2025-03-19 23:24:28
Previous Chapter
Related Chapters
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 140. The Visit
That morning, when Ivy's grandmother said she was coming over to their place for an urgent discussion, Van wondered what she would tell him. Ivy was trying to convince him that he had nothing to be bothered about because she wasn't going to leave him no matter what she said. When she arrived, she refused to say anything to Ivy and instead focused all her attention on Van. "I am yet to accept you as a son in law of the Wilson family." She said firmly, a rigid expression on her face. "If I'm being completely honest with you ma'am, I have no intention of becoming a son in law of the Wilson family.""Oh? Then what do you want with my baby girl?""I want her.""To want her, you have to want to become a member of her family. Otherwise what you want is fleeting.""I'm going to have to disagree with you on that. I don't want to become a part of the Wilson family, and I don't think I ever will. But it doesn't mean that I'm not serious about my intentions with Ivy. I love your granddaugh
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 141. The Condition
"What?""You heard what I said. If you want to remain as the CEO of the company, I want you to pack your bags and leave this house with immediate effect.""I'm sorry grandma, but that can't be possible.""Are you trying to defy my orders?""I would never dream of that. But grandma, this is my life we're talking about here. I already have kids, two beautiful children! Grandma, I'm pregnant!How can you ask me to just pack my bags and leave?That's not possible.""Then are you ready to tender your resignation letter?""That is also an unfair request to make of me. This company we're talking about here was my mother's and my grandfather's. It's the only thing i have left from both of them, and now you're asking me to give it up?For how many years have I been running this company? For more than five years, I have put my sweat and effort into making this company a success. Without me, the company would have never excelled up to this extent. But if you feel that I'm no longer needed as th
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 142. The Confrontation
"Van Everest?"Van paused and turned too see the person who called out to him. "Do I know you?" He asked, still scanning the stranger staring at him. "Not at all. But I know all about you." He replied, a calm smile on his face. "I think you must have me mixed up with someone else." Whatever he claimed to know about him, he didn't want to know. "No I'm pretty sure I have the right person. Van Daniel Everest, you're married to Ivy Wilson. You recently returned from Hawaii with your wife. Currently you live on Venus island with your family. You were sentenced to prison for attempted murder, but you got out early. Should I go on?"Van paused but didn't turn back to face the stranger. If he knew about all that, then Van suspected that he might know about his secret assets as well, and that was probably his reason for approaching him. "Does the name Dev ring a bell?"So he did know. Van slowly turned to face him, but he didn't have any expression on his face. The last thing he wanted w
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 143. The Restaurant
Bianca stormed into the restaurant, her eyes scanning the room for the familiar face. She spotted him sitting alone by the window, sipping a drink. He beared only a little resemblance to the man she knew for all those years. It was still hard for Bianca to believe that he was the man she would have been married to. Her heart racing, she marched towards him."It's been a while."Van looked up, a blank expression on his face as his eyes locking onto Bianca's. For a moment, he just stared at her, wondering what she wanted and how she even knew where he was. "Bianca," Van said, his voice calm and collected. "What brings you here?""You know exactly why I'm here," she replied in a cold and unfriendly tone. "I do?""I hope you're not getting any ideas running around in that head of yours, what happened was a huge mistake, and it won't repeat itself. So don't go thinking you're special or anything like that."Van was almost certain he knew what she was talking about but he didn't want to
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 144. Bianca
