CHAPTER 59

The scent of smoke clung to Fiona’s clothes, a sharp reminder of how close she had come to burning alive. The explosion had reduced her penthouse to a charred ruin, the fire department barely managing to contain the inferno before it spread further.

But Fiona wasn’t thinking about the loss of her home.

She was thinking about William.

Sitting in a dimly lit safe house—an abandoned loft Thalassa had secured in the city’s industrial district—she tightened her grip around a steaming cup of coffee. Across from her, Darwin leaned against the edge of a steel table, his arms crossed, his jaw clenched.

“We need to move,” he said.

Fiona exhaled slowly, her mind already racing ahead. “We don’t react. We strike first.”

Marcus paced near the window, phone in hand. “I’ve pulled up all known associates William could be working with. The mercenaries he hired are scattered across multiple locations, but there’s a pattern. They’re gathering in clusters, all within a fifteen-mile radius.”

Darwin narrowed his eyes. “Consolidating forces.”

Marcus nodded. “Exactly. He’s preparing for something bigger. A final play.”

Thalassa stepped in, tossing a tablet onto the table. “And it gets worse.” She swiped across the screen, revealing a financial report. “I found another account linked to William. This one’s different. It wasn’t just used to move money—it’s an active payroll.”

Fiona sat up. “Meaning?”

“Meaning,” Thalassa said grimly, “William isn’t just hiring protection. He’s building an offensive force.”

A chilling silence settled over the room.

Fiona set her coffee down. “How many men?”

Thalassa hesitated before answering. “At least thirty, but that’s a conservative estimate. More could be coming in from overseas.”

Darwin let out a slow breath. “He’s not just planning to survive this—he’s preparing for war.”

Fiona’s mind worked fast. If William was gathering forces, it meant he was preparing to eliminate her, Darwin, and everyone standing in his way once and for all.

Fine. If it was war he wanted—she’d bring the fire first.

She turned to Thalassa. “Find out exactly where they’re meeting. I want their location by sunrise.”

Then to Marcus. “Send a message through our contacts. We need an extraction team on standby. If William thinks he can hide behind hired guns, let’s show him he’s not the only one with resources.”

Finally, she locked eyes with Darwin. “You ready for this?”

Darwin didn’t hesitate. “I’ve been ready.”

---

Bella’s Last Move

Elsewhere in the city, Bella Kingston poured herself a glass of wine with a shaking hand.

The headlines were relentless.

CEO’s Mistress or Victim? Fiona Davenport’s Story Takes a Dark Turn

Bella Kingston Loses Key Supporters Amid Financial Scandal

Darwin Cross Fires Bella Kingston—The End of an Era?

She gritted her teeth and slammed the glass onto the table. The room spun slightly, the mixture of exhaustion and alcohol weighing heavy on her.

Everything was crumbling.

William had promised her power—control. Instead, she was being torn apart, abandoned by the very people who once hung onto her every word.

And Darwin.

Her perfect Darwin had finally turned against her.

She had watched the live stream of the board meeting when he exposed her, his words like knives:

“You built your empire on lies, Bella. And now, it’s collapsing under its own weight.”

The humiliation burned deeper than she could express. She had spent years ensuring she would never be cast aside like Fiona.

And yet, here she was—drowning.

Bella swallowed hard, her pulse erratic.

No.

She wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Pulling out her phone, she made a call. The line rang once, twice, before a voice answered.

“Bella.”

Her breath hitched. “William.”

A beat of silence, then a low chuckle. “Calling me now? After everything?”

Bella forced steel into her voice. “We need to talk.”

“I don’t think we do,” William replied, amused. “You’re no longer useful to me.”

Her nails dug into her palm. “Don’t be so sure.”

A pause. Then, William sighed. “I’m listening.”

Bella took a deep breath, knowing this was her final shot.

“I have something you’ll want. And if you take me out of this mess—I’ll give it to you.”

---

The Assault Begins

Fiona adjusted the earpiece in her ear, her heartbeat steady despite the weight of what was about to happen.

The abandoned warehouse at the city’s edge loomed ahead, its towering structure swallowed in darkness. This was where William’s mercenaries were gathering.

Darwin was beside her, dressed in tactical gear, his eyes sharp. Marcus and Thalassa were positioned elsewhere, feeding them real-time updates through their comms.

“Thirty-seven confirmed inside,” Thalassa whispered over the channel. “Armed, but no sign of William himself.”

“Typical,” Darwin muttered. “He sends others to take the bullets while he hides.”

Fiona exhaled, steadying herself. “Not tonight.”

She signaled the extraction team. Within seconds, shadows moved around them—a group of ex-military operatives, armed and ready.

Darwin leaned in. “We’re doing this your way, Fiona. What’s the play?”

Fiona’s voice was cold, unwavering.

“We cut the head off first.”

She pulled out a detonator and pressed the button.

A controlled explosion rocked the far side of the warehouse, sending shockwaves through the ground. From inside, shouts erupted—confusion, panic.

The moment the doors burst open and mercenaries spilled out, Fiona and her team struck.

Gunfire cracked through the night. A war zone.

Darwin moved with lethal precision, disarming a man before slamming him into the concrete. Fiona dodged a wild swing, twisting the attacker’s arm before driving her elbow into his ribs.

One by one, the mercenaries fell.

This was what William wanted. A fight.

And Fiona was giving it to him—on her terms.

Minutes passed, then silence. Bodies lay motionless, the last few mercenaries surrendering under the weight of the assault.

Fiona wiped blood from her cheek, glancing at Darwin.

He nodded. “We’ve got them.”

Thalassa’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “Good, but we have a problem.”

Fiona’s stomach tightened. “What?”

Thalassa hesitated. “It’s Bella.”

Fiona stilled.

“She just boarded a private jet.”

“Where is she going?”

Thalassa’s voice was grim.

“To William.”

---

The Endgame

Fiona’s grip tightened around her gun.

First the explosion. Now this.

Bella was making her final move.

Darwin stepped beside her, his voice low. “She’s a liability. If William gets to her first…”

Fiona didn’t need him to finish the thought. Bella had secrets—secrets that could still be used against them.

They couldn’t let her reach William.

Fiona turned toward Marcus. “Get the jet ready. We leave in ten minutes.”

Darwin smirked. “Where to?”

Fiona’s eyes burned with cold fire.

“Wherever the hell William is.”