Part 29 –
The higher you rise, the longer your shadow becomes.
And someone somewhere is always waiting in the dark.
A Moment of Peace
Lila lay wrapped in Ethan's arms, the first true peace they'd had in weeks.
The scandal was behind them. Julian Drake had been exiled from the company, his influence dissolved like a dying echo. The board had accepted their leadership Lila and Ethan, co-CEOs of Wolfe Enterprises.
It felt like victory.
Yet in the silence of the night, Lila's instincts whispered otherwise.
Because power never disappeared.
It just changed hands.
The Invitation
It arrived the next morning an engraved black card with a wax seal, delivered by hand.
To Ms. Lila Whitmore and Mr. Ethan Wolfe,
You are cordially invited to an exclusive summit hosted by Luthor International.
Monte Carlo. Three nights. Five guests. One future.
Ethan's jaw tightened at the name. "Lucien Luthor."
Lila blinked. "That's the private equity magnate, right? He owns media, defense, luxury holdings"
"and he's a ghost," Ethan finished. "Never shows his face. Never gives interviews. He buys out empires, tears them down, and rebuilds them in his image."
Lila studied the invitation.
"Why us?"
Ethan was quiet for a long moment.
"Because Lucien doesn't just move markets. He moves people. He doesn't invite companies he invites contenders."
Monte Carlo: The Summit
The summit was held at an exclusive, sea-facing mansion carved into the cliffs of Monte Carlo. Paparazzi weren't even allowed within five miles of the property.
Only five CEOs were invited. Lila and Ethan were the youngest.
When they entered the marble foyer, all eyes turned.
And then he appeared.
Lucien Luthor.
Tall. Icy. Impeccably dressed in a charcoal suit that shimmered faintly under the chandeliers. His hair silver, his eyes pale like winter glass.
He was beautiful in the way lightning was beautiful: sharp, cold, and deadly.
"Ms. Whitmore," he said, extending his hand. "Mr. Wolfe."
His grip was firm. His eyes lingered on Lila's.
"I've been watching you."
Lila didn't blink. "I know."
The Game Begins
That evening, the guests were led to a glass dining room with a panoramic view of the Mediterranean. The air buzzed with quiet rivalry. Deals were whispered between sips of vintage wine.
Lucien rose at the head of the table.
"Each of you is here because you've rewritten a chapter of power. But what comes next isn't about profit. It's about legacy. I'm looking for a partner to help build a new alliance an empire beyond borders."
His eyes flicked to Lila.
"Someone with blood, ambition... and the willingness to burn the old world down."
Lila felt a strange chill as the others murmured.
Lucien Luthor didn't make alliances. He chose successors.
A Warning from the Past
Later that night, as Lila stepped out onto the balcony to get air, a soft voice cut through the darkness.
"Don't trust him."
She turned sharply. A woman stood nearby, tall, in a black velvet dress. Elegant. Dangerous.
"I'm Celeste Leclair," she said. "Former CFO of Luthor Tech. Once his right hand."
"What happened?"
"I survived," Celeste said quietly. "Others weren't so lucky."
She handed Lila a USB drive.
"This summit isn't a gathering. It's a test. He's already chosen you. But not to build with. To use. And if you don't give him what he wants..."
She let the silence finish the sentence.
Lila's fingers clenched around the drive.
Back at the Suite
Ethan studied the data on the USB, his expression darkening.
"Lucien's been quietly buying up Wolfe subsidiaries under shell companies. Real estate, tech patents, even security firms we abandoned years ago. He's surrounding us."
Lila's voice was ice. "He's planning a hostile takeover."
"He doesn't want Wolfe Enterprises," Ethan murmured. "He wants you."
The Offer
The next day, Lila met Lucien in his private library sunlight streaming through crystal windows.
He poured her tea.
"Do you know what separates us from the animals, Lila?" he asked.
She tilted her head. "Power?"
"Choice," he said. "You can choose to join me. Build something the world's never seen. Or you can stay loyal to your past... and fall with it."
Lila looked him dead in the eyes.
"You can keep your empire, Lucien. I'm not for sale."
He smiled softly, like a man already playing his next move.
"We'll see."
The Silent War Begins
When Lila and Ethan left Monte Carlo, everything had changed.
They returned to New York with a list of threats, a powerful enemy, and a company in danger of being dismantled from the inside out.
But Lila wasn't afraid.
She was ready.
"This is a different game now," Ethan said as they rode the elevator to Wolfe Tower.
Lila reached for his hand.
"Then it's time we change the rules."