him in place.
Chapter 58: Fractures
The deafening roar of the collapsing ceiling echoed in their ears, the ground shaking violently beneath their feet. Chunks of concrete and debris rained down, and the air was thick with dust and the stench of burning metal. Maya stumbled, her legs weak, as she tried to keep her balance under the onslaught. Jeremy grabbed her arm, pulling her away from the falling rubble, but the tunnel ahead had turned into a war zone.The door they’d been heading toward was now blocked by a pile of twisted metal and rock, leaving only the collapsing hallway behind them as an option. Jeremy’s heart pounded, the oppressive weight of their situation pressing down on him.“This way!” Maya shouted, her voice urgent but steady. She had already turned, heading down a narrow passageway on the side, one that had been obscured by rubble until the explosion.Jeremy hesitated for a fraction of a second, glancing back at the door, now completely obscured. But there was no time. He fol
Chapter 57: The Final Hour
The mechanical beast before them was more than just a machine—it was a force of destruction. Its glowing red eyes locked onto Jeremy and Maya, an unblinking, soulless stare that promised death. The creature's hulking frame loomed, shifting with the hiss of servos and hydraulic pistons, and its weapons glinted ominously in the dim light of the collapsing tunnel.Maya’s hand tightened around her gun, but the weapon seemed insignificant against the massive machine. There was no way to fight it, not without a plan, not without an advantage. And right now, all they had was each other—and the uncertain hope that they could somehow survive long enough to escape.“Luca, you’ve really lost it,” Jeremy spat, stepping in front of Maya, trying to keep her behind him. His heart hammered in his chest as he searched for some sort of advantage, some way to survive. “You think this thing will stop us?”Luca’s smirk widened, watching them with detached amusement. “You’re al
You may also like
Underrated Son-In-Law
Estherace104.9K viewsBro, what! He has a Quintillion?
Zuxian67.2K viewsUnderestimated Son In Law
Raishico301.4K viewsThe Fallen Son-In-Law's Retaliation
Iwaswiththestars66.1K viewsRise of The Son in Law
Betty Daniel3.3K viewsThe Indestructible Alexander
Adam Aksara67.7K viewsWhen I Got My Senses Back
Linda Light112 viewsBenjamin Knox's Rise to Riches
Ty Writes29.9K views
