Chapter 140: With all my heart ETHAN The soft hum of the television filled the living room as I scrolled through my phone absentmindedly. The news anchorâs voice droned on about economic fluctuations, political scandalsânothing that interested me. That was until I heard Smith Coleâs name. I glanced up at the screen. The bold letters at the bottom of the screen made my eyebrows lift. âBREAKING NEWS: BUSINESS TYCOON SMITH COLE FOUND DEAD IN PRISON CELLâ I sat up, the remote slipping from my fingers. âAccording to sources, Smith Cole was found unresponsive in his cell early this morning. While initial reports suggest suicide, investigations are still ongoing.â I grabbed my phone and immediately dialed Greg. He picked up after two rings. âI was wondering how long itâd take you to call.â I didnât waste time. âDid you hear the news?â Greg chuckled. âI knew the news before the news knew.â I froze. âDamn, donât tell me you were behind this.â There was a pau
Chapter 139: OliviaMIA A Month Later.Time didnât erase the grief I felt, but it softened the pain a little. A few months had passed since my dadâs death and Smith Coleâs sentencing, and while the pain still lingered, life had started moving forward. Uncle Greg had stepped up as the CEO of Evans Group, and surprisingly, he was doing a damn good job. It wasnât just about running the company; it was about maintaining what dad had built. With Marvin by his side, helping in ways none of us had expected, the company was thriving again. His kids, Derrick and Amanda, had finally settled into life in New York. Amanda was adjusting well to her new school, making friends and embracing the city. Derrick became quieter but sharp as ever, and had taken a liking to Marvin. Watching my brother interact with them, laughing and being⊠normal, gave me hope. Ava moved out of the city after Dad's funeral, she said this city reminded her of him and if she needed to move on, she had to leave.Aunt
Chapter 138: CampingETHANThe drive to the cemetery was silent. Mia stared out the window, her fingers playing with the hem of her sweater. I knew she was deep in thought, maybe even trying to find the right words to say when we got there. I reached over, placing my hand over hers. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to." She exhaled, nodding slightly but didn't look at me. When we arrived, she hesitated before stepping out of the car. The cemetery was quiet, the only sound being the rustling of leaves in the wind. I followed behind her, giving her space as she walked up to her fatherâs grave. She kneeled, tracing the name on the tombstone with her fingers. "Hi, Dad," she whispered. "It's been a while." I stayed back, leaning against the car, letting her have her moment. She wiped her eyes. "We won, you know. We got him. Smith Cole is going to rot in prison for the rest of his miserable life. Uncle Greg made sure of it." She let out a shaky breath. "But it d
Chapter 137: Together, We're strongerMIA"Mia, are you okay?" I heard as I woke up with a gasp, cold water dripping down my face. My heart pounded as my vision adjusted, and I saw Sophie kneeling beside me, her face filled with concern. I blinked rapidly, struggling to make sense of what had just happened. The last thing I remembered was seeing Ethan.Ethan, who was supposed to be dead, was standing in that courtroom. My chest tightened. Was I hallucinating? Was I losing my mind? âThank goodness you're awake, you scared us Mia.â Aunt Cecilia exclaimed.I ignored her, âWasn't that Ethan? I need to be sure, let's go back to the courtroom.âI struggled to get up and headed back into the courtroom, aunt Cecilia and Sophie behind me. Then I heard the judgeâs voice. âIn light of the overwhelming evidence presented to this court, Smith Cole is hereby sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.â My head snapped toward the judgeâs bench. The courtroom was dead s
Chapter 136: Plea dealAUTHOR POVThe world around Smith Cole was crumbling. Politicians who once shook his hand in private meetings were now scrambling to erase any connection to him. Some fled the country entirely, disappearing into private jets with hastily packed bags, their families already on their way to safe havens overseas. George Ramsey, one of Smithâs closest allies, wiped the sweat off his brow as he rushed through a VIP airport terminal. âWhereâs the damn pilot?â he snapped at his assistant, his hands trembling as he checked his watch. âHeâs preparing the jet, sir. ButâŠâ âNo buts! We need to be out of here in ten minutes!â The assistant hesitated. âSir, the feds are looking into your accounts. If you leave now, itâllâŠâ âShut up and do as youâre told!â George Ramsey barked before marching toward the boarding gate. Across the city, others were making similar escapes. Some tried bribing their way out of investigations, while others resigned from their governme
