2025-08-16 20:43:25Bruce was shocked and in disbelief at the same time. “What are you talking about? I didn’t take any ring! I don’t even know what you’re talking about!”
Vincent crossed his arms across his chest with a smug grin on his face. “You know, Bruce, I was wondering who might stoop so low as to swap out a $100,000 silver ring meant for the proposal tonight for a cheap fake ring not even worth $50. But every piece of evidence points back to you.”
Tessa scowled. “You’re telling us you had nothing to do with it?”
“Really?”
The crowd murmured in outrage.
“Lie tale-teller!”
Lila muttered to Meghan. “He can’t even admit it.”
Kyle shrugged with mock innocence, looking around at Bruce and then the crowd. “Then you wouldn’t mind us searching you in front of all these people, would you?”
“Fine. I have nothing to hide,” Bruce said, standing on his words because he hadn’t swapped any ring.
Kyle smirked, then signaled his friends to search Bruce thoroughly.
Bruce struggled as they grabbed him, yanking off the outfit he was wearing down to his shirt and trousers, pulling at every pocket and seam.
Despite his claims and pleading, they didn’t stop, forcing him down to his underwear.
The crowd watched, some laughing, as Bruce stood there half-naked.
Then, suddenly Jack shouted, “I found it!”
“What?!” Vincent, Sadie, and all the others exclaimed in shock.
Everyone crowded around to see a silver ring in Jack’s hand, the same ring worth $100,000, which was supposed to be used to propose to Sadie. But to Bruce’s horror, everyone was claiming it was the one he’d swapped for a fake ring worth barely $50.
“Man, I was starting to believe he might be innocent,” Tom, the other of Kyle’s friends, sneered.
“What a trickster and thief,” Meghan said with disgust.
Lila, standing with Tessa, shook her head and added, “I always knew there was something shady about him.”
Tessa folded her arms, smirking. “Guess he showed his true colors after all.”
“Please, you have to believe me! I would never switch the ring. I didn’t do anything wrong!” Bruce pleaded.
Vincent stepped forward, giving him a cold look. “It’s all right there, Bruce. The proof speaks for itself.”
Bruce felt his heart sink and it dawned on him that he had been set up perfectly. Earlier, when Kyle and his friends had cornered him, he hadn’t thought much of it, but now he realized that was when they’d likely swapped the ring. They’d planned everything carefully, to paint him as guilty.
The guest had begun throwing insults at Bruce.
“The evidence speaks for itself,” Vincent smirked, crossing his arms as he stared at Bruce. “I think it’s time we called the authorities on you. We can’t keep allowing this terrible behavior. Just because you’re broke doesn’t give you the right to steal from others.”
“You can arrest him on your own time,” Kyle added, smashing his fist into his palm. “But my friends and I would like to give him the beating of his life.”
Without a word, Kyle together with his bully friends, Jack and Tom surrounded Bruce and began attacking him, punching and kicking him mercilessly.
Just as they were beating Bruce, the mayor and local vigilantes arrived at the scene, drawing the attention of the crowd.
Fighting in public wasn’t tolerated, so most people scattered to avoid any trouble, leaving only Bruce, Sadie, Kyle, Vincent, and Tessa behind.
Mayor Henderson didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He looked at all of them sharply. “Enough of this drama,” he said, glancing from Vincent and his peers to Bruce, who stood off to the side.
“What’s going on here?” the mayor asked, raising an eyebrow.
Vincent took the opportunity to step forward and introduce himself with a confident smile. “I’m Vincent Richardson,” he said proudly. “My father is Howard Richardson.”
The mayor’s expression changed instantly. “Ah, the Richardson family,” he nodded with respect, eyeing Vincent and his friends. “I didn’t realize I was dealing with people of such importance.”
Sadie joined in, placing a hand on Vincent’s arm and speaking up, “We were celebrating a special moment tonight. Vincent proposed to me.”
The mayor’s eyebrows lifted slightly. “An engagement, is it? Well, congratulations to you both.” He gave Sadie a respectful nod and a polite smile.
Kyle smirked and added, “Until this dumbass ruined everything,” jerking his thumb toward Bruce. “We caught him trying to steal from us.”
Tessa, with a cold smile, chimed in, “Imagine that he stole the engagement ring. Disgraceful.”
Bruce’s face flushed as he stepped forward, opening his mouth to defend himself, “That’s not true! I would never, ”
The mayor shot him a hard glare. “Enough! No one asked you to speak,” he barked.
Bruce took a deep breath and tried again. “But I didn’t take anything. This is all a setup!”
Mayor Henderson turned to Vincent and his friends, clearly not interested in hearing Bruce’s side of the story. “Do any of you know this man?”
Vincent gave Bruce a dismissive glance. “Not really. He’s just… a nobody.”
Bruce grasped his fists so hard that he could feel his knuckles crack. “I’m not a nobody. I don’t deserve to be treated like this. They set me up!”
The mayor seemed to nod and engage whenever Kyle spoke, but when it was Bruce’s turn, his words felt like they were hitting a wall.
“Enough!” Mayor Henderson’s voice cut through the air. “I don’t know who you are, but I know who these people are,” he said, looking respectfully toward Vincent and his peers. “And I trust their word.”
Vincent and the others smirked, watching as Bruce’s shoulders dropped, realizing he was helpless against their influence.
