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CHAPTER 46

Author: Tellachino
last update Last Updated: 2025-02-06 00:10:54

The armored SUV sped through the darkened streets, the city blurring past as Darwin, Fiona, Thalassa, and Lucas sat in tense silence. The echoes of gunfire still rang in their ears, and the weight of Lucas’s revelation hung thick in the air.

The Echelon.

A secretive network of power brokers with their hands in everything from corporate empires to government policies. They weren’t just fighting a businessman with a grudge anymore. They had declared war on a shadow organization that had remained untouchable for decades.

Darwin exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “No more games,” he said. “Tell us everything.”

Lucas sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed ahead. “The Echelon operates in cells. Each member controls a sector—finance, technology, media, law enforcement. William was just one of many. His job was to keep you in check, Darwin.”

Fiona’s stomach twisted. “So when we took him down…”

Lucas nodded. “You made them bleed. And the Echelon doesn’t tolerate weakness.”

Thalassa scoffed. “So now they’re tying up loose ends. First, they destroy Darwin’s reputation, then they put a bullet in him.”

Lucas turned to Darwin. “You were supposed to be absorbed into their ranks. When you didn’t fall in line, they decided to eliminate you.”

Darwin’s grip on the wheel tightened. He had spent his entire life building his empire from nothing, only to find out he had been a pawn in someone else’s game.

Not anymore.

“Then we hit them first,” Darwin said.

Lucas let out a dry laugh. “You don’t just ‘hit’ the Echelon.”

Fiona leaned forward. “Then what do we do?”

Lucas sighed, rubbing his temples. “We find the architect behind this operation. Each Echelon member has an enforcer—someone who cleans up their messes, handles their problems. The one targeting Darwin? His enforcer is a man named Viktor Dane.”

Thalassa frowned. “I’ve heard that name before.”

Lucas nodded. “He’s an ex-intelligence operative, disappeared off the grid years ago. Now, he operates from the shadows, running assassinations, financial sabotage, and blackmail for the Echelon.”

Darwin glanced at Lucas. “Where do we find him?”

Lucas hesitated. “That’s the problem. No one knows where Viktor is. But if he’s after you, he’ll be watching your every move.”

Fiona’s mind raced. They couldn’t just wait for the enemy to strike. They needed leverage.

She turned to Thalassa. “We need to lure him out.”

Thalassa smirked. “I like the way you think.”

A Baited Trap

The next morning, the headlines screamed with scandal:

“Darwin Solomon Faces Criminal Charges: SEC Investigation Expands”

“Solomon Empire on the Verge of Collapse?”

“Anonymous Source Reveals Insider Corruption at Solomon Enterprises”

The storm was getting worse, and it was exactly what they needed.

Darwin and Fiona knew Viktor Dane would be monitoring their every move. So, they decided to make a move he couldn’t ignore.

That night, they staged a meeting at an exclusive private club known for hosting some of the wealthiest elites in the country.

It was a message.

A public display that Darwin Solomon wasn’t backing down.

Fiona arrived first, stepping out of a sleek black car, her dress sharp, her confidence unwavering. Cameras flashed as she strode inside, the whispers following her like shadows.

Darwin arrived minutes later, dressed in a crisp black suit, his expression unreadable. He walked straight past the reporters, not offering a single word.

Inside, the tension was thick.

Fiona took her seat beside Darwin at a secluded table, their movements calculated. They weren’t just here to send a message.

They were here to draw Viktor Dane out of hiding.

Thalassa, stationed across the room, kept her eyes sharp. Lucas sat at the bar, pretending to nurse a drink while scanning the crowd.

Then, Fiona spotted him.

A man in the corner, dressed in an unremarkable gray suit, his posture too controlled, his gaze flicking between Darwin and the exits.

“Target acquired,” she murmured.

Darwin followed her gaze, his jaw tightening. “That’s him?”

Lucas didn’t turn, but he nodded. “Viktor Dane. And if he’s here, it means he’s already planned how to take you out.”

Thalassa’s voice came through the earpiece. “Then let’s make sure that doesn’t happen.”

The Confrontation

Viktor moved smoothly, almost unnoticeably, toward the back of the club.

Darwin stood, straightening his suit. “Time to introduce ourselves.”

Fiona moved with him, her heart pounding. This was their only chance.

They followed Viktor into a private corridor, away from the main lounge. The moment they stepped inside, the energy shifted.

Viktor was already waiting, standing with his hands in his pockets, completely unfazed.

“You’re either very brave,” he said smoothly, “or very stupid.”

Darwin didn’t blink. “That’s funny. I was about to say the same thing to you.”

