Spoils of War
Author: Pen_ed
last update2025-04-24 22:48:23

Liam stood near the center of the room. The same room that Mia left him standing alone with decisions to make. He was dressed in all black, his eyes focused on nothing, but in a calm and thoughtful way.

He had made up his mind.

Mia didn’t say much when she saw the invitation to the summit. But the little she said, and the look in her eyes—that was enough. He knew what she felt. Knew that maybe Natalie Young was getting too close. That maybe Liam was beginning to entertain things he shouldn’t. And that couldn’t be further from the truth.

So today, Liam decided to move differently. If he couldn’t fight power with just his image and alliances, he would fight it with action. He decided to legally secure key pieces of Peter’s former empire—land, buildings, and forgotten zones that still had weight. Not to claim them, but to transform them. To repurpose them into centers for the people. Schools, shelters, libraries. Places that told a new story.

As he walked into the real estate office that
Continue to read this book for free
Scan the code to download the app

Related Chapters

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   The Long Game

    Liam left the real estate firm with much anger. There was no point to wait around, he needed to reconvene and stop Vaughn before it was too late. That afternoon, the sun cast a golden hue over the rooftop as the city below buzzed with distant horns and flickers of movement, but up here, the air felt still, tense. Liam had returned to the safe house and stood at the ledge, his arms crossed, as Jack and Evelyn joined him around the small outdoor table. Papers were spread across it—maps, deeds, and notes scribbled in rushed handwriting.“You’re sure it was Vaughn?” Jack asked, adjusting his coat collar as the breeze picked up.Liam didn’t say anything, he just gave a tight nod and kept staring at the papers sprawled out in front of him. “He walked into the real estate office like he owned the place. Outbidding me. And not just randomly—he’s targeting everything Peter used to control.”Jack exhaled. “He’s not just buying land. He’s rebuilding influence and coast alliances.”Evelyn sat dow

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   Public Trial

    Just minutes after Mia stepped out of the rooftop meeting with Liam, Evelyn and Jack, Liam’s phone buzzed with a sharp vibration. He glanced down and saw the message: URGENT: Tribunal Summons. Court set for tomorrow for delegations on Peter’s empire. Attendance is mandatory.Liam stood still for a moment, letting the weight of the words settle in. He didn’t flinch this time. He didn’t curse or toss the phone aside like he once might’ve. Instead, he tucked the phone back into his coat pocket, walked to the edge of the rooftop, and stared out at the city. “Alright,” he muttered under his breath. “Let’s finish this. Peter wants to play dirty, so can I.”—The next day, the courtroom was packed with cameras that lined the back wall. Every major news outlet had someone present. This was supposed to be the final court case to decide what happens to Peter’s empire and everyone was anxious to see the outcome. As Liam walked into the courtroom, dressed in a sharp dark suit, his eyes calm and f

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   Shadows Revealed

    The silence in the courtroom after Dr. Elser’s testimony was unlike anything Liam had ever witnessed. You could hear the creak of a chair or the faint click of a pen, but no one dared speak too loud, not even Vaughn.The Tribunal members whispered among themselves as tension filled the air like smoke. Vaughn adjusted his collar, his usual confidence shaken, but he still tried to keep himself composed.“This man is lying,” Vaughn finally said as the Tribunal members reconvened, standing with his hands clenched at his sides. “He was dismissed from Peter’s program for falsifying data. He has no credibility.”Dr. Elser didn’t react. He stood quietly, calm as ever, like he had already expected this. One of the Tribunal members, Lord Halberd, narrowed his eyes. “And yet, he came forward at great personal risk. Why now?”Liam spoke up, his voice even. “Because the city deserves to know who’s still playing Peter’s game.”More murmurs echoed through the room. The Tribunal was no longer united.