Finally, the mayor turned to Bruce with a cold tone. “For the good of this town, there are consequences to actions like stealing. You're left with two choices: pay the fine of one million dollars or take a ten-year prison sentence.”
Those words from Mayor Henderson struck Bruce like an atomic bomb!
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Chapter Twenty Two
Although the Baron Consortium tower was a hive of activity, there was a sense of unease beneath the gleaming chandeliers and polished marble floors. Though rumors circulated that Bruce's own executive, Marcus Vane, was planning something risky, the city had already started to turn against Vincent Richardson. For months Marcus had worn the mask of loyalty. Calm in meetings, sharp with numbers, and always the first to clap when Bruce made bold moves. But Bruce had seen the cracks. The irregular accounts, the false charities, the sudden disappearances of funds. Marcus had survived every purge so far, slipping through like smoke. But now, cornered by Bruce’s reforms, he was ready to gamble everything.The morning started with a summons, and when Bruce walked into the boardroom, the directors were already seated, their faces pale and nervous. Marcus was at the head of the table, but not in his normal seat; his silver hair gleamed in the light, and he smiled confidently, almost smugly.“We
Chapter Twenty One
There were still rumors circulating the city the morning after the Collins Court attack. Hungry for statements, reporters set up camp outside the Baron Consortium. In a panic, investors called and emailed to ask for confirmation that Bruce's business was not going to fail. His name was uttered by politicians in fear and awe. Although the city's trust in the Richardson family had been shaken by the Vincent scandal, Bruce was aware that the war was far from over.Vincent had shown his hand: violence, threats, devastation. Bruce, however, realized something crucial. Vincent and other men fought with more than just fire and fists. Even when their empires failed, they fought with chains; chains of money, debt, and favors that bound influential men to them.Those chains needed to be broken.Bruce assembled his inner circle in the war room of the tower. Screens displaying shipment routes, market data, and political figures' dossiers were arranged along the walls. Lady Scarlet sat at the head
Chapter Twenty
Back at the estate later that evening, James poured Bruce a drink. He said gravely, "You made enemies tonight.Vincent is not going to take this lightly. He will attack you more forcefully than before.” Bruce accepted the glass and gazed at the city lights outside. "Then let him come," he said softly. "I've finished hiding. This will be the final conflict we engage in if it is war. This ends in one way or another.”The headlines were all over the place the following morning: VINCENT RICHARDSON STORMS OUT IN DISGRACE ..CORRUPTION DOCUMENTS LEAKED AT GALA..RICHARDSON EMPIRE UNDER FIRE. There was a lot of speculation in the city. Protesters gathered outside their offices, politicians distanced themselves from the family, and investors pulled out of Richardson Global. The first public blow had come from Bruce, and the streets were already feeling the repercussions. However, another game was being played in the shadows. Vincent refused to back down in silence. Bruce was aware of it.The
Chapter Nineteen
The invitation came in a gold wax-sealed black silk envelope. The handwriting was precise and elegant. The most influential people in the city, including politicians, investors, journalists, and business magnates, were expected to attend the charity gala that Vincent Richardson was throwing at the Grand Marlowe Hotel. Although the note was courteous and polite, Bruce could tell what was written in it. It was difficult. James frowned as he gave the envelope to Bruce. "It is a trap," he stated plainly. "You are not being invited by Vincent to recognize your community service. He wants to make you look foolish.”Bruce gave a small, unwarm smile. “Then give him a chance. I'll meet Vincent on stage if he wants one. I won't play his game this time, though. I'll put an end to it. “Lady Scarlet folded her arms and stood in the doorway. "You need to exercise caution," she cautioned. "Everything we have created could be destroyed by a public altercation. However, if you decide to go, be read
Chapter Eighteen
It was a very quiet night. Bruce had arrived late from a meeting with members of the city council about a new public housing project that he had pushed through. Even though his body was worn out, his mind would not stop talking. Marcus was losing control, the Consortium was stabilizing, and the Richardsons were starting to break under the strain, but Bruce was not at all at ease. He now carried a chain of victory that was heavier than poverty had ever been.He retired to his private quarters after dismissing Louis and James for the evening. Silver splattered across the room as the city lights flickered dimly through the glass walls. He lay down in the hopes of resting, but sleep pulled him into something deeper and darker rather than into tranquility. He discovered that he was standing somewhere between a city and the countryside. The ground appeared to have been bleached by the moonlight, and the air was still. There was only an unending horizon that stretched into silence; there we
Chapter Seventeen
When Bruce awoke, the city smelled of rain and hope. His side wound ached steadily, reminding him that he was still alive and responsible. The attack cleared the fog from his vision, but he had anticipated knives in the dark and enemies in the street. Hesitancy was out of the question. Even though he had only been heir for a short while, the task was straightforward and cruel. The defenses should be rebuilt. Hold the power together. Make the house impregnable.The top priority was trust. He couldn't rely on the board to determine loyalty. As he walked the corridors, he could not listen for the truth. He needed to know. He called a private council, but only those he trusted the most were on it. At one end of the table, Lady Scarlet sat like a calm focal point. Louis took the seat closest to her. James stood with his arms folded by the window, alert as a sentinel. Sadie sat apart, her hands clenched, her presence a complicated thing that pricked like a bruise.Bruce said, his voice stea
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