Viktor smirked. “I have to admit, you’re resilient. Most people in your position would have folded by now.”

Fiona crossed her arms. “And yet, here we are.”

Viktor tilted his head slightly. “Let me offer you some advice, Solomon. Walk away. Take your fortune, disappear, and this all goes away.”

Darwin chuckled. “And if I don’t?”

Viktor’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Then you’ll join the list of people who thought they could fight the Echelon.”

Darwin took a step closer, his voice low. “Tell your boss that I don’t scare easily.”

Viktor exhaled, almost amused. “Your funeral.”

Then, faster than anyone expected, he pulled a knife.

Fiona reacted first, grabbing Darwin’s arm and yanking him back as Viktor slashed forward.

Thalassa burst into the hallway, gun drawn. “DROP IT!”

Viktor hesitated, his mind calculating. Then, he smirked, flipping the knife in his hand before stepping back. “You just made a very dangerous enemy.”

Lucas stepped forward. “He was already our enemy.”

Viktor’s smirk remained, but his eyes were cold. “This isn’t over.”

Then, before they could stop him, he turned and disappeared into the crowd.

A War Declared

Fiona let out a breath, her pulse still racing. “Well, that went well.”

Darwin exhaled sharply. “We just put a target on our backs.”

Lucas adjusted his jacket. “Good. Now we know exactly where to aim.”

Thalassa holstered her gun. “We need to hit them before they hit us. Viktor isn’t going to disappear. He’s going to escalate.”

Darwin nodded. “Then we take the fight to them.”

Fiona met his gaze. “No more waiting.”

Darwin’s expression hardened. “No more playing defense.”

Lucas smirked. “Welcome to the real war.”

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  • Falling For My Surrogate Mistress    CHAPTER 46

    The armored SUV sped through the darkened streets, the city blurring past as Darwin, Fiona, Thalassa, and Lucas sat in tense silence. The echoes of gunfire still rang in their ears, and the weight of Lucas’s revelation hung thick in the air.The Echelon.A secretive network of power brokers with their hands in everything from corporate empires to government policies. They weren’t just fighting a businessman with a grudge anymore. They had declared war on a shadow organization that had remained untouchable for decades.Darwin exhaled sharply, his fingers tightening around the steering wheel. “No more games,” he said. “Tell us everything.”Lucas sat in the passenger seat, his gaze fixed ahead. “The Echelon operates in cells. Each member controls a sector—finance, technology, media, law enforcement. William was just one of many. His job was to keep you in check, Darwin.”Fiona’s stomach twisted. “So when we took him down…”Lucas nodded. “You made them bleed. And the Echelon doesn’t toler

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  • Falling For My Surrogate Mistress    CHAPTER 44

    Fiona’s grip on her phone tightened as she stared at the message. The words burned into her mind.You think this is over? You’ve only just begun.Her pulse quickened, but she refused to let fear take hold. Fear was exactly what they wanted. Whoever had sent this wasn’t just issuing a warning—they were letting her know that she was still a target.Thalassa’s eyes flicked to Fiona’s face, reading her reaction before returning to the phone screen. She didn’t waste time with words of reassurance. Instead, she reached for Fiona’s laptop, already searching for ways to track the message’s origin.“This isn’t William,” Thalassa muttered. “He’s too busy dealing with the media firestorm.”Fiona exhaled sharply, her thoughts racing. “Then who?”Before Thalassa could answer, a knock at the door made them both freeze.Fiona glanced at the clock—too late for casual visitors.Thalassa rose first, moving toward the door cautiously. She peered through the peephole and let out a breath. “It’s Darwin.”

  • Falling For My Surrogate Mistress    CHAPTER 43

    Here’s the completed version with an expanded word count of 1,350 words, deepening the tension, character emotions, and stakes.---The Morning News Hit Like a Wrecking Ball"Solomon’s Secret Scandal: Fiona Price Pregnant with Billionaire’s Child!""Betrayal and Deception: Is Fiona Using the Baby to Trap Darwin?""Darwin Solomon’s Empire Shaken by Personal Scandal!"Fiona sat frozen in Thalassa’s apartment, her fingers tightening around her phone as she read the articles. Each headline twisted the truth into something ugly, something damning. They painted her as a schemer, a manipulator—a woman desperate to cling to power by any means necessary.William had made his next move. And it was brutal.Thalassa snatched the phone from Fiona’s hands, her expression darkening with every word she read. “This is disgusting,” she muttered. “They’re making it sound like you planned this pregnancy just to control Darwin.”Fiona swallowed the lump in her throat. “That’s exactly what William wants. T

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