Return Of The Protector

Chapter 3

### Chapter 3: *Unraveling the Plan*

Daniel and Emma sat in silence, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on both of them. Carter Industries, their father’s pride and joy, was now teetering on the edge of collapse. Emma had done her best to keep the company afloat while Daniel was gone, but now it was clear they were in a much deeper hole than he had anticipated.

After the confrontation with Alexander King earlier that day, the reality of their enemy’s power had become painfully clear. King wasn’t just trying to take their company—he was on a mission to crush them, to obliterate the Carter legacy entirely.

Emma broke the silence first, her voice strained but steady. “We can’t wait any longer. King’s tightening the noose, and if we don’t act, he’ll suffocate us.”

Daniel looked up from the stack of papers in front of him, his brow furrowed. “I know. But we can’t go in blind. If we make a wrong move, King will use it to finish us off.”

Emma paced the room, her frustration evident. “Then what’s the plan? We need to do something, Daniel! He’s already spreading rumors about our bankruptcy. Investors are pulling out. Suppliers are cutting ties. We’re bleeding out.”

Daniel stood and moved toward the large window that overlooked the city, his eyes scanning the skyline as if searching for answers. “King expects us to react emotionally, to strike out in desperation. That’s how he’s setting us up to fail. But we need to be smarter than that.”

Emma crossed her arms, her tone challenging. “So what are you suggesting? We just sit here and wait for him to destroy us?”

“No,” Daniel said quietly, turning to face her. “We outmaneuver him. King thinks he holds all the cards, but he’s not invincible. He’s made enemies along the way, and we need to find them.”

Emma raised an eyebrow. “You’re talking about using our connections. Reaching out to people who can help us?”

“Exactly. We can’t confront King head-on, not yet. But we can start pulling at the threads of his operation. Undermine him from the inside, where he’s weakest.”

Emma hesitated, then nodded slowly. “Okay. But where do we start?”

Daniel walked back to the table and flipped through a file until he found what he was looking for. “There’s one man who King has relied on for years—Ethan Drake. He’s King’s fixer, handles all his dirty work. If we can get to Drake, we can expose the cracks in King’s empire.”

Emma frowned. “Drake is dangerous, Daniel. He’s loyal to King, and he knows how to cover his tracks.”

“I’m not saying it’ll be easy,” Daniel said, his voice hardening. “But Drake’s loyalty is bought. If we offer him something better, something that gives him an edge over King, he might be willing to turn.”

Emma studied her brother’s face, recognizing the intensity in his eyes. He was already calculating the risks, weighing every possible outcome. It was the way he’d always been, ever since they were kids—always one step ahead, always thinking of the next move.

“Alright,” she said, finally relenting. “But we need a contingency plan. If Drake doesn’t take the bait, we need to be ready to protect ourselves.”

Daniel nodded, already forming a backup strategy in his mind. “Agreed. But first, we need to gather enough information on King’s dealings. Something solid we can use to sway Drake.”

Just as Emma was about to respond, the door to the office creaked open, and Greg Walters, one of their most trusted senior executives, walked in, his expression grim.

“Sorry to interrupt,” Greg said, closing the door behind him. “But I thought you should know—there’s been another development.”

Daniel’s heart sank. “What now?”

Greg held up his phone, displaying a news article with a headline that made Emma’s blood run cold: *Carter Industries Faces Imminent Bankruptcy as Major Investors Flee.*

“They’re already running the story,” Greg said. “King’s people must have leaked it to the press. It’s all over the news, and investors are panicking.”

Emma’s hands clenched into fists, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. “Damn him. He’s not just trying to take our company—he’s trying to destroy us completely.”

Daniel stared at the headline, his mind racing. If the rumors about their bankruptcy gained traction, it would be nearly impossible to recover. King was orchestrating their downfall piece by piece, and this was the latest in a long line of attacks.

“We need to move fast,” Daniel said, his voice tight with urgency. “If we let this story circulate unchecked, it’ll be the final nail in our coffin.”

Emma’s eyes burned with determination. “Then we hit back. We find a way to discredit this. We need proof that King is behind the smear campaign.”

Greg shifted uneasily. “That won’t be easy. King’s careful. He’s got his people covering his tracks.”

“We’ll find a way,” Daniel said firmly. “He’s made enemies before, and someone out there has to know something.”

Emma glanced at Daniel, her expression resolute. “And while we’re doing that, we’ll need to rally our allies. We can’t let King corner us without a fight.”

Daniel gave a curt nod, his mind already working through the next steps. They couldn’t afford to lose any more time. The fight to save their family’s legacy had officially begun.

---

Later that night, as Daniel sat alone in his office, staring at the city lights, his phone buzzed. The message was from a number he didn’t recognize, but the content sent a chill down his spine.

*“I know what King’s planning. Meet me tomorrow. Alone. If you want to stop him, you’ll want to hear this.”*

Daniel’s pulse quickened as he read the message again. Could this be the break they needed? Or was it a trap?

Without hesitation, he typed a response: *Where?*

A few seconds later, the reply came through: *Abandoned warehouse on Eastside. Midnight.*

Daniel leaned back in his chair, his mind swirling with possibilities. If this was a genuine lead, it could change everything. But if it was a setup, walking into it could be the biggest mistake of his life.

He knew one thing for sure—whatever awaited him at that warehouse would either bring them one step closer to victory or push them further into the abyss.

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### End of Chapter 3