I stood before Caldwell, the video ying on my phone as his face contorted from confusion to recognition, then finally to fear. The clip clearly showed him meeting with Conrad Thornton, epting money, and plotting against Roman Volkov.


    "Mr. Knight, I can exin," Caldwell stammered, his forehead beading with sweat.


    "Go ahead," I said coldly. "Exin why you betrayed someone who trusted you."


    His eyes darted around the room like a cornered animal. We were alone in his office—just the two of us and the damning evidence.


    "It was just business," he finally blurted. "The Thornton family offered me more than Volkov ever could. You understand business, don''t you?"


    My jaw tightened. "Business? You call sabotaging Roman''s operations ''business''? People could have died because of your actions."


    Caldwell''s expression shifted, calcting new angles. "Look, perhaps I made a mistake. I''m willing topensate Mr. Volkov for any... inconveniences. Let''s say five million? That should cover any losses."


    I almostughed at his audacity. "You think this is about money?"


    "Everything is about money, Mr. Knight," he replied, his confidence returning as he leaned back in his leather chair. "Even loyalty has a price tag."


    That''s when I noticed the shift in his demeanor. He wasn''t afraid anymore. He thought he could buy his way out of this situation—that I was just another businessman here to negotiate.


    "Do you know what happened to ric because of your betrayal?" I asked quietly.


    Caldwell waved dismissively. "Coteral damage. These things happen in our line of work."


    Something snapped inside me. In one fluid motion, I reached across his desk and grabbed him by his expensive silk tie, pulling him forward until our faces were inches apart.


    "Wrong answer," I growled.


    His eyes widened in genuine fear now. "Wait—I can—"


    I didn''t let him finish. With my free hand, I smashed his head against the desk. The sound of his nose breaking echoed in the quiet office.


    "That ''coteral damage'' has a name," I hissed. "He has a family. People who care about him."


    Caldwell''s hands flew to his bleeding nose. "You''re insane! Do you know who I am? Who my friends are?"


    "Friends like Conrad Thornton?" I released his tie and walked around the desk. "The same friends who''ll abandon you the moment you''re no longer useful?"


    He tried to scoot his chair away, but I kicked it hard, sending him tumbling to the floor. As he scrambled backward, I followed him step by step.


    "Please," he begged, raising his hands. "We can work this out!"


    "Roman trusted you," I said, my voice eerily calm even to my own ears. "You were like family to him."


    "It was just business!" he shouted again, his back hitting the wall.


    I knelt down, meeting his terrified gaze. "No, this is business."


    My fist connected with his right kneecap. The sickening crunch followed by his agonized scream filled the room. I repeated the process with his left knee.


    Caldwell writhed on the floor, howling in pain. "You''ve destroyed me! I''ll never walk right again!"


    "Consider yourself lucky," I said, standing up. "ric nearly lost his life because of you."


    I pulled him up by his cor, ready to deliver one final lesson, when the door burst open.


    "Liam Knight! Hands up where I can see them!" amanding voice shouted.


    I turned to see a man in an official uniform, gun drawn and pointed directly at me. Behind him stood several officers in tactical gear.


    "Lucas Dillon, Eldoria Province Patrol Bureau," the man announced. "You''re under arrest for assault and attempted murder."


    I slowly raised my hands. "This man is a criminal. He—"


    "Save it for the judge," Lucas cut me off, nodding to his officers who rushed forward to handcuff me.


    Roman burst into the room, his face flushed with anger. "What the hell is going on here? On whose authority are you arresting him?" <b ss="refa045">My Virtual Library Empire (*) thanks you for reading at the source.</b>


    Lucas Dillon smirked. "On the authority of thew, Mr. Volkov. Your associate here has quite a rap sheet we''ve been building."


    Roman''s eyes narrowed. "This is bullshit and you know it. I''ll have mywyers—"


    "It''s okay, Roman," I interrupted, meeting his gaze. "Let them take me in. This isn''t worth escting."


    Roman looked confused but nodded slightly, understanding my subtle message. Fighting now would only make things worse.


    As they led me out, Caldwell''s pained groans followed us down the hallway. Outside, they pushed me into the back of a patrol car. Lucas Dillon slid into the driver''s seat, adjusting his rearview mirror to look at me.


    "Comfortable back there, Knight?" he asked with mock concern.


    "Cut the act," I replied. "We both know who sent you."


    Dillon chuckled. "Smart man. Conrad Thornton sends his regards."


    "I didn''t expect him to retaliate so quickly," I admitted.


    "The Thornton family has deep connections," Dillon said, starting the engine. "Deeper than you can imagine."


    We drove in silence for several minutes before he tossed a file onto the passenger seat, deliberately angling it so I could see its contents from the back.


    "Quite the killer, aren''t you?" he said casually.


    I strained to see the papers—police reports, crime scene photos of bodies I''d never seen before, witness statements I knew were fabricated.


    "Those are lies," I said through gritted teeth. "I''ve never seen those people in my life."


    "That''s not what our evidence shows." Dillon''s voice dripped with fake sympathy. "Five murders in three different provinces, all with the same MO. You''ve been busy, Knight."


    My blood ran cold as I realized the extent of Conrad''s influence. He hadn''t just sent the police after me—he''d manufactured an entire criminal history to ensure I wouldn''t see daylight for decades.


    "You won''t get away with this," I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. "Falsifying evidence is a serious crime, Officer Dillon."


    Heughed, a hollow sound that filled the car. "Who said anything about falsifying? These cases have been open for years. We''re just finally putting a name to the killer."


    The gravity of my situation sank in. Conrad Thornton hadn''t just sought to inconvenience me—he wanted to destroy mepletely. The handcuffs bit into my wrists as anger coursed through my veins.


    "You are ndering me, the criminal is you!" I snapped, my patience finally breaking.


    Dillon only smiled wider in the rearview mirror as we continued toward the police station, my future growing darker with each passing mile.