CHAPTER 42

Bay City pulsed with tension. The skyline stood tall and unwavering, but beneath the surface, power plays and betrayals simmered like a storm on the horizon. Darwin Solomon had spent years building his empire, brick by brutal brick. Now, it stood on the verge of collapse.

William Newton had made his move, and it was a masterstroke. The allegations of financial misconduct had triggered a federal investigation, shaking the very foundation of Solomon Enterprises. Investors were pulling out. Allies were wavering. And the media? They smelled blood in the water.

But Darwin wasn’t out of the fight just yet.

Fiona sat in his office, watching as he paced back and forth, phone pressed to his ear. His voice was low, controlled, but she could hear the razor-sharp edge beneath it. He was fighting to keep his company intact, negotiating with board members, calling in favors, doing everything in his power to stop the bleeding.

Yet, she could see it—the toll it was taking. The exhaustion in his eyes. The tension in his shoulders.

She refused to let him fight this alone.

As soon as he ended the call, she stood. “We need a counterattack.”

Darwin exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. “I know. But we can’t just deny the allegations—we need proof that they’re fabricated.”

Fiona nodded. “Then let’s find it.”

Lucas, who had been silently observing from the corner, finally spoke. “We’ve been digging, but William covered his tracks well. If we want to expose him, we need someone on the inside.”

Darwin’s eyes darkened. “Then we find someone.”

Fiona’s mind raced. William had enemies—people he had discarded once they were no longer useful. If they could find one of them, they might have a way in.

A name surfaced in her mind. Someone who had once been close to William. Someone who had every reason to want revenge.

She turned to Darwin. “I might know who can help us.”

A Dangerous Proposition

Hours later, Fiona and Lucas sat in a quiet corner of a high-end lounge, waiting. The air smelled of expensive whiskey and deception.

Then, he arrived.

Thomas Kincaid.

Once one of William Newton’s most trusted advisors, Thomas had been cast aside after a scandal nearly ruined his reputation. Now, he was a man with nothing to lose.

He slid into the booth across from them, his sharp eyes studying Fiona. “I was surprised to hear from you,” he said, his voice smooth but guarded. “Last I checked, you were just a pawn in Darwin’s game.”

Fiona didn’t flinch. “I was never a pawn. And right now, I’m giving you a chance to take William down.”

Thomas leaned back, swirling the drink in his glass. “And why would I help you?”

Lucas slid a folder across the table. “Because we know William framed you. We know he used you as a scapegoat to cover his own tracks.”

Thomas’s smirk faded. His fingers tightened around the glass.

Fiona pressed forward. “You want revenge, Thomas? This is your chance.”

For a long moment, he said nothing. Then, he exhaled and leaned forward.

“I hope you know what you’re getting into,” he murmured. “Because if we do this, there’s no turning back.”

Fiona’s jaw tightened. “We never planned on turning back.”

The Web Unravels

Over the next twenty-four hours, Thomas delivered.

Documents. Transactions. Hidden accounts. Everything William had buried was coming to light.

Fiona and Lucas worked tirelessly, cross-referencing the information, ensuring it was airtight. Every piece of evidence was another nail in William’s coffin.

And then they found it.

A direct link between William and the fabricated offshore accounts. The same accounts he had accused Darwin of using.

It was enough to dismantle him completely.

Darwin stood over Fiona’s shoulder as she reviewed the files. His expression was unreadable, but there was a fire in his eyes.

“This is it,” he murmured. “We have him.”

Lucas nodded. “We leak this to the media before he has a chance to counter it. We control the narrative this time.”

Darwin’s lips curved into a slow, predatory smile. “Do it.”

The Storm Breaks

The next morning, the headlines were everywhere.

“William Newton Exposed: The Truth Behind the Offshore Accounts Scandal”

“Former Advisor Comes Forward with Damning Evidence”

“Darwin Solomon Cleared of All Allegations”

It was a complete reversal.

William had built his power on perception, and now, that perception had shattered. His allies turned on him. The media tore him apart.

And then came the final blow.

The federal investigation wasn’t into Darwin anymore.

It was into William.

The Final Confrontation

Fiona knew it wasn’t over. Not yet.

She found Darwin in his office, watching the chaos unfold on the news. He had won. But there was something unsettling about the way he stood, his hands clenched into fists.

She stepped closer. “It’s over.”

Darwin’s jaw tightened. “Not yet.”

Fiona frowned. “What do you mean?”

Before he could answer, the office door swung open.

Lucas rushed inside, his face pale. “We have a problem.”

He handed Darwin his phone. A single message was displayed on the screen.

A message from an unknown number.

You think you’ve won. You have no idea what’s coming.

And then, an image attached to the message.

Fiona’s blood ran cold as she stared at the screen.

It was a photo of her.

Taken from outside her apartment.

From just a few hours ago.

A chill ran down her spine. Someone had been watching her. Following her.

Darwin’s grip on the phone tightened. His voice was low, lethal. “William’s desperate. He’s dangerous now.”

Fiona swallowed. “What do we do?”

Darwin’s eyes darkened. “We find him.”

Fiona exhaled shakily. “And then what?”

Darwin looked at her, his expression unreadable. “Then we finish this.”

The Hunter Becomes the Hunted

The city outside glittered under the night sky, oblivious to the storm that was about to break.

Fiona had fought to take control of her life. She had chosen to stand her ground.

But as she stared at that image—the proof that someone had been watching her, waiting—she realized something chilling.

She might have walked straight into a trap.

And this time, she wasn’t sure if she’d make it out.