The Masked Tycoon

CHAPTER EIGHT

“Hit them tonight.”

Leonard’s voice was flat, but the room went silent. Around the long table, his executives exchanged nervous glances.

“Sir,” Adrian began cautiously, “are you sure? Stonecliff is waiting for this. They want to draw you out.”

“They made the first move,” Leonard said. “Now they learn what war costs.”

One of the directors cleared his throat. “And the Westwoods? Victor ”

“Victor,” Leonard interrupted, “will see what happens to traitors.”

Across town, Victor was arguing with his mother.

“This is reckless,” Miranda snapped. “I told you Stonecliff cannot be trusted.”

“They’re the only ones with the muscle to break Kane!” Victor shot back. “You saw what he did today he stared down armed men like they were ants. If we don’t act now, we lose everything.”

Miranda leaned forward, eyes sharp. “And when Stonecliff is done using you, what then? You think they’ll keep you around? They’ll bury you with him.”

Victor turned away, jaw tight. “I don’t care. I want him destroyed.”

Elena was waiting when Leonard came home that night.

“Don’t tell me,” she said, “you’re going to escalate this.”

“It’s already escalated,” he replied, loosening his tie.

“You think this is a game, Leonard? They came with guns. They could’ve killed people.”

“They failed,” he said evenly. “Next time, they won’t get the chance.”

She moved closer. “This isn’t about business anymore. It’s about pride. Revenge.”

Leonard’s eyes met hers. “It’s about survival. And I won’t let them touch you again.”

By midnight, a convoy of black SUVs moved through the industrial district.

Adrian’s voice came over the comms. “Target is a Stonecliff logistics hub. Minimal security, but high-value data. We move fast.”

Leonard’s order was calm. “No casualties if possible. But nothing leaves standing.”

Inside the hub, Stonecliff staff were working late. They barely had time to react when the power cut out.

“What happened?” someone shouted.

Doors slammed. Men in tactical gear poured in, silent, efficient.

In the server room, Adrian’s team moved like clockwork. Drives were pulled, systems copied, networks wiped.

“Sir,” Adrian said, “we have it all. Financials, client lists, black accounts. They’re blind for the next seventy-two hours.”

“Good,” Leonard said. “Send a message.”

At dawn, Stonecliff woke to chaos. Their overseas accounts frozen, shipping lines halted, partners pulling out.

“This is insane!” an executive barked. “How did he ”

“He gutted us overnight,” another snapped. “And it’s clean. No trace.”

The Stonecliff chairman slammed his fist on the table. “Find him. Now.”

Victor watched the news alert on his phone, pale.

“Mother…” he said slowly. “Did you see this?”

Miranda read over his shoulder. “Stonecliff crippled. Half their assets frozen.”

Victor swallowed. “How? How did he do that so fast?”

Miranda’s lips pressed tight. “Because, Victor, he’s not playing at your level. He’s already three moves ahead.”

That morning, Elena confronted Leonard again.

“What did you do?”

“Protected what’s mine,” he said.

“You’re escalating this into something none of us can control!”

“It was never in your control,” Leonard replied calmly. “And now Victor’s made himself a pawn. He’ll regret it.”

Victor did regret it by noon, an anonymous file landed in his inbox.

It was a video feed. Victor opened envelopes of cash. Victor shaking hands with Stonecliff’s man. Victor’s voice saying, ‘Kane has to go.’

Then a message: You chose the wrong side. – L.K.

Victor’s blood ran cold.

That evening, a private call went through.

“Victor Westwood,” Leonard’s voice came smooth and slow. “I trust the message was clear.”

“You think this scares me?” Victor snapped.

“No,” Leonard said. “I think it warns you. The next message won’t be private.”

“You can’t threaten me ”

“I don’t threaten, Victor,” Leonard interrupted. “I simply finish what others start.”

The line went dead.

Meanwhile, Stonecliff’s boardroom burned with arguments.

“This was supposed to be simple,” one hissed.

“He’s too fast,” another admitted. “Every countermeasure we try, he’s already there.”

The chairman stood. “Then we stop being subtle. If Kane wants war, we’ll give him one. Full resources. All out.”

But Leonard was already moving. In his penthouse, he looked over new intel.

“They’ll come harder,” Adrian said quietly. “We’ve humiliated them.”

“Good,” Leonard said. “They’ll rush. And rushing men make mistakes.”

He closed the file and looked out over the city.

“Stonecliff declared war,” he murmured. “They just don’t know they’ve already lost.”