2026-01-16 19:03:35
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CHAPTER 147
The Public Exposure AttemptThe summit hall was colder the next morning.Not in temperature — in mood.What had begun as a prestigious international gathering had transformed into a battlefield of reputation, power, and silent war. Delegates moved carefully, voices hushed. Media crews crowded the edges of the hall like predators waiting for blood.Everyone knew something would happen today.And at the center of it all—Brandon Collins. The Stage is SetThe press conference chamber filled quickly. Rows of journalists, analysts, corporate observers, and international delegates took their seats. Cameras aligned. Screens flickered to life. Microphones waited like loaded weapons.At the front sat two men.Brandon Collins — rigid, sharp, burning with determination.Leon Gray — calm, composed, silent.Between them hung a tension so heavy the air itself seemed to strain under it.Emily sat in the second row, fingers tightly clasped together. Her eyes moved between the two me
CHAPTER 146
Summit Tensions RiseThe International Economic and Trade Summit was not merely an event—it was a battlefield disguised in silk and glass.The grand hall of the Aurora Convention Center gleamed beneath towering chandeliers, each crystal reflecting the glow of ambition, wealth, and quiet warfare. Delegates from across the world filled the space—politicians, industrial titans, financial magnates, and power brokers whose decisions could move entire markets overnight.Today, however, business was not the only attraction. Whispers had already begun.“They say Brandon Collins is preparing something big.”“Against Leon Gray?”“No… against the man behind him.”“Or maybe Leon is the man.”Rumors traveled like wildfire beneath polite smiles and handshakes. Cameras flashed. Reporters hovered like vultures waiting for blood.Because everyone knew.Something was about to happen.The Crumbling HeirBrandon Collins stood near the center lounge, surrounded by a thinning circle of supposed allies. His
CHAPTER 145
Public Confrontation SetupThe announcement hit the global business world like a starting gun.The International Economic Stability Summit—a closed-door gathering of ministers, hedge fund titans, sovereign wealth managers, and corporate kings—would be held in Zurich in less than two weeks. Attendance was invitation-only. Speaking slots were guarded like nuclear codes.And for the first time in decades, the Collins Group had been pushed off the main agenda.Brandon found out from the news. He stood frozen in his penthouse office, tie loosened, jacket thrown over a chair, the city lights bleeding through the glass behind him. The television droned on, repeating the same headline in different accents.“…sources confirm Leon Gray will deliver the keynote address on strategic market stability…” “…a surprising but highly anticipated inclusion…” “…rumored to represent a private consortium with unprecedented reach…”Leon Gray.Brandon’s jaw clenched until it hurt.“They’re doing this on purpos
CHAPTER 144
Backlash BeginsThe backlash didn’t arrive with noise.It arrived with silence.Brandon felt it first in the pauses—those half-seconds too long before replies came. The unread messages. The calls that rang once, then died. The assistants who suddenly “needed to check schedules” before confirming meetings that used to be automatic.By noon, the cracks were visible.At Collins Group headquarters, the executive floor buzzed with forced normalcy. Screens displayed market tickers, analysts spoke in clipped tones, and assistants walked faster than usual, eyes down. But beneath it all, the air had changed.Brandon stood at the head of the boardroom table, palms pressed flat against polished wood.“Why hasn’t Kessler Holdings returned my call?” he demanded.No one answered immediately.Miranda shifted in her seat. A junior executive cleared his throat. Finally, the CFO spoke carefully. “They… postponed their position review. Indefinitely.” Brandon’s jaw tightened. “Postponed?” “Yes. They cite
CHAPTER 143
The Unexpected TwistThe first crack appeared at 6:42 a.m.It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t dramatic.It was a footnote.An investigative journalist in London—known for dismantling corporate fraud with surgical patience—published a twelve-paragraph analysis of the leaked material surrounding Leon Gray. Buried near the end was a single sentence that changed everything:Several documents attributed to offshore entities show formatting inconsistencies inconsistent with filings from that jurisdiction.Within minutes, another journalist noticed.Then another.By eight o’clock, the conversation had shifted.Not away from Leon—but toward the evidence itself. At Collins Group headquarters, Emily stood frozen in front of a wall-mounted screen as headlines updated in real time.“Questions Raised Over Authenticity of ‘Leon Gray’ Leaks.”“Experts Flag Possible Fabrication in Recent Corporate Documents.”“Who Really Benefits From the Exposure?”Her breath caught. “Run that again,” she said quietly. A juni
CHAPTER 142
The Media StormThe storm didn’t break all at once.It crept in quietly—like rot beneath polished wood.Leon first saw it on a muted television screen in the Collins Group executive lounge. A familiar anchor leaned forward, voice grave, eyes sharp with barely concealed excitement.“—unverified reports suggest that Leon Gray, the reclusive son-in-law of the Collins family, may be connected to a web of offshore investments and shell entities operating across Asia and Europe—” The screen cuts to images. Grainy photos. Red circles. Arrows. Headlines screaming words like Shadow Empire, Hidden King, Corporate Ghost.Leon didn’t move.Around him, however, the room tightened.Phones buzzed. Assistants whispered. A junior executive dropped his tablet, the clatter echoing far louder than it should have. Within minutes, the business channels followed.Then the tabloids.Then social media.#WHOISLEONGRAY#COLLINSSCANDAL#SILENTKINGEXPOSEDEmily burst into the lounge, her heels striking the marble
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