"Wake up! You insolent daughter. How can you even be sleeping so comfortably at such a time?"Bianca heard the nagging voice of her mother from her sleep, but thinking it was just another day with her mother complaining about everything as usual, she turned the other way and ignored her. "I can't believe I was so unlucky and ended up with such a failure for a daughter." The angered woman went on. "Oh my goodness, where did I go wrong? What sin from my past life could be so great that I had to be punished for it this much? If I knew you would turn out to be such a huge disappointmemt, I would have never had you."Bianca couldn't take it any longer. "Mother, what is it now?" She said as she slowly sat up, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to ward off sleepiness. "Oh so now you ask me that. I thought you were going to ignore me all day and keep sleeping for the rest of your life. Then again, maybe it won't be such a bad idea, since that seems to be the only thing you can do without mista
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 145. The Lawsuit
Margaret Wilson sat in her lawyer's office, her eyes blazing with determination. "I want to sue my granddaughter," she said, her voice firm.Her lawyer, Mr. Jenkins, looked up from the papers on his desk. "Ivy? But Ma'am, she's your family. Are you sure you want to take this route?"Margaret nodded. "I'm positive. Ivy has been mismanaging the company, making reckless decisions that are putting our future at risk. I've tried talking to her, but she won't listen." That was a lie and she knew it. She just hated the way Van spoke to her the other day. How dare someone so beneath her speak to her in such a bold manner?And Ivy didn't say or do anything about it. Instead she kept insisting that she wasn't going back home because she had started her family with him. Mr. Jenkins sighed. "I understand your concerns, Ma'am. But a lawsuit is a serious step. Are you prepared for the consequences? This isn't just a simple meeting, you will be taking Ivy, your granddaughter, to court. There's no
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 146. Trial Begins
The day of the trial finally arrived, and the courtroom was buzzing with anticipation. Margaret and Ivy sat on opposite sides of the room, their lawyers by their sides. The judge, a wise and experienced jurist, entered the room and took his seat.The courtroom fell silent as the judge began to speak. "This court is now in session. The case before us is Margaret vs. Ivy, a dispute over the leadership and management of JK Enterprises. Let's begin with the opening statements."Mr. Jenkins, Margaret's lawyer, stood before the court, his voice confident and clear. "Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, my client, Margaret, has brought this lawsuit against her granddaughter, Ivy Wilson, because of Ivy's gross mismanagement of JK Enterprises. We will show that Ivy has made reckless decisions, ignored sound advice, and put the company's future at risk."Ms. Rodriguez, Ivy's lawyer, hired by Van smiled, her eyes shining with determination. "Your honor that's a lie, my client has done a
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 147. A Surprising Offer
Margaret sat in her room, staring out the window as she thought about what Ivy said. To her, Ivy was her only family, and she also didn't like fighting with her, but Margaret couldn't just let it go like that, she needed to teach her a lesson.Just as she was thinking about what to do, her phone rang. It was her lawyer, Mr. Jenkins."Ma'am, I've been thinking about the case, and if it's alrigjt with you, I'd like to make a suggestion." He said."Oh? And what's that?""Why don't we settle the case?""What?!""Hear me out. Rather than demanding that Ivy give up her position, why don't we petition for one? Say, the second in command, or maybe a seat on the board of directors. That way, you will have influence in the company, and you can partake in decision making.""What if I don't want to do it that way?""I understand how you must feel ma'am, but see, the trial is going to be expensive and time-consuming. And even if we win, there's no guarantee that Ivy will actually step down as CEO.
Latest Chapter
230. Midnight Deal
The night swallowed him whole. Van moved like a shadow through the back alleys, boots silent against cracked pavement. No headlights. No noise, just the hush of a city holding its breath.The old mill loomed ahead — dead and forgotten.Rust covered the walls like rot, windows smashed out years ago.But tonight, it was alive again. Lights burned inside. Dim. Yellow. Flickering.Van’s gut clenched, there were too many lights.Too many cars parked just out of sight.He checked his pistol — loaded, safety off.One extra mag in his jacket.Not much.But it would have to do.He stepped through the busted gate, every nerve tight.His contact — Ramos — stood near the loading dock, arms folded, a cigarette glowing in his hand."Van," Ramos greeted, voice rough. Like gravel chewed up in a blender. "You actually came.Didn’t think you had the stones anymore."Van kept his face blank. "Let’s skip the warm-up.You got the guns?"Ramos shrugged. "You got the cash?"Van tossed a duffel bag at his fe
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."
