2024-12-04 22:58:34
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From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 77. Reactions
Blanche frowned at her cellphone, that would make it the fourth time she would be calling and still got no answer. She had been trying to get hold of the Fisherman but he was refusing to take her calls. "What could be so important that he has to ignore the calls of his boss?!" She tossed the phone aside. "Ugh, maybe watching TV will get it off my mind." She took the remote and switched on the large flat screen. The first few stations didn't have anything interesting to offer and it only annoyed Blanche more. "Ugh, this thing is useless!!" She tossed the remote and as the device came in contact with the ground, it pressed one of the buttons, changing the channel one more time. This time, it was an entertainment news channel. "As you can see, the wedding of Van Everest is currently ongoing. The couple apparently decided to have a small but elegant ceremony with only friends and families on the guest list.."Blanche's eyes widened when she saw the face of the groom. "Wait a minute, tha
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 78. Rumors
After the ceremony was over, they had a small after party to further add to the celebration. Van wanted to scrape the whole thing and just head back home already but his mother said it would be an opportunity for he and Ivy to meet some important people and make meaningful connections. "Congratulations Van," an older man said with a broad smile. "My, you really are a spitting image of your late father. It's such a shame he couldn't be here today. I'm sure he would have been overjoyed.""Thank you, and thank you for coming." "Oh no, the pleasure is all mine. When Sheryl told me her long lost son was getting married, I just had to see it for myself. You know, I still find it hard to believe that you disappeared within this city for so many years without anyone ever finding you until now.How did it happen?""I don't know." Van replied plainly. "Well, I think it's about time I excuse myself. There are other guests I need to meet." He bowed politely and walked away from the man. Immedi
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 79. Newlyweds
When the after party was finally over, Van was more than grateful to head back to his comfort of his home. Of course, his mother would not allow that. "Why are you two being so difficult? Every married couple are supposed to go for a honeymoon. It's only natural that you have yours as well!""I understand mom but–""But what? Was your wedding with Ivy not genuine?""Of course it was.""Mother, I understand what Van is trying to say. I don't think it's necessary for us to have a honeymoon. I mean, who's going to look after Billy and Chloe after we're gone? It'll be a whole month and I–""Oh. So that's it. You don't trust me with your children.""What, no!""Then you're going!"In the end, their mother won the arguement and the couple were off to a hotel to spend the night. Andrew offered to check in on the kis on a regular basis and the twins seemed to have no problem with their parents going away for a while. Van devided to take her to the Golden Touch hotel, and Ivy was stunned.
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 80. Beach Party
Van and Ivy made the decision to go to Hawaii for their honeymoon. He was really actually forward to spending time alone with her, and to take a break from whatever problems real life decided to throw at him. The first few days were more than either of them could have asked for. They stayed at a comfortable vacation house that offered a spectacular view of the ocean and the skies. "Aren't you glad you agreed to come here?" Van asked Ivy, who was seated on the porch, cradling a cup of coffee in her hands. The porch had become Ivy's favorite place in the whole house as the view was always breathtakingly beautiful. She smiled up at him. "I guess it's pretty okay."He returned the gesture, and he took a seat next to her. "I'm happy we're doing this." He said softly. "Me too." She rested her head on his shoulder and he put his arms around her, holding her close to his body. "Oh right, we were invited to a party.""A party? By who?""You know Boyd, the guy we met at beach?""Yeah." He
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 81. Picnic
