2025-07-03 13:12:32Alan Voss stood in his BrightStar office, his heart pounding.
The image of Elias Kane wouldn’t leave his mind — the Rolls-Royce, the black SUVs, the tailored suit. It all felt too real, like something a broke janitor couldn’t possibly afford or fake.
“KaneTech’s heir?” Alan whispered, his hands shaking as he picked up his phone.
He called Victor Dray.
Victor answered, his voice slightly distorted. “Alan, what’s going on? I’m with Mara.”
Alan took a deep breath. “Elias Kane came to my office. He says he’s Amelia Kane’s son — the CEO of KaneTech.”
Victor let out a sharp, mocking laugh. “Mara’s ex? The janitor? He’s bluffing.”
Alan’s voice trembled. “He had a Syndicate keycard. A full security convoy. It didn’t feel fake — it felt real.”
There was a long pause on the line. Then Victor said, quietly but firmly:
“Say that again.”
Dray put the call on speaker as he stood in Mara’s bedroom with her,
Mara, holding a glass of wine, froze when she heard Alan’s voice coming through the phone:
“Elias Kane, Mara’s ex, claims he’s Amelia Kane's son, and the heir to KaneTech.”
Her eyes widened. “Elias? KaneTech?, isn't that company dead already”
Dray’s expression turned cold. “A janitor pretending to be rich. He’s a fraud, Mara.”
She slowly set her glass down, her voice tight. “He wasn’t always nothing, Victor.”
Dray scoffed. “You’re still too soft on that loser. We need to talk to the family.”
Mara gave a tense nod, her stomach churning. “Call them. Now.”
Dray quickly sent a message to Trent, Carla, and Vivian —Mara’s mother.
“Let’s meet in the living room in five minutes. Emergency meeting.”
Carla had been living with the Vosses since college —more than an assistant, less than family.
The Voss family living room glowed under the chandelier’s soft light. Trent was stretched out on a leather couch, with Carla sitting beside him, slowly sipping her coffee. Vivian, Mara’s mother, sat upright and tense, her silver hair neatly tied back.
Dray was walking back and forth, while Mara stood near the fireplace, clearly on edge.
“We’ve got a serious problem,” Dray began, with a low tone. “Alan Voss just called. Elias Kane showed up claiming he’s Amelia Kane’s son — and the heir to KaneTech, which was worth trillions when Amelia died, and is the only tech company bigger than ours — the one we’re still in debt to.
Trent burst out laughing. “The janitor? There’s no way he has that kind of influence —or that kind of inheritance.”
Carla leaned forward, her expression pale. “Alan sounded really shaken. He said Elias came in a full Rolls-Royce convoy, dressed like royalty.”
Mara’s eyes narrowed. “He went to BrightStar, she added.”
Dray nodded. “He’s digging into the 2015 contract. Trying to stir things up.”
Vivian’s face turned pale. She folded her hands tightly in her lap. “KaneTech… Amelia Kane,” she said quietly.
Trent raised an eyebrow. “What, Mom? You know something?”
Vivian glanced at Mara, then quickly looked away. “I knew Amelia. A long time ago.”
Mara stepped toward her. “What do you mean, Mom?”
Vivian’s voice softened, her gaze far away. “Back in the ’90s, during KaneTech negotiations. She was — always one step ahead of everyone. And she always had a little boy with her, holding on to her skirt.”
Trent scoffed. “So what? That doesn’t prove Elias is really her son.”
Vivian frowned, thinking hard. “She used to call the boy her son. I never saw his face clearly—he was just a little kid, maybe four. Could that have been Elias?” She shook her head, confused.
Mara’s heartbeat quickened. “Amelia’s son? Elias?” her voice trembled.
Dray rolled his eyes. “He’s a fraud, Mara. A janitor can’t run KaneTech.”
Mara shot him a look. “Forget who he used to be — just look at what’s happening right now. Everything’s pointing to him.”
Her chest tightened, remembering what she’d said at the gala: “He’s nothing.”
