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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 110. Attempted Murder
PRESENT TIME. As Chris knelt over Ivy, his hands pressing hard on her neck, he remembered Sandra's words. If he ended up killing Ivy, Sandra would abandon him and the mayor's son or not, he would get arrested and probably end up in jail. Knowing the kind of person his father was, the best he would do for him was try to get him a reduced sentence, but he would never help him avoid the case completely. But why won't Ivy just love him? It wasn't that hard to do. Van's heart wasn't at rest with the way Ivy behaved on the phone, and he was sure she had said Chris. Was he at their place? He couldn't take the suspense any longer and decided to hurry to her. He just hoped all was well. As he got into the taxi, Van promised himself that he would make sure Chris was severely punished by the law if he laid a finger on Ivy. When he arrived at the beach house, he noticed a feminine figure by the door, but he knew it wasn't Ivy. Thinking she might be a burglar, Van approached the hou
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 111. Terminated
Van Everest, a hardened criminal or a victim of society?Moses scoffed as he read the headline of the new article posted by The Fisherman. "What the hell is with these two?!" He hated feeling like he was at a dead end, and he had been feeling that way for a while because of the articles. A young man who only wanted to live his life with the woman of his dreams. If only he knew the hard lesson the cruel society had instored for him. As he kept reading, Moses could feel himself getting more angry. He desperately wanted to know the identity of the publisher. In the last article, he posted that Van's ex fiancee regretted her actions and went to seek forgiveness at his wedding, with the hopes that his feelings for her would be rekindled but she was disappointed when she was denied entry into the venue, and she made a fool of herself. Now the new article –which was only a few hours old – claimed that both he and his fiancee, along with their entire families were villains. While Van was
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 112. The Plan
"Have you told mom yet?""No.""Andrew?""No.""So, something like this happened, and rather than actually talking to your mother about it, you grabbed your boyfriend and hopped on a plane here.""Yes.""Are you serious right now?""Hey, don't forget that I'm your older sister.""Oh wow, why don't we just leave you to take care of yourself then. My older sister is so smart and she definitely doesn't need her younger brother or his wife looking out for her.""No! That's not what I meant. Sorry."He sighed as he sat next to her. "I'm sorry things didn't work out the way you wanted it to. I know how terrible it must be for you to be betrayed like that." His experience with Bianca was something that would have scarred him for life, if it wasn't for the fact that he had Ivy and their kids around him, so he could understand his sister's feelings. "So? What do you want to do?""I want to punish him. I know that if I get the police involved, it won't solve anything because you can't arrest yo
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 113. Background Check
"What did you say?" "Yes. It was very surprising to me at first. I think it was about two weeks ago, I received a call from a really nice sounding man– and young too!-- and he said he was interested in buying my hotel.""Just one guy? That's impossible!""Exactly! Or at least that was what I thought at first too. But then I told him the price I had in mind and the next thing I knew, he had made the payment.""Who is this person?""He said his name was Dev or so. Yes it was. He made the payment at once. I didn't even think there was someone wealthy enough to make a transfer of such a huge amount of money at once. Very impressive, I would like to do business with him again very soon."Moses could hardly believe what he was hearing. The Zion hotel had been in existence for almost ten years, and the owner had always been Ellis Graham. Before he became the owner, the Zion hotel was known as Heaven On Earth hotel and suites, and it was jointly owned by three brothers. The stories goes th
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 114. The Punishment
According to Van's plan, Macy was to invite Jasper out with Ivy to celebrate their engagement, and the trio would go to a near by bar. The plan was to get him drunk, then Macy would steal his other girlfriend's phone number and send all the pictures to her with the hope that it'll be enough to save her from falling a victim to Jasper's wicked schemes. "Baby, this was supposed to be a secret but, I have decided to get you that sports car you've always wanted, as an engagement gift."When Macy said that, Jasper's eyes widened in surprise, then for some reason he glanced at Ivy, as if to check if she was okay with it. Ivy, who knew Macy was only lying to make Jasper more excited, pretended like she was surprised, but she didn't object to it. "I think you're going to have to give her something as well Jasper, or are you going to let a woman defeat you?" She said in a cheerful tone. Feeling relieved that she didn't say anything about it, Jasper laughed heartily. Finally, things were go
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 115. The Visit