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   Fault Lines

    By the next morning, headlines across the city shifted from courtroom drama to political chaos. Vaughn wasn’t sitting quietly anymore, especially after the new witness threatened to destroy every credibility he had been trying to build. News channels flooded with debates. Talk show hosts dissected every moment of the trial. Some networks downplayed the scientist’s testimony, focusing instead on Liam’s past and the unrest following Peter’s fall.Vaughn was pulling strings again, but this time it was through the media.“He’s buying airtime,” Evelyn said, pacing across Liam’s office. “Look at these anchors, same phrases, same narrative. This isn’t reporting, it’s a script.” She paused in frustration and tapped her forehead in frustration. “To think these are the same people we are fighting to protect. Some corrupt figure throws money at them, and they all fall in line doing his bidding.”Liam stood by the window, staring out. The city felt quieter today, but he better. It was just the ca

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   Breaking the Mask

    Liam stood in the dim light of his study, flipping through the files Ainsley had given him. These were all pages and pages of coded payments, offshore accounts, secret meetings, and signed contracts all tied back to Vaughn. It was enough to burn his entire image to the ground and ruin him forever.Jack leaned over his shoulder. “We’ve got him.” He muttered excitedly, “This isn’t just shady—it’s criminal.”Liam nodded but didn’t smile. He knew having the evidence was not just enough. “He’s going to fight harder now. We need to time this right.”Chloe walked in at that moment with a flash drive in her hand, and both Liam and Jack’s eyes flashed with surprise at her unannounced visit. “I’ve finished the article. Once it goes live, the public will see everything. No spin, no edits.” She said, as if expecting them to understand.Liam was the first one to ask, “What article?” Chloe smiled wryly and took a seat, “I didn’t want to tell anyone till I was done with it, but I’ve been working on

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   The Fall of Vaughn

    The next morning, the Tribunal chamber was packed with journalists, city officials, and citizens, all crowded in and waiting for the final decision. Liam stood in the center of it all, calm on the outside, but inside there was a storm brewing.Lord Ainsley stepped forward, ready to announce the verdict of the court, his voice steady. “After reviewing all evidence, this Tribunal declares Vaughn unfit for leadership and possession of Peter’s empire. Effective immediately, he is stripped of his authority and is no longer an associate of the Tribunal. Anyone found to be in contact or partnership with him on the Tribunal will be ex communicated.”A wave of gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as soon as those words fell. Liam locked eyes with Vaughn across the room and for a long second, neither of them looked away.Still holding his gaze, Vaughn approached him, his steps slow and deliberate. He leaned in close enough that only Liam could hear and then shot him a sinister smirk. “Yo

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   The Silent Rift

    After the verdict from the court was announced, Liam didn’t wait around. He returned to the safe house quickly to reconvene with his team and figure out their next approach and move. That afternoon, he paced back and forth across his office, his phone still pressed tightly against his ear in frustration. He’d been trying to get to Mia all this time to share her the good news, but couldn’t. Her line rang again and then went to another voicemail. “Mia, it’s me,” he said, voice low. “Please call me back.” He said and hung up, staring at the phone like it might suddenly ring. But it stayed silent.He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a deep breath trying to steady his thoughts. Mia had seen the photo of him with Natalie. He knew it. He felt it in the pit of his stomach. Although it wasn’t what she might have thought it meant, the media had again spun the narrative to suggest that she and Liam were romantically involved.Before he could sink deeper into frustration, a message buzzed

  • THE VENGEFUL HEIR   Crossroads

    Liam sat alone in his car, staring through the windshield at nothing. He thought a drive might help him to clear his head and figure out what he needed to do. The city lights blurred against the night sky, but he barely noticed, his mind had been elsewhere.Vaughn’s words kept circling his mind like a ghost.“You still don’t know what she’s capable of.” The words echoed again.Liam could not help but wonder, was he talking about Natalie? Mia? Or himself?He leaned his head back against the seat and sighed in frustration. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as everything replayed in his head again — Natalie’s games, the way she slid into his life like she had every right, made his stomach twist. But even though he knew he could go to Michael Young and ask him to keep his daughter on a leash, the mere thought of it seemed too unsettling. And Mia…The way she had looked at him tonight, like she didn’t know him anymore, had hurt him deeper than he thought it would have. He had stopp

