CH.37

Old man Blake felt the weight of his years, of a lifetime of hopes and dreams crashing down on him with suffocating finality as he stared at the numbered seconds ticking away his future, his legacy and his very life's worth.

A future that stretched out before him now seemed cold, bleak, and empty of everything he had devoted his existence to building.

He scratched his signature across the indicated line, forever signing away his controlling interest in the Blake Enterprises. He felt a piece of his entire soul wither and die at that moment.

Luca swooped forward like a carrion bird. He snatched up the signed contract and retreated to the shadows once more.

Zavian rose from his usurped throne in one graceful movement.

He took a moment to meticulously brush away some invisible speck of dirt from the immaculate fabric of his tailored suit before leveling the broken old man with a look of supreme indifference.

"A pleasure doing business with you," he intoned blandly as if commenting on a ro