Reese''s gaze turned sharp and cold. Her reply was immediate. "Stay calm, find a crowd, and don''t go anywhere alone. I''m sending Patrick''s team to pick you up. Send me your location."


    She forwarded Vivian''s location to Patrick, a flicker of confusion passing through her mind.


    Vivian was the daughter of one of her mother''s old subordinates from the Meyer Group. Over the years, she and Reese had kept in touch, though only asionally. Not long ago, Vivian graduated from college. When she heard Reese had taken over Ramos Corporation, she applied for a job and ended up bing Reese''s assistant.


    ***


    At Vista Tech, Bailey sat in his oversized leather chair, a thick stack of documents


    in front of him. The folder held all the evidence of Dylon''s misconduct back when


    he worked at Ramos Corporation. Bailey''s fingers tapped fast and impatient against the cover, his face unreadable. No emotion at all, except for the simmering anger in his eyes.


    There was a knock at the door. Dous, his assistant, stepped in and stood respectfully at the desk, head lowered, not daring to meet Bailey''s eyes.


    "Mr. Meyer, it''s done. Negative news about Ramos Corporation is spreading online." Dous spoke carefully. "The partners have also received our risk alerts. Two of them already said they''re pausing cooperation."


    "Good." Bailey''s voice was icy. "Send Reese an email. Attach part of this evidence. Let her know she has two options. Drop the case, or I''ll make sure Ramos Corporation goes bankrupt."


    "Yes, sir." Dous nodded and turned to go, but Bailey stopped him.


    "Wait." Bailey looked up. "Any word from Joseph?"


    "Not yet." Dous shook his head, hesitating. "But it seems Mr. Phillips is back in the country."


    "Mr. Phillips?" Bailey stared at him, confused.


    "Nathaniel. Nathaniel Phillips," Dous reminded him. "He ran that overseaspany we worked with before."


    "Him?" Something seemed to click for Bailey, his expression shifting. "Did he talk to you? What did he want?"


    Dous''s eyes flickered. "He said he wants to pick up the partnership from twenty years ago. If you agree, helfuse his overseas resources to Help the Meyer family


    t of this mess, and he can keep the worst of


    the Grace case out of the public


    eye."


    Bailey''s face darkened and he let out a coldugh. "Tell him whatever we had ended twenty years ago.


    "And make it clear. If he tries anything, we both go down together. He can''t walk away untouched from what happened back then."


    Dous said nothing more, only nodded quickly. "Yes, sir."


    Once he left the office, Dous took out his phone, typing a message with trembling fingers. His face was a mess of worry, fear, and something like helplessness.


    He''d worked for Bailey for years, climbing from ordinary driver to trusted assistant. But the truth was, Nathaniel had had him in his grip for a long time Dous son was studying abroad, secretly watched by Nathaniel''s people. There was never a choice. Dous had to follow every order, ying the spy right under Bailey''s nose.


    Some things, once you got tangled up, you could never escape.


    ***


    In a hidden vi outside the city,


    Sofia curled up on a plush sofa, a ss of red wine in hand. The deep red clung to the crystal, leaving streaks like tears. She wore thetest designer dress her makeup


    wless, but there was no hiding the


    tension and unease in her eyes.


    Nathaniel sat across from her, flipping through a file, a slow, cryptic smile on his lips. The air around him was thick with mystery.


    "Mr. Phillips, has Reese done anything yet?" Sofia couldn''t hold back. Her voice was tight, her fingers gripping the wine ss so hard her knuckles turned pale.