LOGINIn the backseat of his car, Arthur Vance listened as his secretary attempted to spin the disaster. "We can claim your mother simply wanted to see her granddaughter," the secretary suggested. "We can say Sarah was being obstructive, so we 'borrowed' the girl and returned her shortly after."Arthur shook his head, his voice tight. "No. I already declared at the press conference that we’ve been divorced for three months and that I have custody. If I admit I 'borrowed' her, I’m admitting I don't have control. We need that divorce certificate. A physical document online is the only thing that will kill this fire."The secretary hesitated before speaking the hard truth. "Sir, if threats against her family didn't work, there is only one logical move left: Give her custody of Maddy. If you don't, Sarah will never stop. Your reputation will be buried, the Vance Group’s stock will hit zero, and eventually...""And eventually," Arthur finished, his voice a hollow rasp, "the Board of Directors wi
Sarah Vance already knew what would happen after that phone call with her father.The consequences would come fast.The Vance Group would attack the Bishop family business without mercy. Her father might completely cut her off. Everything connecting her to her past… would be destroyed.But she didn’t hesitate.After taking a deep breath and calming herself down, Sarah picked up her phone and called Lulu.“I need ten new phones,” she said calmly. “They must be untraceable. Deliver them immediately.”She paused for a second before adding, “And don’t tell Chloe about this.”Lulu didn’t ask questions. She never did. She simply followed orders.But Chloe was different. She was smart and observant. If Chloe found out, she would definitely ask questions—and Sarah didn’t want her best friend to get involved in what was coming.Because the road ahead… was dark.After ending the call, Sarah opened her laptop and logged into her social media account.For the past forty-eight hours, she had said
"Dad."Sarah Vance glanced at her sleeping daughter, Maddy, before stepping onto the balcony to answer the call.Immediately, her father’s voice roared through the receiver, laced with a fury that had nothing to do with concern and everything to do with ego. "The city is in an uproar, and not a single word from you! Do I even exist to you as a father?""I didn't want to worry you," Sarah replied, her voice steady despite the tremor in her heart.Charles Bishop let out a heavy, theatrical snort. "If you didn't want me to worry, you wouldn't be picking a fight with Arthur Vance! Have you thought about the position you’re putting the Bishop family in? Our business depends on the Vance Group. Do you even care?"Sarah fell silent. It was true that over the last few years, Arthur had funneled significant contracts to her father. But now, the mask was off. Charles wasn't angry because his daughter was hurt; he was angry because his benefactor was threatened."Speak!" he demanded."The family
Even as he stood in the heart of the Grayson Group, Arthur Vance remained deluded. He was certain that Xavier’s mention of Chloe Bishop was merely a sophisticated smokescreen—a way to lower the Vance Group's share of the profits while maintaining a superior moral high ground."Mr. Grayson, business is business," Arthur said, his voice tightening. "Let's not let domestic gossip distract us from the billions on the table."Xavier leaned back, his expression as calm and indifferent as a still lake. "Mr. Vance makes a valid point. However, last night I gave my word to my wife. I promised her I would never collaborate with a man like you. And in this house, my word to her is absolute."Fong, standing by the window, nearly choked. Never collaborate with a man like you! He looked at his Boss, stunned. Xavier wasn't just rejecting a deal; he was publicly assassinating Arthur's character.Arthur’s legendary composure finally shattered. He didn't offer a polite farewell; he didn't even acknowle
Xavier Grayson tossed the thick proposal back onto the desk with a flick of his wrist. "Mr. Vance, there is a slight problem. The Grayson Group is already developing a project with a nearly identical trajectory. I see nothing in your proposal that stands out as unique."Arthur Vance didn't flinch. He let out a composed, hollow laugh. "Mr. Grayson, you’re joking. If the Grayson Group had a project like this, it would have been announced months ago to secure the market lead. You wouldn't be sitting here waiting for me to bring it to your doorstep."Arthur was certain. He believed Xavier was simply using a classic "low-ball" tactic—downplaying the project's value to squeeze the Vance Group for a higher percentage of the profits.The two men locked eyes across the expansive mahogany desk. It was a clash of titans: one sharp and predatory, the other mature and calculated. The air in the office grew heavy with an unspoken, invisible pressure.Finally, Arthur was the first to yield. He neede
For the past forty-eight hours, Arthur Vance had been hiding at the Green Lake Villa, insulating himself within the soft, feigned comfort of Yvonne Blue. Online, the tide was turning. Because Arthur couldn't produce a valid divorce certificate, the public narrative was shifting in Sarah Vance’s favor. The Vance Group’s stock was hemorrhaging, and the board of directors was beginning to growl for a sacrifice.Arthur needed a victory—a massive, high-profile win to stabilize the market. He had set his sights on the titan of Haicheng: the Grayson Group."Arthur," Yvonne whispered, her arms winding around his waist from behind as he adjusted his suit. "Can I come with you to the office today?"Arthur frowned, his thoughts already on the balance sheets. "I'm going to negotiate. Your father’s legal situation will have to wait."Yvonne’s face fell. As long as Maxwell Blue remained behind bars, she would never truly be accepted into the upper echelons of society. Her father's imprisonment was
"Copy that."Chloe Bishop and Lyra moved in tandem, slipping through the breached threshold. The air inside the factory’s secondary sector was thick with the scent of ozone and stagnant water. Arthur Vance and his team had abandoned the first defensive perimeter, retreating into the labyrinthine da
The rusted machinery of the abandoned factory groaned as the tactical battle intensified. Marcus hissed into his comms, his eyes scanning the shadowed catwalks. "Watch it, Arthur! Donovan is directly below you, and they’ve got a sniper pinning us from the outer perimeter."Arthur Vance adjusted his
The heavy canopy of the Haicheng wilderness filtered the afternoon sun into jagged shards of light. Donovan Tang reached out a gloved hand, grabbing Chloe Bishop by the shoulder of her tactical vest and pulling her firmly behind him. His voice carried the weight of a battlefield command."You have
The opulent restroom of the Cantonese restaurant felt colder once Bluebelle and Yvonne Blue had exited. Chloe Bishop stood alone, staring at her reflection in the gilded mirror. Her complexion was pale, the stress of the morning etching faint lines of exhaustion around her eyes.Bluebelle’s parting