Latest Chapter

  • What Comes Next

    The next morning, Liam and Mia’s new home beamed with sunlight and flashed across the bed between them. Mia opened her eyes slowly, blinking against the soft light and for a moment, she forgot where she was, but then she turned her head and saw Liam lying next to her, his arm wrapped gently around her waist, eyes already open.“You’re awake.” He said with a half smile.“You were watching me sleep,” Mia asked, half amused, half shy.“Yes I was,” Liam replied. “I still can’t believe this is real. I still can’t believe that we’re truly finally here.”She smiled and buried her face into his shoulder softly. “It is, Liam. After everything that we’ve fought through, we’ve finally made it real.”They stayed like that for a while, and this time, there was no rush, no calls, no meetings. Just the quiet peace of morning and the feeling of finally being home. Eventually, they got out of bed that morning and wandered into the kitchen. Liam stood there, brewing coffee while Mia leaned on the count

  • Together At Last

    The city had finally gone quiet and for once, Liam didn’t have to look over his shoulder. There was no press chasing him, no Tribunal waiting for a reaction, no enemies watching. It felt strange, but in a good way.Mia sat beside him in the back seat of Jack’s car, blindfolded and full of questions. Liam told her he had a surprise for her, but that he wouldn’t let her know until they got there.Mia sat calmly in the back seat, but her curiosity was growing by the minute and finally she could not handle it anymore and blurted out, “Liam, if you make me wear this thing for five more minutes, I’m going to scream,” she warned, a teasing edge in her voice.Liam chuckled. “Just trust me. We’re almost there.” He said.Jack who was driving up front, smirked but stayed silent. Liam had told him to take the long route. He wanted this moment to feel right—not rushed, not part of the chaos they’d just escaped. This time, it was just going to be them.“Is this one of those weird Liam surprises?” M

  • The Redemption of Liam King

    Liam held Mia’s hand tightly, the quiet strength between them louder than any speech. They stood outside the main estate hall, their eyes locked in a deep soulful gaze. The city lights sparkled in the distance as if the night itself was waiting, but just then Mia’s phone buzzed. She glanced down at the screen, breaking the moment between them and then exhaled slowly, her eyes softening.“It’s from Lord Steven,” she said, her eyes narrowing in curiosity.Liam looked at her and then asked. “What did he say?”Mia smiled faintly, shifting her gaze back to him. “After my speech, the family council held another vote. Unanimous this time, and it’s official. They’ve accepted me as head of the Stevens family.” She said and paused for a moment, as if she still needed time for the words to settle.Liam’s brows lifted slightly, and a proud grin tugged at the edge of his mouth. “You did it.”“No,” she said, squeezing his hand. “We did. If it wasn’t for your push and grandpa’s I don’t think I would

  • Setting the Record Straight

    Meanwhile, across the city, the air was thick with tension as Liam waited in the quiet, dim café. His fingers tapped lightly against the side of his coffee cup. He had made up his mind, and knew exactly what he had to do. He didn’t want to drag this meeting out longer than necessary.Natalie walked in a few minutes later, dressed in a stunning blue bodycon dress, her heels clicking sharply against the floor. She was all smiles at first, sliding into the seat across from him like she owned the space between them.“I wasn’t sure if you’d actually come,” she said sweetly, tossing her hair over her shoulder.Liam leaned back, arms crossed and jaw tight, “This isn’t going to take long.” He said firmly.Natalie blinked in shock, then her smile slipped slightly. “What do you mean, Liam?” She asked sweetly, but clearly disturbed.“I’m here to make things clear,” Liam said, voice steady and sharp. “Whatever story you’ve been building in your head or in the media between us, it ends now. I have

  • Crossroads

    Liam sat alone in his car, staring through the windshield at nothing. He thought a drive might help him to clear his head and figure out what he needed to do. The city lights blurred against the night sky, but he barely noticed, his mind had been elsewhere.Vaughn’s words kept circling his mind like a ghost.“You still don’t know what she’s capable of.” The words echoed again.Liam could not help but wonder, was he talking about Natalie? Mia? Or himself?He leaned his head back against the seat and sighed in frustration. His hands tightened on the steering wheel as everything replayed in his head again — Natalie’s games, the way she slid into his life like she had every right, made his stomach twist. But even though he knew he could go to Michael Young and ask him to keep his daughter on a leash, the mere thought of it seemed too unsettling. And Mia…The way she had looked at him tonight, like she didn’t know him anymore, had hurt him deeper than he thought it would have. He had stopp

