LOGINWar of Two FacesThe morning sun over London should have brought calm after the storm at Blackwood Docks, yet for Mavric Thorne, this dawn felt like the beginning of his own personal apocalypse. Inside the VIP ward at St. Mary’s Hospital, the 60‑inch television screen remained frozen on the face of the man who called himself Julian Thorne Jr. He was not merely similar; he was a mirror image of Mavric from ten years ago sharp, cold, and radiating the same predatory aura.Mavric stood before the large window, staring at his own reflection in the dark glass. He touched his jawline, then looked back at the screen. A wave of revulsion twisted in his stomach. The knowledge that his own father, Julian Thorne Sr., had created a genetic “backup” in case he ever failed shattered Mavric’s self‑worth as a son.“Mavric… stop looking at him,” Liora’s voice came softly yet firmly from the hospital bed.Mavric turned, his eyes dark with a depth of darkness Liora had never seen before. How can I sto
Moments on the Brink of DeathThe air inside the bunker at Blackridge Industrial Park was thick with the acrid stench of gunpowder and chemicals. Mavric Thorne paid no attention to Sophia, who had fled into the darkness of the underground tunnels. His entire focus rested on one single point: Liora, now lying rigid and frozen on the medical chair, her eyes wide open yet unable to blink.“Liora! Liora, listen to my voice!” Mavric roared as he cut through the cable bindings around her wrists.He checked her pulse at her neck. It was faint, very faint. Her breathing came in short, ragged gasps; every intake of air seemed a heavy struggle against her chest muscles, which were steadily stiffening. The neurotoxin Sophia had injected was not meant to kill instantly, but to shut down the body’s autonomic functions slowly, yet inevitably.“Sebastian! Get the medical helicopter airborne now! I don’t care about flight permits tonight! If anyone tries to stop us, tell them I’ll buy up the entir
The Ghost’s Trail in ZurichLondon had just passed the darkest midnight in the history of the Thorne family. Standing atop Tower Bridge, now swarming with police sirens and flashing blue lights, Mavric Thorne woke to a piercing pain at the back of his head. The scent of that disabling purple gas still lingered in his throat bitter and dry.“Liora…” he whispered, his voice hoarse and trembling.He tried to stand, but his legs felt like rubber. He looked around, his eyes red‑rimmed with rage and despair. Sebastian’s black van lay wrecked against the road barrier. His mother, Eleanor, was unconscious in the back seat, a gash across her forehead. But what made Mavric’s heart stop beating was the empty front passenger seat.The van’s door hung wide open, swinging in the sharp wind blowing off the River Thames. On the wet asphalt, Mavric found a small scrap of silk a handkerchief Liora always kept in her pocket. There was a faint stain of blood on it, and an empty plastic syringe still
The Son’s SacrificeHeavy rain lashed East London, turning Blackwood Docks into a maze of rusted iron containers and pools of muddy water. Floodlights atop the old harbor watchtower rotated sluggishly, cutting through the thick fog that shrouded the River Thames. Mavric Thorne stood in the open yard, his black suit now soaked through and clinging to his broad shoulders. In his hand, he held only a small black briefcase containing the hard drive Konstantin had demanded the full recovery of Thorne Group’s most confidential data.“I’m here, Konstantin! Let her go!” Mavric’s voice boomed, defying the roar of the storm.From the shadows of a vast warehouse, Konstantin Thorne emerged. He looked like an elegant old devil, a black umbrella held in his right hand. Behind him, Eleanor Thorne was bound to an old wooden chair, her face marked with bruises and swelling. Fastened to Eleanor’s chest, a small electronic device flashed with a steadily quickening rhythm a pressure bomb wired direc
The Bloody ThroneThe Shard stood towering and arrogant, piercing London’s grey clouds a glass spear symbolizing absolute power. On the 72nd floor, in the boardroom surrounded by a 360-degree view of the city, the atmosphere was colder than the air at that altitude. Twenty of the most influential figures in Europe’s financial industry sat around a massive mahogany table. At the head of the table sat Damian, clad in a flawless charcoal-grey suit, a faint smile radiating the confidence of a winner who already held every ace in the deck."Our time is nearly up, gentlemen," Damian said, his voice smooth yet laced with forced authority. "Mavric Thorne has failed in his duties. He allowed personal emotions to endanger our assets in Switzerland and London. Pursuant to emergency clauses, I call for a vote to remove him permanently."The directors whispered among themselves. Most had been bribed or threatened by Konstantin through Damian. But just before the gavel could strike, the double
The Shadow of the ReplacementThe London sky looked like a gloomy grey canvas as Mavric Thorne’s private jet touched down at Farnborough private airport. There was no red carpet welcome this time. Instead, there was a line of black bulletproof SUVs and dozens of fully armed security personnel led by Sebastian Vane. Mavric stepped down the aircraft stairs, carrying Liora wrapped in a thick wool blanket. Although Liora’s condition had stabilized after receiving the catalyst in Zurich, Mavric refused to let his wife’s feet touch the asphalt."Take her to the Mayfair mansion. Prepare a Level 1 medical team to monitor her heartbeat every second," Mavric ordered, his voice cold and sharp as a blade's edge.Liora tried to pull away slightly from Mavric’s embrace. "Alex, I can walk on my own. I feel much better."Instead, Mavric tightened his hold, his eyes gazing at her with an intensity of possessiveness that was almost suffocating. "No, Liora. You have just returned from the brink of d
The Ghost in the MachineThe medical recovery room at Thorne Manor felt so quiet, interrupted only by the steady beeping of the EKG machine monitoring Liora’s heartbeat. Moonlight streamed through a gap in the curtains, illuminating Liora’s face pale as marble. She lay still, yet her mind remaine
The Half-TruthDawn had not yet broken over the London skyline, but inside the main laboratory of Thorne Manor, the space glowed brighter than midday. Liora Thorne sat upright, her fingers dancing across a transparent keyboard with the precision of a neurosurgeon. Beside her, Mavric stood like an
The Devil's TransparencyThe explosion on Level 0B of Thorne Tower slowly subsided, leaving behind a pungent stench of sulfur and burnt metal. At the shattered doorway, Silas White and Miles Thorne were forced to retreat. The Nemesis Protocol activated by Liora was more than just electronic inter
Shadows of the White PhoenixThe night before the Azure Gala was supposed to be a night of calm for Liora Thorne. Yet calm was a luxury she no longer possessed. Behind the tightly locked laboratory door, Liora sat surrounded by the blue glow of dozens of holographic monitors floating in the air.