Carla leaned in to Trent, whispering, “She’s defending him again. She’s slipping.”
Trent nodded, face hard. “She needs to choose—us or him.”
Vivian heard them and cut in, her voice sharp. “If Elias really is Amelia’s son, then he’s not a nobody.”
Dray folded his arms. “Amelia’s gone. KaneTech is finished. Elias is just trying to stir things up.”
Vivian narrowed her eyes. “Amelia didn’t play games. She built a trillion-dollar company from nothing. If that boy is her son... we’ve got a problem.”
Carla frowned. “But is he really her son?”
Mara walked back and forth, her heels clicking on the floor. “I called him nothing,” she said quietly. “But what if I was wrong?”
Dray rolled his eyes. “You’re letting this mess get to you. I’ll check everything about KaneTech’s — he’s lying.”
Mara said nothing, just gave a pale look.
Vivian leaned back, thinking hard. “I remember a board meeting back in ’95,” she said to Mara. “Amelia brought the same little boy with her — he was drawing on papers. She told me he’d inherit everything one day. If that boy was Elias…” Her voice faded.
Trent laughed. “A janitor inheriting trillions? Be serious, Grandma.”
Vivian gave him a sharp look. “Don’t mock Amelia’s bloodline. She crushed anyone who got in her way. Her son might be just like her.”
Carla shifted uncomfortably. “Then why was he a nobody all these years?”
Mara stopped walking and turned to Vivian. “You really think Elias could be her son?”
Vivian nodded slowly. “It’s possible. Amelia kept her personal life quiet, far away from the media. I haven't seen the boy’s face in over 20 years.”
Mara’s chest tightened. “Maybe I judged him too soon,” she whispered.
Dray’s phone buzzed — a text from his Voss lawyer: “Amelia Kane’s records show she had a son, It might really be him.”
Dray’s jaw tightened. “This isn’t over,” he said, staring at Mara.
“I’ll prove he’s lying.”
Mara didn’t back down. “Or maybe he’s not.”
Carla pulled Trent aside and whispered, “Mara’s starting to turn on Dray. If Elias is really rich, we’re in trouble.”
Trent smirked. “Let Dray deal with him. This Janitor won’t come out on top.”
Carla nodded slowly, as her eyes drifted to Vivian, unsure.
After everyone left, Vivian sat by the window, thinking all alone.
“Amelia Kane,” she whispered. “Your son’s shaking things up now.”
She thought back to that meeting in ’95, her little boy beside her.
Was it really Elias? She just couldn’t remember his face.
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Latest Chapter
Chapter Fifty Two
Elias sat still in the dim light of the war room, the glow of monitors flickering against his face. The threat had come through a scrambled voice message—no face, no location, just a calm, clipped sentence:“You’ve crossed the line, Elias. Now I erase you.”No mistake who it was.Roarke had stopped pretending.Around him, Lena and Marcus were already moving, locking down communications, encrypting internal systems, and initiating new security protocols across KaneTech’s core operations.“We need to assume everything’s compromised,” Lena said. “Personal phones, cloud drives, even our secure satellites. Roarke’s escalation means one thing: he’s ready to burn everything, even himself, just to bury us.”Elias stood, dragging a hand through his hair. “Then we let him try. But we stay ten moves ahead.”Marcus leaned over the central console, pulling up new data streams. “We’ve got protestors outside the Capitol Building this morning. Union workers, teachers, hospital staff — the blackout tu
Chapter Fifty Two
The early morning after the blackout attempt. The kind that comes after a near-disaster — not quite peace, not quite relief. Just a city catching its breath.Elias stood on the rooftop of KaneTech Tower, wrapped in a black coat as the wind tugged at his sleeves. Below him, the streets buzzed faintly with signs of life returning: streetlights flickering back on, coffee vendors reopening their carts, distant sirens echoing as emergency crews finished cleanup.He exhaled slowly.They had survived the night.Behind him, the rooftop door creaked open. Lena stepped out, a tablet in one hand, a scarf looped tightly around her neck.“You should be resting,” she said, walking up beside him.Elias gave a small shake of his head. “Could say the same to you.”She smiled faintly, then held up the tablet. “Press coverage is mostly positive. People are calling KaneTech the reason the city didn’t fall into total darkness.”“That’s a start,” Elias said. “Any word from Mara?”“She’s resting. We’ve move
