CHAPTER 18

Adrian’s POV

The night was thick with the sounds of distant thunder, but Adrian didn’t hear the storm as he sat in his office, watching the city skyline through the floor-to-ceiling windows. His mind was alive with the knowledge that his plan was unfolding perfectly. Nicholas was vulnerable—he had lost Isaac, and with him, a piece of his strength. The game had changed, and now, Adrian had the upper hand.

But there was more to it than just revenge. He wasn’t simply trying to destroy Nicholas for the sake of it. There was a deeper motive, one that drove every decision he made, one that fueled his every move. He hadn’t forgotten about his brother Alex, the one Nicholas had killed. Adrian had never let that betrayal go, and the death of Isaac was only part of the payback he had been building towards for years. But he wanted more. He wanted Nicholas to feel the full weight of the loss, to understand what it was like to lose everything—just as he had.

The connection to Chloe, though… That was the part Adrian didn’t expect. She was meant to be a pawn, a tool in his game, but something about her had captured his attention. She was far more than just a piece on the board. He didn’t like the way she had made him feel. He had never let anyone in, never cared about anything outside of his goal. Yet, here he was, watching her every move, studying her like she held the answers to questions he hadn’t even known he had.

He shook his head, frustrated by the emotions that clouded his thoughts. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Chloe was a means to an end, not someone who could make him question his motives. But he couldn’t deny the pull she had over him. He would use her to destroy Nicholas, yes—but the thought of her being caught in the middle of this war made something in him stir. Maybe, just maybe, he could take her for himself when it was all over. She wouldn’t be just collateral damage, not if he had anything to say about it.

His phone buzzed, cutting through the heavy silence of the room. He didn’t hesitate to pick it up, his fingers moving swiftly over the screen as he read the incoming message.

“The bodies are in place. The message was clear. Nicholas won’t be able to run from this anymore.”

Adrian smiled darkly. “Good,” he muttered, tossing the phone back on the desk. “Make sure to stay one step ahead. Nicholas thinks he’s in control, but he’s only digging his own grave.”

There was no turning back now. The storm was coming, and Nicholas wouldn’t survive it. Not this time.

As Adrian leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowed with determination. He would make sure of it.

The storm raged outside, but in the silence of his office, Adrian’s mind was sharp and focused. He wasn’t worried—he never was. Nicholas might be driven by grief and rage, but Adrian was driven by something much deeper. Vengeance. Strategy. Control.

He had spent years weaving this web, setting the pieces in place, ensuring every move he made would corner Nicholas until he had nowhere left to run. He had thought of everything—every angle, every possibility. And now, with Isaac gone, the final thread had been pulled, leaving Nicholas exposed, vulnerable. It was only a matter of time before Adrian could close in.

Adrian picked up his glass, swirling the dark liquid inside before taking a slow sip, his eyes fixed on the skyline. The city was his empire, his kingdom. But this war—this personal vendetta against Nicholas—was something else entirely. It wasn’t just about control anymore. It was about justice. His version of it.

He thought of Isaac’s death, the brutality of it, and a surge of satisfaction filled him. Nicholas would never recover from this blow. The guilt of losing his brother would eat him alive, just as Adrian had planned. Adrian had never forgotten the night his brother, Alex Grey, had died—a betrayal that had been crafted in the shadows, a game of power and deception that Nicholas had played to the fullest. Nicholas had killed Alex, and Adrian would make him pay. This wasn’t just about an eye for an eye; this was about the final reckoning.

But there was one thing Nicholas didn’t know—that Adrian had far more to lose than just Isaac.

Chloe. Her name lingered in his thoughts, unbidden but undeniable. He had wanted her to be a pawn in this game, nothing more. But as time went on, he had begun to think about her differently. She had a power, a presence that unnerved him. It was rare, something he hadn’t expected. But that was the thing about this game—it never went according to plan.

Still, he couldn’t afford to let his feelings complicate things. Chloe was an asset. She was useful in his quest to break Nicholas, but Adrian didn’t need her to be anything more than that. He had spent too long building his empire to let some woman distract him.

The phone buzzed again, pulling Adrian from his thoughts. He answered without hesitation.

“Everything’s set,” a cold voice on the other end reported. “We’ve secured the location. We’re ready for the next phase.”

Adrian nodded, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk as he processed the information. “Good. Make sure everything is in place. Nicholas is already on his way to make a move. He won’t expect what’s coming for him.”

The line went silent for a moment, then the voice spoke again. “Understood. It’s time.”

Adrian’s lips curled into a wicked smile. The time had come. Nicholas was about to make his move, but Adrian was always one step ahead.

He hung up the phone and stood, walking toward the window to stare out into the storm. He could feel the tension in the air, like the calm before an explosion. This was the final act. He had set the stage, and Nicholas was walking right into it.

But Adrian knew something else: no matter how hard Nicholas tried to fight back, no matter how much rage and grief clouded his judgment, Adrian would always have the upper hand. He had been planning this for far too long. Nicholas didn’t know it yet, but he was already trapped.

And now, with everything in motion, Adrian was ready for the final game. Nothing would stop him—not even the fierce, unexpected pull Chloe had on him. This was about survival, power, and the destruction of Nicholas. And when it was all over, Adrian would be the one left standing.

Nicholas had killed Alex, and now Adrian was going to make him pay.