Everyone froze when he said that. Immediately, Van turned to Ivy, he had no idea she had been looking for her parents. It made him feel like an incompetent husband for not knowing something so crucial about the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Chris had a smile on his face. Ivy was hooked, he could see that and he was enjoying it. He mentally gave himself a pat on the shoulder for opting for the background check. "What is he talking about?" Macy was the first to speak. "Mom knows your parents, so why are you looking for them?""No-no. It's not that. See, after my mother passed away, I spent a few years with a nice couple before my grandparents took me in. I haven't seen them since and I was hoping I could find them." She explained. "Well my dear, your search has officially come to an end.""How did you know she was looking for her parents?" Van asked. He knew there was no way Ivy would say something so important about her to Chris, especially since she didn't eve
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 116. Dinner Date
"Hi.""Hi, do I know you? You look kinda familiar.""Me? Oh I don't think so. I've lived here all my life.""Oh… then you're not the one. My bad.""Not at all. You're the wife of the man who lives down at the beach house, right?"Ivy was surprised because she didn't know who the other lady was, or how she knew who she was. "Um … yeah?""There's no need to look so concerned. I live around and I love going to the beach a lot. I've seen you and your… husband?..." Ivy nodded and she smiled. "Okay. I've seen you two around a couple of times.""Oh okay. Nice to meet you.""Same here. The reason I approached you today was because I wanted to be friends. I've been thinking about the right way to go about it but nothing seemed right so…""It's totally fine. We can be friends. It would be nice to have at least one friend before I leave.""Leave?""Yeah. My husband and I are just here for our honeymoon.""Ah, then I guess I should have approached you much more earlier.""Hehe. It's fine. We can
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 117. The Break Up
"Ivy, please just hear me out. I understand how you feel-well no one can truly understand what you're feeling at the moment - but I want to be here for you. Look, I know finding these people is very important to you–""--so why are you trying to get in my way?!""I'm not, I swear! It's just that I don't support this method you're trying to use.""Is this still about Chris? Oh my goodness Van, I already told you not to worry about it. It's not like I'm getting married to him or anything like that!""Okay so why do you keep pushing me away?! I was worried sick about you all day. It's been two whole days and you won't return any of my calls, and all my texts are left unreplied. Ivy, it's not fair." When Ivy told him she intended to pay a visit to her foster parents that Chris had found for her, Van cound hardly believe it. Until she got dressed and left the next morning. "It's not fair? Why won't you at least try to understand what I'm going through. I know it might be hard for you but
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229. Regrouping
The sedan rolled to a stop at the docks, wheels crunching over loose gravel.The old warehouse loomed ahead — rusted, half-abandoned, but still standing.Safehouse Two.For now.Van was the first out, scanning the shadows.Nothing moved but the water lapping against the pilings.It was good... for now.Boyd staggered out next, coughing from the smoke that still clung to his lungs.He looked back at the road, half expecting black SUVs to come roaring around the bend.None yet.But he knew it was only a matter of time. They all did. Inside the warehouse, Carla flicked the light switch. Nothing. It was obvious that power was long dead here.She cursed and grabbed the old lantern from the shelf, sparking weak yellow light into the gloom. "Great. We’re living like rats now," she muttered.Dan slumped against a wall, wincing as he peeled back the bloody cloth from his arm. The wound was deeper than he let on but no one had time to properly check on him yet. Louisa stood frozen in the midd
228. Counterstrike
The first sign came quiet. Too quiet.Carla’s laptop froze mid-search.The screen flickered once, then died.She cursed under her breath, smacking the side."That’s not normal," she muttered.But by the time she turned to call Van, the lights in the safehouse cut out too.Dark.Total dark.Van's instincts snapped awake.He grabbed Boyd by the collar, yanked him back from the window."Down. Now."A second later, the glass exploded inward — a single sniper round carving through where Boyd’s head had been.Dan was already rolling for the back door, weapon drawn.But he barely made it two steps before the walls shuddered — an explosion outside, close enough to rattle the whole building."They're here!" Dan bellowed."Barron's men — they’re hitting us now!"Louisa screamed, clutching the flash drive like it was her last tether to life.Carla grabbed her arm, dragging her toward the back.Her voice was sharp but tight with fear."Move! Go! Go!"Van grabbed the rifle from under the couch — o
227. The Leak
By dawn, the first leak was already live.A small, half-forgotten blog out of Riverside — City Watchdog — dropped the bomb.No flashy headlines. No screaming sirens.Just cold facts: financial records, timestamps, and the name of a sitting state senator wired half a million from one of Barron’s shell companies.No context. No accusation, just enough to light the fuse.Van watched the post go viral in real time.At first, nobody cared. Then, somewhere around seven AM, a bigger account picked it up — a political gossip page with just enough clout to make people squint.By noon, national blogs were calling it "The Slush Fund Scandal."At around two PM, the senator’s office released a frantic denial.That’s when Van knew they’d drawn blood.Boyd let out a bark of laughter when the news hit the TV in the safehouse."Look at them squirm! Man, they thought they were gods. Now they’re crying on camera like school kids who were caught cheating."Dan just grunted, never looking away from the wi
226. The Accountant's Secret
The safehouse smelled like old coffee and fear when Louisa Martin finally showed up.She came alone, wrapped in a cheap raincoat two sizes too big, hair hidden under a beanie.Her eyes darted everywhere — ceiling corners, dark windows, even the cracks in the floor like they might bite her.Van watched her quietly from across the room, arms folded.She looked nothing like the sharp financial shark Keller described.This woman was frayed at the edges, like someone who hadn’t slept properly in months.Keller made the introductions. "Louisa. This is Van. Van — Louisa."Louisa’s voice was brittle as glass. "I know who he is."Her eyes flicked to Van, then away again like looking at him too long might get her killed.Van didn’t bother with small talk, time was blood now. "You worked for Barron, that means you know where the bodies are buried. You talk — I make sure you stay breathing.You stay quiet — and you’ll be next on his list."Louisa’s laugh was short and humorless."Sweetheart, I’ve
225. Next Move
By mid-morning, Van couldn’t step outside without seeing his own face staring back from every screen.Some called him a vigilante.Others spat the word criminal like poison.But the city was buzzing, and Barron’s name was finally dragged through the dirt alongside his own.Van didn’t care about the headlines. He cared about the numbers Carla showed him — accounts traced, shell companies linked, wires exposed like raw nerves.Money. That’s where they would cut next.She tapped the screen, her nail chipped and trembling slightly."See this? Phoenix Holdings. Looks clean on the outside, but dig deeper and it’s washing Barron’s trafficking money through luxury imports. Art, watches, cars—hell, probably gold toilets for his mansion."Van grunted. His mind wasn’t on art.It was on Lenny, still fighting for his life three floors up."You said we could burn him financially. How?"Carla smirked, but it didn’t reach her eyes. She looked as tired as he felt."We leak it. Quiet first — to the rig
224. First Blood
The attack came at dawn.Silent. Surgical. Cruel.Lenny never saw it coming. He was stepping out of his apartment, headed to meet Van at the old mill, when the van screeched up.Three men in black masks.No words — just steel pipes and fists.Neighbors heard the commotion but kept their doors shut.Everyone knew better. When Barron’s men came calling, you looked away.By the time the van peeled off, Lenny lay in a broken heap, blood pooling beneath his head.His niece’s picture, which he always carried in his pocket, fluttered to the ground, soaked red.★★★Van got the call an hour later.Nora's voice shook."They nearly killed him, Van. Lenny’s in ICU. Skull fractures, broken ribs. They meant to send a message."Van stood frozen in the middle of Keller’s living room, heart pounding like a war drum.Carla looked up from her laptop, face pale."This is escalation. Barron’s going full scorched earth now. If we don’t hit back hard—"Van was already moving.★★★At the hospital, Lenny lay
223. Raising An Army
Van’s phone buzzed just past midnight, it was an unknown number but he answered without hesitation.A familiar voice, rough and low, crackled through."You said if we ever wanted payback, we should call. Well, we’re calling."It was Lenny — an old cellmate from the prison days. A man who’d lost his niece to the same trafficking chain Bianca had just escaped.Van’s chest tightened."Where are you?""Abandoned mill off 43rd Street. And we’re not alone."Van grabbed his jacket and keys.This was the sign he’d been waiting for.★★★The mill was a ruin of rust and cracked windows, but inside, the air was electric.Dozens of faces turned when Van stepped in.Ex-cons, street runners and women with haunted eyes — survivors of Barron’s network.At the front stood Lenny, his massive arms crossed over his chest. Beside him, a thin woman with a scar along her jaw — Nora, who had once testified and then vanished from public sight.Van took it in: a gathering of the discarded and the damned.People
222. Barron Retaliates
The news broke before dawn. Grainy footage leaked online — flashing lights at the docks, bodies being loaded into ambulances, women wrapped in blankets, their faces blurred.The headlines screamed in bold:Human Trafficking Ring Busted in Dramatic Night Raid.But behind the headlines, in dark rooms far from the public eye, powerful men were already plotting their revenge.Van sat beside Bianca's hospital bed, watching her chest rise and fall. She was sedated, her body too battered and exhausted to stay conscious for long but she was alive.That simple fact kept him breathing.Keller stood near the door, on the phone with someone high up — probably trying to keep this operation from exploding into a political scandal.Carla scrolled through her tablet, her face grim."They’re already spinning this," she muttered. "Barron’s people are leaking stories that this was a rogue smuggling crew. Small-time. Not connected to him."Van’s jaw clenched."Typical. Burn the pawns, protect the king."
221. Final Hunt
The storm hadn’t let up by morning.Thunder rolled over the city like distant gunfire as Van paced the length of Keller’s safehouse, phone clutched in a death grip.The message replayed in his mind over and over:"Transfer complete. Barron expects the shipment before Friday."Today was Thursday.That meant they had less than twenty-four hours to find Bianca before she vanished — maybe forever.Carla spread a map on the table, jabbing her finger at different points marked in red."These are known drop sites tied to Barron’s network. Truck yards. Private airstrips. Warehouses near the docks. If they’re moving her, it’s through one of these routes."Van stopped pacing, leaned over the map."Which one?"Carla’s mouth pressed into a thin line."If I knew that, we’d already be on the road."Keller stormed in from the other room, phone to his ear."No, I don’t care if it’s off the books—pull every asset we have! She’s out there, and I want eyes on every exit point in this city!"He ended the
