Chapter 97

The meeting came to a close, the tense silence broken only by the shuffling of feet and the muted sound of the executives' murmurs as they filed out of the room.

Derrick remained seated at the head of the table, his eyes fixed on the window, his expression inscrutable. He allowed himself a small, satisfied smile as he watched the last executive disappear through the door.

For a moment, he was alone. Alone with his power, his ambition, his dark, twisted dreams of conquest.

Tom, Derrick's trusted lieutenant, approached his boss, his expression serious and thoughtful. "We should get going, sir," he said. "There's a lot of work to be done."

Derrick nodded, his face still dark and enigmatic. "Yes, Tom. You're right. There's always work to be done."

And with that, the two men left the room, their footsteps echoing down the empty hallway.

As they headed home, a storm was brewing in the city. A storm of change.

The car ride back to Derrick's penthouse was quiet, the city lights reflecting off