Van couldn't believe what he was hearing. How dare he boldly say such a thing to him?"You know you have some nerves, my wife is not an object you can just buy." His voice had an edgy tone to it. "Everybody has a price, Van. Just name yours, and I'm ready to pay."Van felt his blood rising and he had the overwhelming urge to punch him in the face, multiple times. He was about to say something else when he felt Ivy's touch. Ivy knew what was likely to happen next if she didn't do anything. She grabbed hold of Van's arm, keeping him from doing anything rash. "Let's just go, Van."He glared at Chris for a second before turning to face Ivy. "Yeah, let's just go."They had started to walk away when he spoke up again. "Just know this, Van, Chris Efron wants that lovely lady, and Chris Efron always gets what he wants."★★★Van had been pacing for almost ten minutes, and he wouldn't calm down no matter what Ivy said. "Really Van, don't get yourself worked worked up over nothing.""Over noth
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 82. The Seductress
"Hey Ivy, where exactly are you in Hawaii?""Uh in a small town, uh Kailua Kona, I think." When Van first told her about the place, she was surprised as to how he even knew about it in the first place. He said he chose it because it was rich in Hawaiian culture and history. Then they had the best stores and restaurants. "Okay," Macy replied. "I'll stay somewhere close by, so it'll be easy for you to come to me. Let me know where you're staying so I can make living preparations too.""Uh Macy, what exactly is going on?" The mystery was making Ivy crazy. She wanted to know what the issue was, and Macy was seriously avoiding that topic. "I already told you, it's not something we can discuss on the phone. We'll be there today, and we can talk better then.""Okay, wait today?!" When she said she wanted to fly over, Ivy never expected it to be so quickly. And did she say we? "Wait Macy, aren't you the only one coming? You said we.""Like I said earlier, we'll talk when we land."She said
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 83. Pregnant
"Ivy, are you free today?"Macy told Ivy that she would arrive in Hawaii the day before, but her flight was delayed so it took another day. "Hmm I'll have to think of what to tell Van, but, I guess I could try.""Think of what to say? Since when do you need permission from Van to leave the house?""It's… complicated. Don't worry, if I'm able to convince Van, I'll fill you in on all the details.""Okay, I'll text you the address.""Alright." She hung up and let out a sigh, the whole 'Macy mystery' was still bothering her. "Who was that?"Ivy jumped as she heard Van's voice, she didn't know when he walked in. "It was no one, just a friend." She lied. "Okay well, I need to go out for a while." He said, grabbing his coat from the closet. "Oh? Where are you going?""Boyd asked me to meet him at the beach, he said there was something he wanted to talk about.""I didn't know you and Boyd were that close.""We're not. I just want to hear what he has to say, plus, it'll be rude to just igno
From Prison Bars To Gold Bars. 84. A Shady Heart
"Well hello Mr 'I'm a married man', what are you doing out here on this fine day? Shouldn't you be at home snuggling with your wife?"Van had noticed Cynthia about five minutes earlier but he intentionally ignored her, walking off in the opposite direction to avoid her talking to him. "Hi." He said without looking at her. "What's wrong? You look worried. Wanna talk about it?""I'm fine. I should go." Van started to walk away but Cynthia ran to his front, blocking his path. "Listen to me, I don't know why you're doing this, but I assure you, I'm not a bad person." Her smile was still on her face but her cheery voice was sounding more forced, like she was trying not to get angry, or to show that she was already angry. "I never said you were. Now, may I go?""Oh come on, you don't have to be so difficult. There really is nothing wrong in you making friends. It's not like I'm asking you to chase away your wife or anything.""How did you know I'd be here?""What?" She looked shocked by
Latest Chapter
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
220. The Raid
The black SUV tore through the city streets, weaving between cars and running red lights.Rain slapped against the windshield in heavy sheets, turning the world into a blur of lights and shadows.Van sat in the passenger seat, jaw tight, fingers tapping a restless rhythm on his knee.Beside him, Keller drove like a man possessed, silent and focused.Carla sat in the back, double-checking the blueprints of the warehouse on her tablet."Franklin and Third," she muttered."Two floors. Old textile plant. Abandoned for years. No security cameras, no neighbors — perfect place to stash someone."Van’s stomach twisted.It was too perfect.He kept flashing back to Vance’s words: If they think you’re coming, they’ll move her—or worse.He couldn't afford to think about what worse meant.Not now.Not when they were this close.They arrived in less than fifteen minutes.The warehouse loomed out of the mist like a dead thing — gray, crumbling, windows shattered, rust eating through the metal doors.