Chapter 135: Walk freeMARVIN EVANSMia wasnât the same anymore. Since Dadâs funeral, she had withdrawn into herself, barely speaking, barely eating. I saw it in her eyes, the emptiness. She would sit for hours, staring at nothing, lost in a world none of us could reach. Sophie visited often, trying to get her to eat, to talk, to function. Sometimes, Mia responded with a weak smile or a nod, but most times, she just existed in silence. Gregâs kids were around too, trying to lighten the mood, but it was like talking to a ghost. I knew what she was feeling. I felt it too. Dad was gone, Murdered in cold blood and the bastard who did it was still out there. That changed the day Greg walked in. I was sitting in the living room, flipping through TV channels, not really watching, when Greg strode in with a determined look on his face. âI found him,â he announced. I turned off the TV. Sophie looked up from where she sat beside Mia. Even Miaâs blank expression shifted slightly.
Chapter 134: LawsuitSMITH COLEI had underestimated Greg Evans. That was my first mistake. I thought heâd come at me like a street thug, swinging wildly, making it easy for me to shut him down. But noâhe was playing smart. Legal. And that was the kind of fight I wasnât prepared for. One of my boys came running into my room interrupting my thoughts. âBoss, another clubâs been shut down.â I glared at Marco, my patience wearing thin. âWhich one?â âThe one on the east side. The cops raided it last night, they said on suspicion of trafficking, illegal gambling, the whole damn list.â I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of my desk. âAnd youâre telling me this now?â He hesitated. âDidnât want to bring bad news first thing in the morning.â âMarco, youâre about to bring me bad news at your funeral if you donât fix this.â I growled, staring daggers at him.I waved him off, already feeling the headache creeping in. My businesses were crumbling one after another. First, the cops hit m
Chapter 133: A ghostETHANI stood at the abandoned shipyard, waiting for Greg. The scent of salt and gasoline hitting my nostrils. The place was quiet except for the occasional creak of metal and the distant sound of waves crashing against the dock.I had chosen this spot for a reason, it was neutral ground, away from prying eyes and close to my hideout.The black SUV rolled to a stop a few feet away. The headlights cut through the darkness before shutting off. The door opened, and Greg Evans stepped out, his movements stiff and with caution. He scanned the area before his eyes locked onto me. Then, he froze. His body went rigid, his eyes wide with shock. His lips parted as if he wanted to say something, but no words came out. He took a slow step forward, shaking his head. âNo. No, this isnât possible.â I smirked. âYou look like youâve seen a ghost.â Gregâs face twisted in disbelief. âYouâre supposed to be dead.â âYeah, well⊠I guess Iâm not.â His fists clenched at his
Chapter 132: Conspiracy and racketeeringGREG EVANSThe funeral was over, but the fight had just begun. I sat in my office, staring at the wall of documents pinned up like a detective solving a crime. Because thatâs exactly what I was doingâsolving the crime of my brotherâs murder. My anger hadnât lessened since the day we buried John. If anything, it had grown into something cold. It was no longer just grief, it was revenge.If Smith Cole thought he could get away with this, that he could walk free after having my brother killed. Just because he had a few connections then he had another thing coming.He had no idea what he had just unleashed. I leaned back in my chair, rubbing my temples as I went through another set of documents. These werenât just business papersâthey were evidence. The ones my boys brought in for me.Smith Coleâs entire operation was filth, built on money laundering, blackmail, and human trafficking. His corporation wasnât just corruptâit was a damn criminal emp