Nicholas’s POV

The rain poured relentlessly, the sound of it battering against the windows like a thousand whispers urging him to act. His mind was a whirlwind of rage and calculations as he sat behind his desk, staring at the phone in his hand. The same phone that had given him the news of Isaac’s death. The same phone that had been his tether to the past, the betrayal, and now, to revenge.

He clenched his jaw, the raw pain of losing Isaac still fresh, still a wound that bled whenever he thought about it. He could almost hear his brother’s voice, could feel his presence in the room.

Isaac’s dead, and it’s my fault.

That thought gnawed at him relentlessly. He should’ve protected him better. Should’ve seen the signs. But instead, he had let his guard down, and now, Isaac was gone. And there was only one person he could blame—Adrian Grey.

Nicholas’s fists tightened around the phone, the anger in his chest rising like a volcano, threatening to explode. He had been playing Adrian’s game for far too long, but now, the rules had changed. Now, he would be the one to dictate the terms.

It was time to end this.

Adrian had underestimated him. He thought he could break Nicholas with Isaac’s death, but Adrian didn’t know who he was dealing with. Nicholas wasn’t a man to break. He was a man who would burn everything to the ground to avenge those he lost.

He stood up abruptly, pacing across the room. The walls felt like they were closing in on him, the weight of his decision pressing on his chest. He had to move fast. Adrian wouldn’t stop, not until he had destroyed him, and Nicholas refused to be anyone’s pawn.

The game was on, and Nicholas had no intention of losing.

His mind raced as he began making plans, the pieces falling into place. Chloe would be involved, whether she liked it or not. Adrian would use her as leverage, but Nicholas wasn’t going to let that happen. He would protect her, even if it meant dragging her into the very mess Adrian had created.

He pulled on his jacket and grabbed his keys. There was no more time for hesitation, no more time for questions. The storm outside reflected the storm inside him, and neither would stop until he had claimed his vengeance.

He stepped out of his office and into the night, the weight of what he had to do hanging over him like a shadow. Adrian had made a mistake. He had thought he could control everything, but now Nicholas would show him just how wrong he was.

Adrian might have the power, but Nicholas had something far more dangerous—an unrelenting thirst for revenge. And once he started this fight, there would be no going back.

The game was just beginning.

Nicholas’s steps were deliberate, heavy with the weight of his resolve. He walked out into the rain-soaked streets, the storm a reflection of the fury swirling inside him. The city around him seemed distant, unaware of the battle that was unfolding, but in his mind, it was all-consuming. The death of Isaac had been the spark, but revenge would be the fire that consumed everything in its path.

He made his way to his car, his thoughts sharp and focused. Adrian Grey had no idea who he was truly dealing with. This was more than just business. More than a power struggle. This was personal. Adrian had taken Isaac, but Nicholas would make sure that nothing—nothing—was left of Adrian when he was done.

The car’s engine hummed to life, and he slammed it into gear, racing through the wet streets with a determination that bordered on reckless. He wasn’t sure where he was going yet, but his instincts guided him, the desire for retribution pushing him forward like a magnet.

His phone buzzed on the passenger seat, but he ignored it. He had no time for distractions. Adrian had already taken too much from him, and Nicholas couldn’t afford to let his emotions cloud his judgment. It was about strategy now—about making sure that Adrian felt the weight of his actions.

As he sped through the city, his mind flickered back to Chloe. Her face, the way she had looked at him in the coffee shop, the concern in her eyes. She didn’t deserve any of this, didn’t deserve to be dragged into his war with Adrian. But the moment Adrian had learned that Chloe had witnessed the events in Italy, he had sealed her fate.

Chloe was a pawn, and Nicholas wasn’t going to let her be sacrificed in Adrian’s game. But what Adrian didn’t know was that Chloe wasn’t just a pawn—she was his, and he would protect her with everything he had.

He pulled up in front of a building, the parking lot almost empty except for a few scattered cars. This was one of his safe houses, a place he could regroup and plan his next move. He stepped out of the car, feeling the rain splatter against his skin, but he didn’t care. Every drop felt like a reminder of what he had to do.

Inside, the space was quiet, the kind of stillness that set his nerves on edge. It was a safe house, yes, but it was also a place to think—something he hadn’t done much of in the past few days, consumed as he was with rage.

Nicholas made his way to the back room, where a large map of the city was pinned to the wall. The map was dotted with red pins marking key locations—Adrian’s known hideouts, businesses, and safe houses. It was all part of the game, and Nicholas was going to make sure he had the upper hand.

He studied the map, his finger tracing the lines, formulating a plan. Adrian’s empire was vast, but so was his reach. Nicholas had friends, allies, people who owed him favors. The time for subtlety was over. He needed to strike fast and hard.

The phone buzzed again, this time with a message. It was from his contact in Italy, a man who had been keeping an eye on Adrian’s operations. The message was simple, but it made his blood run cold:

Adrian knows you’re coming. He’s already making moves.

Nicholas clenched his jaw, the message only adding fuel to the fire. Adrian was always one step ahead, but that wouldn’t be enough to stop him.

He had to move, and he had to do it now. He couldn’t wait for Adrian to get comfortable. The longer he waited, the more Chloe would be in danger. He wasn’t going to let that happen.

As he gathered his things, readying himself for the next phase, he thought again about Chloe. She was at the center of this storm, and if Adrian thought he could use her to break him, he was gravely mistaken.

Nicholas would bring the storm to Adrian, and when it was over, there would be no empire left to claim.