Chapter 149Daniel Mercer stared at the security monitors in the Kane Industries control room, his coffee growing cold as he studied patterns that made his trained instincts scream danger. Twenty years in private security had taught him to recognize when someone was conducting surveillance, and the footage from the past week showed all the warning signs."Run that footage again," Daniel said to his junior analyst, Marcus Webb. "Camera seven, Tuesday through Thursday, between five and eight PM."Marcus pulled up the digital files and displayed them across multiple screens. The images showed the street outside Kane Industries, the parking garage entrance, and the pedestrian areas surrounding the building."There," Daniel pointed to a figure in a dark jacket appearing in frame after frame. "Same person, different times, always watching the building. Classic surveillance pattern."Marcus leaned closer to the screen. "Could be a reporter. There's been a lot of media attention since Mr. Kan
Chapter 148Emily sat alone in the empty dining room of the Caldwell mansion, surrounded by dust and shadows that danced across walls where family portraits once hung. The October wind howled through broken window seals, carrying the smell of decay and abandonment through rooms that had once hosted Boston's elite.Three days. Three days until Alexander Kane would throw her out of the house that had been her kingdom for twenty years. Three days until she became just another homeless old woman with nowhere to go and no one who cared if she lived or died.But Emily Caldwell had not ruled Boston society for two decades by accepting defeat quietly.She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts, looking for the number she had hoped never to use again. Viktor Petrov. Former head of security for Caldwell Industries. Former military contractor. Former associate of very dangerous people who solved problems through methods that left no witnesses.Emily had fired Viktor five years ag
Chapter 147Mona sat across from Alexander at their favorite corner table in Le Bernardin, Boston's most exclusive French restaurant. The soft lighting cast a golden glow across the white tablecloth as they shared dessert, celebrating another successful quarter for Kane Industries. The intimate atmosphere felt perfect after weeks of corporate battles and family warfare."The quarterly reports look exceptional," Alexander said, cutting into his chocolate soufflé. "Our stock price has increased forty percent since we took control of Caldwell Industries."Mona smiled, watching her husband's face light up as he discussed their business success. "Your father would be proud. You've not only reclaimed his company, but made it better than it ever was."Alexander reached across the table and took her hand, his thumb tracing gentle circles across her wedding ring. "I couldn't have done any of this without you. You gave me the strength to fight back."The romantic moment was shattered when Samue
Chapter 146The jail doors opened with a heavy clang that echoed through Lora's bones. She stood on the sidewalk outside Suffolk County Correctional Facility, clutching a plastic bag containing her personal belongings - a wallet with fourteen dollars, her phone with dozens of missed calls, and the torn remains of the designer dress she had worn to break into the Bennett mansion.Rain fell steadily from the gray October sky, soaking through her thin clothes within minutes. Cars drove past without stopping, their drivers avoiding eye contact with the woman who looked like she had crawled out of a nightmare.Lora pulled out her phone with shaking hands and scrolled through the missed calls. Reporters wanting statements. Lawyers offering services she couldn't afford. Creditors demanding payments for bills she couldn't pay. But no calls from Samuel. No calls from anyone who cared whether she lived or died.She tried calling Samuel first. The phone rang four times before going to voicemail.
Chapter 145Samuel sat at the kitchen table in the nearly empty Caldwell mansion, staring at the divorce papers spread before him like a death certificate for his marriage. The pen felt heavy in his hand as he read through the legal language that would end seven years of his life."Petition for Dissolution of Marriage: Samuel Richard Caldwell vs. Lora Bennett Caldwell."The words blurred as Samuel thought about the woman he had married - the beautiful, confident Bennett heiress who had chosen him over dozens of wealthy suitors. That woman seemed like a stranger now, replaced by someone he barely recognized.Emily entered the kitchen carrying another box of belongings. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her once-perfect hair hung limp and unwashed. "Are you really going through with this?"Samuel looked up at his mother. "She broke into someone's house with a knife, Mother. She threatened to kill a nineteen-year-old boy. What choice do I have?""She's your wife," Emily said, setting d
Chapter 144The fluorescent lights in the Suffolk County Jail booking room buzzed overhead as Lora sat handcuffed to a metal bench, her designer clothes torn and stained with tears. The knife she had carried into the Bennett mansion lay on the evidence table in a clear plastic bag, marked with numbers and labels that would seal her fate."Lora Bennett Caldwell," the booking officer read from his paperwork. "Charged with criminal trespassing, breaking and entering, attempted assault with a deadly weapon, and making terroristic threats."Each word hit Lora like a physical blow. She stared at the concrete floor, her mind still reeling from the events at the mansion. The security guards tackling her to the ground. James's terrified face. Her grandmother's cold, disappointed eyes."I need to call my husband," Lora whispered.The officer looked up from his forms. "You'll get your phone call after processing."Two hours later, Lora finally reached Samuel from a pay phone in the jail corridor