  • The Silent Rift

    After the verdict from the court was announced, Liam didn’t wait around. He returned to the safe house quickly to reconvene with his team and figure out their next approach and move. That afternoon, he paced back and forth across his office, his phone still pressed tightly against his ear in frustration. He’d been trying to get to Mia all this time to share her the good news, but couldn’t. Her line rang again and then went to another voicemail. “Mia, it’s me,” he said, voice low. “Please call me back.” He said and hung up, staring at the phone like it might suddenly ring. But it stayed silent.He ran a hand through his hair and blew out a deep breath trying to steady his thoughts. Mia had seen the photo of him with Natalie. He knew it. He felt it in the pit of his stomach. Although it wasn’t what she might have thought it meant, the media had again spun the narrative to suggest that she and Liam were romantically involved.Before he could sink deeper into frustration, a message buzzed

  • The Fall of Vaughn

    The next morning, the Tribunal chamber was packed with journalists, city officials, and citizens, all crowded in and waiting for the final decision. Liam stood in the center of it all, calm on the outside, but inside there was a storm brewing.Lord Ainsley stepped forward, ready to announce the verdict of the court, his voice steady. “After reviewing all evidence, this Tribunal declares Vaughn unfit for leadership and possession of Peter’s empire. Effective immediately, he is stripped of his authority and is no longer an associate of the Tribunal. Anyone found to be in contact or partnership with him on the Tribunal will be ex communicated.”A wave of gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd as soon as those words fell. Liam locked eyes with Vaughn across the room and for a long second, neither of them looked away.Still holding his gaze, Vaughn approached him, his steps slow and deliberate. He leaned in close enough that only Liam could hear and then shot him a sinister smirk. “Yo

  • Breaking the Mask

    Liam stood in the dim light of his study, flipping through the files Ainsley had given him. These were all pages and pages of coded payments, offshore accounts, secret meetings, and signed contracts all tied back to Vaughn. It was enough to burn his entire image to the ground and ruin him forever.Jack leaned over his shoulder. “We’ve got him.” He muttered excitedly, “This isn’t just shady—it’s criminal.”Liam nodded but didn’t smile. He knew having the evidence was not just enough. “He’s going to fight harder now. We need to time this right.”Chloe walked in at that moment with a flash drive in her hand, and both Liam and Jack’s eyes flashed with surprise at her unannounced visit. “I’ve finished the article. Once it goes live, the public will see everything. No spin, no edits.” She said, as if expecting them to understand.Liam was the first one to ask, “What article?” Chloe smiled wryly and took a seat, “I didn’t want to tell anyone till I was done with it, but I’ve been working on

  • Fault Lines

    By the next morning, headlines across the city shifted from courtroom drama to political chaos. Vaughn wasn’t sitting quietly anymore, especially after the new witness threatened to destroy every credibility he had been trying to build. News channels flooded with debates. Talk show hosts dissected every moment of the trial. Some networks downplayed the scientist’s testimony, focusing instead on Liam’s past and the unrest following Peter’s fall.Vaughn was pulling strings again, but this time it was through the media.“He’s buying airtime,” Evelyn said, pacing across Liam’s office. “Look at these anchors, same phrases, same narrative. This isn’t reporting, it’s a script.” She paused in frustration and tapped her forehead in frustration. “To think these are the same people we are fighting to protect. Some corrupt figure throws money at them, and they all fall in line doing his bidding.”Liam stood by the window, staring out. The city felt quieter today, but he better. It was just the ca

Explore and read good novels for free
Free access to a vast number of good novels on MegaNovel app. Download the books you like and read anywhere & anytime.
Read books for free on the app
Scan code to read on App