Ethan stood up and began pacing his living room.
“Unbelievable. They’re playing the long game. They’ve manipulated the media. Bought the narrative.”
His eyes darted to his laptop. Dozens of unread emails blinked on the screen, most from business contacts now “reevaluating” their partnerships with VanceTech.
He clicked one open:
Subject: Disassociation Effective Immediately
Cold. Professional. Brutal.
“Damn you,” he muttered, slamming the lid of the laptop shut. “Damn both of you.”
His phone buzzed again. This time a message from a blocked number.
You look like a man who wants to fight back. Care to talk?
Ethan stared at the screen.
He knew better than to respond to anonymous texts. But something about it—it didn’t feel like spam. It felt... intentional.
His fingers hovered over