Chapter Fifty One
Elias stood by the wide window of his office, the cityscape sprawling before him like a living, breathing beast. The night air pressed against the glass, heavy with rain and the faint hum of distant sirens. The digital map projected softly onto the windowpane flickered with the pulse of ongoing battles: supply routes blinking, union meeting spots highlighted, and markers for known Roarke operations glowing ominously.Despite the data streaming in from every corner, the weight pressing on Elias’s chest was less about numbers and more about trust.He spun away from the window as Lena entered quietly, her eyes sharp despite the fatigue etched across her face. Marcus followed close behind, his usual confidence tempered by exhaustion.“We’ve got trouble,” Marcus said bluntly, dropping a folder on the desk.Lena unfolded the papers, revealing a series of intercepted messages. “Roarke’s not just trying to cut us off anymore. He’s going for our allies. These are communications between his peo
Chapter Fifty
Elias Kane pulled his coat tighter around him as he stepped onto the cracked concrete. He wasn’t here for show or speeches. This was where the real fight was happening—the men and women who kept the city’s economy moving, and now, the first line against Roarke’s latest assault.His boots echoed against the pavement as he walked toward a small group of dockworkers gathered near a rusty container. Curtis DeSoto, the union leader Marcus had leaned on, stood at the center, his face drawn but resolute.“Elias,” Curtis nodded, eyes scanning the crowd. “Word’s out you’re here. Some of the guys were skeptical. Thought you were just another suit.”Elias smiled, the weight of the weeks behind him making his voice steady but warm. “I’m no suit when it comes to this city. I’m here because what’s happening here matters—to all of us.”One of the younger workers, a woman with grease-streaked hands and sharp eyes, stepped forward. “We’re tired of threats and deals made behind our backs. We want to kn
Chapter Forty Nine
Elias sat alone at a long table, staring at a digital map glowing softly in front of him. It showed supply routes, delivery schedules, union meeting locations, and dozens of other small details that made or broke the company. But right now, it all felt like fragile threads in a storm.Marcus came in, holding two cups of coffee. He sat down opposite Elias and slid one cup over.“Any news?” Elias asked without looking up.Marcus shook his head. “Nothing from Mara. No signals. She’s gone dark, just like we feared.”Elias swallowed the bitterness rising in his throat. “If Roarke gets to her first, she’s lost for good.”Marcus ran a hand through his hair. “We can’t lose her. She’s the key to cracking his union grip.”Lena entered quietly, laptop open and fingers already flying across the keys. “I’ve been tracking chatter from the docks. Roarke’s men are scrambling, but they’re trying to spin this as KaneTech sabotage.”Elias’s eyes narrowed. “Classic move. Blame us for what he’s doing.”“W
Chapter Forty Eight
The leaked footage from the gala didn’t just spread through Chicago’s news cycle, it lit the city on fire. By morning, the story was everywhere: front pages, talk shows, late-night radio. Even people who didn’t know KaneTech from a hole in the ground were suddenly using the name Roarke like a curse word.Inside KaneTech Tower, the war room buzzed like a hornet’s nest. Lena’s laptop speakers streamed a roundtable from a local station. Four pundits argued at once, all circling the same question: What happens now?Marcus stood at the coffee machine, arms folded, listening. He cracked a grin when one of the talking heads said Elias Kane with something like respect in his voice.He looked over at Lena. “So, we poked the king and the court’s turning.”Lena, who hadn’t slept in thirty hours, didn’t look up from her screen. “Don’t get cocky. Roarke’s never backed off a fight in his life. He’ll do worse than poke back.”She glanced at Elias, who stood by the window again, phone at his ear, voic
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