CHAPTER 53

The dim glow of the penthouse lights cast long shadows across the room, mirroring the uncertainty hanging in the air. Fiona’s grip on the phone tightened, the distorted voice still echoing in her ears.

"Because by this time tomorrow, you won’t have anything left to fight for."

She set the phone down carefully, her mind already calculating their next move.

Darwin studied her expression, his jaw tightening. “We need to assume William’s making his final play.”

Thalassa folded her arms, her usual smirk absent. “If he’s desperate enough to start making threats, he’s cornered. That makes him dangerous.”

Marcus looked up from his laptop. “I ran a trace on the call, but it was rerouted through multiple proxies. Could be anyone in William’s inner circle.”

Fiona exhaled slowly, steadying herself. “It doesn’t matter. We already knew this was coming.”

She turned to Darwin. “How strong is your security detail?”

“Strong enough to keep him from walking in here, but if he’s going for something bigger—”

“Then we’re not waiting for him to make the first move,” she interrupted.

Darwin nodded. “Agreed. Marcus, what’s the latest on his assets?”

Marcus tapped a few keys. “His accounts are frozen, but he still has offshore holdings in shell corporations. I managed to intercept some financial transactions he attempted in the last hour. He’s moving what he can, fast.”

Fiona’s gaze sharpened. “Then he’s preparing to run.”

Thalassa snorted. “Coward.”

Darwin’s expression darkened. “Cowards are the most dangerous when they’re desperate.”

Fiona’s phone buzzed again.

Another unknown number.

This time, she didn’t hesitate. She put the call on speaker. “Who is this?”

A low chuckle came through the line. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”

Her stomach turned.

“Tick-tock, Fiona. You and Darwin—so predictable. Always thinking you’re in control. But by sunrise, it won’t matter. Your empire, your little rebellion—it’s over.”

Darwin leaned in. “You sound scared, William.”

Silence.

Then a cold, calculated reply. “You should be.”

The line went dead.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

Thalassa exhaled sharply. “That’s it. I’m done playing defense. Let’s burn him down.”

Fiona nodded, her mind already shifting gears. “Marcus, how fast can you leak the offshore records?”

He cracked his knuckles. “I can have them circulating in the financial sector within the hour. Regulators will eat him alive.”

Darwin stood. “That won’t be enough. We need to hit him where he’ll feel it immediately.”

Thalassa smirked, the fire back in her eyes. “I might have something for that.” She grabbed her laptop and pulled up a video file.

The screen flickered, revealing grainy footage of a dimly lit room. A familiar voice—William’s—filled the air.

"Take care of her. I don’t care what it takes. Just make sure she doesn’t walk away from this."

A second voice responded. “And the others?”

William’s tone was ice-cold. “Collateral damage.”

Fiona’s breath caught. “When was this recorded?”

Thalassa leaned back. “About an hour ago. One of my sources intercepted the feed. He was talking to someone who operates on the fringes—hired muscle.”

Darwin’s expression turned lethal. “Then we don’t have time.”

Fiona met his gaze, her voice steady. “We finish this tonight.”

---

The Trap is Set

The underground garage was eerily silent, the kind of stillness that precedes a storm.

Darwin leaned against a sleek black SUV, arms crossed as he surveyed the space. “Are you sure he’ll take the bait?”

Fiona adjusted the tiny earpiece in her ear. “William can’t resist feeling like he has the upper hand. When he hears I’m here alone, he’ll come.”

Marcus’s voice crackled over the comms. “Cameras are live. I’ve got eyes on all possible entry points.”

Thalassa, hidden in a nearby stairwell, whispered, “Movement on the east side. Three men, possibly armed.”

Darwin stiffened. “It’s him.”

Fiona stepped forward, standing in the center of the garage. She had learned long ago that fear was a weakness William preyed on. Tonight, she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Footsteps echoed against the concrete.

Then—William emerged from the shadows, flanked by two men.

He was composed, but Fiona noticed the slight tension in his posture, the twitch in his fingers.

“Fiona.” His voice was smooth, almost amused. “Brave of you to come alone.”

She tilted her head. “You always did underestimate me.”

William chuckled. “And yet, here we are. You have no idea what you’ve walked into.”

Fiona arched a brow. “I could say the same to you.”

He smirked. “You think you’ve won? Because you leaked a few bank records? Because Bella was stupid enough to get caught?” He took a slow step forward. “You don’t get it, do you?”

Darwin’s voice murmured in her earpiece. “Stay calm. We’re in position.”

William’s smirk widened. “I still have people who will clean up this mess. And when the dust settles, you’ll be nothing but a cautionary tale.”

Fiona met his gaze steadily. “You sound desperate.”

His jaw ticked. “Last chance. Walk away.”

She smiled. “No.”

William exhaled sharply. “Fine. Have it your way.”

He nodded to his men.

They moved.

Gunmetal glinted under the harsh fluorescent lights.

A sharp whistle sliced through the air.

Then—chaos.

A gunshot rang out.

One of William’s men dropped.

Darwin stepped from the shadows, his own gun raised. “Bad move.”

William’s remaining guard hesitated, eyes flickering between Fiona and Darwin.

Thalassa emerged from the stairwell, her own weapon trained on him. “Drop it, or I put you in the ground.”

The man hesitated—then tossed his gun aside.

William’s face darkened. “You think this changes anything?”

Fiona stepped closer. “No, William. This changes everything.”

She held up her phone, revealing the live-streaming feed.

Hundreds of viewers. Thousands of comments.

The world had just witnessed William’s downfall.

His expression shifted, his mind catching up to the inevitable.

Police sirens wailed in the distance.

Darwin leaned in. “Game over.”

William’s lips curled into a sneer. “You’ll regret this.”

Fiona met his gaze, unwavering. “No, William. The only one with regrets here is you.”

The doors burst open. Officers swarmed in.

And just like that—

The king had fallen.