The dim light of Julian Blackwood’s penthouse office cast long shadows over the polished marble floor. Outside, the city stretched endlessly, its skyline a glittering expanse of power and deception. Julian stood at the floor-to-ceiling window, his jaw clenched, fingers gripping a glass of scotch that had long since lost its chill. The confidential dossier lay open on his desk, its contents rattling even his composed demeanor.
A series of documents detailed Edmund’s elaborate scheme, revealing how he had doctored financial records to frame Julian for corporate fraud. A lesser man might have been blindsided, but Julian had spent his entire life outmaneuvering those who tried to break him. This wasn’t about money anymore—it was personal.
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts
