The television screen glowed in the dim hotel suite, the bluish light spilling across the plush carpet like a silent witness.
The curtains were drawn tight against the night, shutting out the neon hum of the city beyond.
Liam stood frozen in the middle of the room, his chest rising and falling too quickly, his throat dry as though he had swallowed sand.
The news anchor's voice cut like glass through the silence.
"Breaking News: Shen Group's heiress, Rachel Shen, was allegedly involved in a hit-and-run car accident a week ago in Zarx Street, Morchester. The victim, Rachel, has already undergone surgery and is still in critical condition.While the Gilead Police Force have yet to investigate the culprit behind the hit-and-run accident of Miss Shen, Erica George Shen, The Chairwoman, CEO, And President of Shen Group, released a statement last night in Shen Hospital here in River City."
Liam's eyes locked onto the screen.
The headline screamed in bold letters:
**SHEN GROUP 'S HEIRESS RACHEL SHEN INVOLVED IN A HIT-AND-RUN ACCIDENT. CULPRIT NOT YET FOUND.**
The letters seemed to grow larger, louder, swallowing the air out of hotel room 3001 and out of his nostrils.
His knees weakened, and he dropped heavily into the armchair by the window in a dazed state with the leather creaking under his weight.
Each word carved itself into his chest. They weren't just words; they were a hammer, and every letter beat against him until he thought his legs would give out.
The news anchors' voices floated around the room, soft, like they were underwater, but Liam couldn't hear a thing they were saying. His eyes were glued to the woman on the broadcast.
She wasn't ordinary. She wasn't someone you just looked at and forgot. Her presence was carved in steel, carved in power. The air itself seemed to bend around her, like it didn't dare come too close. Her posture was perfect, her shoulders squared, her eyes sharp, her face carrying a lifetime of weight and command.
At seventy-five years old, she wasn't fragile or weak—she was a general. The name that flashed boldly across the screen confirmed it all:
**ERICA GEORGE SHEN — CHAIRWOMAN, CEO, AND PRESIDENT OF SHEN GROUP. MATRIARCH OF THE SHEN FAMILY.**
Liam's chest tightened. He felt his breath stumble out of him, as if even his body was trying to resist the truth that stared him in the face. He swallowed hard, but the lump in his throat stayed lodged there.
The screen changed.
The image shifted to a hospital room—but it wasn't just a hospital room. It looked more like a palace wing disguised as one.
The floors gleamed white and polished, carved from marble, golden curtains swayed gently at the windows while the machines in the room hummed softly.
On the bed, at the heart of the room, lay Rachel.
The girl he had thrown aside, like she was nothing more than a toy he'd grown tired of.
Her face was pale, almost see-through.
A strip of gauze cut across her cheek, and the rest of her features looked too delicate, like a porcelain doll that could shatter at any second.
Tubes and wires stretched across her chest.
A mask covered her nose and mouth.
And her chest rose and fell in a shallow and fragile rhythm, as if each breath she took in might be the last one.
Even like this, even on the edge of death, she was beautiful. Still radiant. Still carrying that goddess-like air that had once made him proud to walk by her side, showing her off like some trophy to his friends despite his heart not having feelings for her or beating for her.
But the honest truth cut through him like ice—though he never loved her. He had loved what she brought him and his family: the wealth, the millionaire status, the attention, the envy, and the whispers when people saw them together.
Now that same girl that had turned his life and the life of his family had met with tragedy because of him, because of his attempt to scare her that day.
The camera cut and the screen flicked back to Erica Shen and showed her standing in front of rows of reporters who were flashing lenses, recorders, and microphones at her, almost piercing her with it.
Erica stood tall, her tailored black suit crisp against the blinding lights, her expression controlled but her eyes sharp.
When she finally spoke, her voice was calm, steady, and it sounded strong and clear with every word slicing into Liam's ears like glass as she said:
"My granddaughter's life was nearly taken," she said. Her eyes scanned the crowd in front of her like a blade slicing across their necks. She is fighting for her life, and, as a grandmother, my heart is broken. I feel useless. I feel angry. But I will fight for her in another way. Whoever committed this act will wish they were never born. I will personally see to it that they beg for death, and even then, death will not come easily. Because I am Erica George Shen—the female devil who makes death tremble at my feet. I fear no one. Not the government. Not the police. Not any man. I am what men fear most: Death itself. They didn't just run my granddaughter over. They stepped on the tail of a scorpion. I am that scorpion, and Rachel is the precious tail I will not allow to be harmed."
The surrounding crowd went silent, the reporters froze with their cameras still rolling but their mouths hanging open.
The silence was so heavy, it pressed through the TV and into Liam's chest.
His skin prickled. The words said by Erica struck Liam like a blow, pricking his heart and making him feel a cold chill running down his spine.
He muttered under his breath, disbelief heavy in his tone:
"No way. Rachel? Rachel Shen? The quiet girl I despised and broke up with because I thought she was a nobody… Is actually an heiress? She's actually the heiress of Shen Group?"
His mind was spinning. He couldn't keep up with what his eyes and ears were telling him.
"Liam!" Charlotte's voice finally cut through his trance.
She had been calling his name, louder and louder, but he hadn't heard her until now.
She grabbed his hand, her nails digging into his skin, her face twisted with urgency. "Wasn't that Rachel on the news? That's your ex, Rachel, isn't she? She is, right? Right??"
Her questions jolted Liam back into the present, but he didn't answer Charlotte.
His body moved on instinct with his hand flying to his pocket.
He pulled out his phone with shaky fingers.
He needed to see it himself, he needed to confirm what he had just watched on the news was just his mind playing tricks on him by showing him illusion. He felt like he was trapped in some nightmare and needed to wake up urgently.
His thumb tapped open **Shenstagram.** Then the trending news page lit up on the screen of his smartphone instantly.
**#SHEN GROUP 'S HEIRESS RACHEL SHEN INVOLVED IN A HIT-AND-RUN CAR ACCIDENT (#1)**
**#RACHEL SHEN (#2)**
Posts after post flooded his feed. Photos of Rachel in the hospital, videos of Erica's speech, millions of comments dissecting every word, analyzing what it meant for the markets, for governments, for the world itself.
The entire world was on fire with Rachel's name.
Charlotte sat stiffly beside Liam, her hands balled tight in her lap.
She didn't just see shock in those headlines—she saw recognition.
Unlike Liam, she grew up in the world of business, wealth, power, and dynasties as the second heiress of the Gileadian Billionaire Dylan Family based in Oceana City, Gilead's Capital.
After watching numerous videos that were all saying the same thing, Liam turned his gaze to her and, with his voice harsh and roughened by panic, he said:"Charlotte… you grew up in the business world. You're a Dylan Heiress. I'm sure you know more than the news… Tell me, What is Shen Group? What are they all about?"
Charlotte froze, her eyes flickered to the TV, then back to him. Then her lips parted, but no words came at first.
Then finally, she said, her voice measured, almost whispering: "The Shen Group? They're one of the biggest, richest conglomerates in the world. They're everywhere—finance, tech, shipping, real estate, energy, entertainment, you name it. They own pieces of almost everything you touch and use every day. Their power is terrifying, Liam. Bigger than some governments. Some presidents even answer to them."
"That's vague, Charlotte," he snapped. His voice carried the desperation of a man hanging off a cliff. "I don't want what everyone knows. I want the truth. Who are they really? How big are they?"
Charlotte's eyes darted away.
A tremor ran through her hands as she whispered, saying:"You don't want to know… Because you might faint from shock… Just understand this—the Shens are a behemoth. Chairwoman Erica George Shen of the Shen Group is the one woman nobody dares to provoke or get on her bad side.... And as for Rachel? She's no longer the weak girl we once thought she was.... She's Shen Group's sole heiress. People talk about billionaires like they're at the top, but her family… they're beyond that with their net worth in the trillions and almost surpassing it... Her last name, 'SHEN,' carries weight across continents. Liam, the Shens are untouchable. They are a dynasty nobody dares to cross if they really value their lives like they claim they do. Erica wasn't just talking when she said she didn't fear the government ... Kings? Queens? Presidents?—they all bow and show respect to anybody with the last name, 'SHEN,' and Rachel? She's the heiress. The future head of Shen Group..."
Her words rang in his ears, heavy as iron.
Trillions!
Heiress!
Future head of Shen Group!
Liam swallowed hard, his mouth dry.
"How come we never suspected her all these years?... "I mean, the clue was right in front of us." Charlotte muttered in annoyance.
'What clue?" Liam asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Liam, I see you never once tried to really know her well. I mean her last name was freaking 'SHEN,' a name that's only exclusive to members of the Shen Family. No wonder she is tenacious and has a knack for business... "She's a Shen! "If she didn't have the noble bloodline and genes of the Shen Family, she wouldn't have been able to turn a 0-dollar company into a 300 million-dollar company in the space of two years." Charlotte answered as many pieces of the clues and signs Rachel unintentionally showed while pretending to be a poor orphan started to surface in her mind.
Liam, on the other hand, clenched his jaw as Charlotte's words started to weigh heavily on his mind.
"Her last name was 'SHEN,' How could he have missed that? He asked himself inwardly as he thought to himself.
Without another word, he turned away from her. His fingers moved with a kind of violence as he unlocked his phone. He muttered inaudible words to himself.
He scrolled through his apps until he found it: **Shenkipidia,** a search engine under Shen Group's Umbrella.
As soon as the homepage of Shenkipidia was loaded with news articles about things irrelevant to him, he tapped the search bar and hurriedly typed: **SHEN GROUP.** Then he clicked the search icon.
Shenkipidia loaded for some seconds, then it brought out the search results of Shen Group that filled the screen of his smartphone instantly.
His gaze first fell on the photos of the golden megatall skyscraper of Shen Group's headquarters that stretched across the screen of his smartphone instantly.
The megatall skyscraper was portrayed in the photos as two-hundred floors of glass and gold, stabbing the sky like a spear.
It wasn't just a building; it was a monument.
It was a declaration of wealth and power that mocked anyone who looked up at it.
Beneath the photos, the text scrolled:
---
**| SHENKIPIDIA |**
-------------------------------------------------------------
. |SHEN GROUP| .
. .|A MULTI-TRILLION-DOLLAR|. .
. |MULTI-NATIONAL CONGLOMERATE|.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Shen Group is a Norpondian multi-trillion-dollar multinational private conglomerate and one of the world's largest.
With a history spanning over a thousand years, it has established itself as a leader in a wide range of industries, including technology, entertainment, healthcare, and finance.
The company has a significant global presence, with a reported revenue of US$999.9 trillion in 2024 and a worldwide workforce of 800 million people, excluding executives.
Shen Group's headquarters is located in Shen Town, Baswil City, Republic of Norpond.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Company Profile
-------------------------------------------------------------
Founded: May 13, 1025, by Carl Darius Shen.
Headquarters: Shen Town, Vannam District, Baswil City, Republic of Norpond.
Key People: Erica George Shen (Chairwoman, CEO, President) and Rachel Shen (Heiress)
Revenue: US$999.9 trillion (2024)
Employees: 800 million (excluding executives)
-------------------------------------------------------------
Corporate Structure and Business Operations:
-------------------------------------------------------------
All subsidiaries under Shen Group are privately owned, with no stock available for public trading. They are like children to their parents, completely dependent on Shen Group. They cannot make major decisions without direct authorization from the office of the Chairwoman, CEO, and President.
Shen Group operates through a vast network of subsidiaries and brands, each specializing in a specific industry. These include:
Technology & Electronics: Shen Electronics, Shen Semiconductors, Shen Mobile (smartphones like the NovaFold Z10), Shen Artificial Intelligence, Shen Quantum Computing, and ShenTX Station (gaming consoles).
Automotive: Shennova Motors produces electric and hybrid vehicles, including the Shennova Eon and Shennova Flux. The company also has a racing team, Shen XTORM Racing.
Food & Retail: Shen NutriLife (food processing), ShenMart (supermarket chain), and Shen Bakery & Confectioneries. Shen Group is known as the world's largest privately held food company and supermarket chain.
Finance & Real Estate: Shen Bank, Shen Financial Technology, Shen Properties Development, and Shen Real Estate Investment Trust.
Entertainment & Media: Shen Entertainment, ShenTitan Studios (game development), Shen Cinemas, Shen Media & Publishing, and various social media platforms like Shenxibook and Shentok.
Infrastructure & Manufacturing: Shen Engineering & Construction, Shen Oil and Gas, Shen Ports, Shen Aerospace Industry, and Shen 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing.
Healthcare: Shen Hospital, Shen Pharmaceuticals, and Shen Digital Healthcare.
Education: Shen International Academy and Shen University.
Apparel: Shen Apparel, a private luxury brand clothing subsidiary that owns 100 luxury clothing brands. The most popular include DONNA, SHN, SEPHIR, QUCCI, SHENNEL, SHUITTON, SHENLICIAGA, and SHENIKE.
Philanthropy and Sports:
Shen Group is actively involved in philanthropic and sports initiatives. The Shen-Hope Foundation has numerous branches and orphanages all over the world. It provides comprehensive assistance to impoverished children, war victims, and people who are crippled, blind, physically disabled, or poor and sick. The foundation also offers unlimited scholarships and business grants. The conglomerate also owns Shen FC, a popular football club that plays in the world's largest football stadium.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Contact Information
-------------------------------------------------------------
Main Line: +(951) 800 1111
Emergency Hotline: +(951) 911 0000
Website: www.shengroup.com
-------------------------------------------------------------
Liam's grip tightened until his knuckles turned white.
Each word he read crushed him deeper.
"Nine hundred and ninety-nine trillion!
"Eight hundred million employees!
"One hundred subsidiaries covering the entire spectrum of life itself!
It wasn't a company. It was an empire.
A Conglomerate Empire that quietly dominated the world invisibly from inside that gold-plated megatall skyscraper of Shen Group's headquarters.
And Rachel? She was at the center of it.
His breath became shallow as he locked his phone and stared at the black screen while staring at his faint reflection.
His face was pale and looked unsettled.
Without a word, he stumbled into the bathroom.
The cold shower poured over him, but the water did nothing.
He didn't feel it because his mind was drowning in the truth of Rachel's background.
Fifteen minutes later, he stepped out of the bathroom with a clean white towel wrapped around his waist.
Charlotte's eyes flickered over his body, but fear had temporarily disabled her habit of drooling at his abs, so she had no choice but to turn her gaze away and stare into space.
On the other hand, Liam dressed quickly. DONNA Blue Jeans, DONNA White T-Shirt, DONNA Blue jacket and a pair of DONNA White Sneakers.
He looked in the mirror and smiled faintly at his reflection, then he turned to Charlotte and, with a rough voice, he said: "Babe, when will I be getting the second investment of ten billion Gilead dollars you promised me? I have an ongoing project that is in urgent need of liquid funds... A lot of it, so when will be getting the ten billion?"
Charlotte's mouth dropped as her thoughts screamed, saying: Money? Even now? With the Shens looming like a guillotine? All he is thinking about is money?*
Meanwhile, Liam didn't wait for her to answer.
He slipped his phone into his back pocket, opened the door, and stepped out.
As soon as his legs crossed the threshold of room 3001, Charlotte's voice rang behind him, sharp with fear, saying: "We're finished, Liam! We're done for! Sooner or later, Erica will know about us, and I don't even want to think about what—"
Not wanting to hear more of her ranting, he slammed the door shut and started to walk down the long hallway.
The hallway, stretched long, was quiet and empty.
He walked to the elevator and pressed for it to open.
When the elevator door slid open, he stepped in and saw his reflection in the mirrored wall of the elevator, which startled him.
He couldn't believe what his eyes were seeing. His own face looked pale, hollow and almost unrecognizable.
After some minutes, the elevator chimed and the door slid open and showed him the lobby.
As he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed the lobby was alive with chatter.
Guests were seen laughing among themselves, some chatted with each other in two or three groups while some were dragging and pulling along suitcases.
The atmosphere was lively and the scent of perfume and polished wood filled the air, with some even invading his nostrils.
He walked through the lobby and stepped outside the hotel through the revolving doors of the hotel.
As soon as he stepped out, the sun hit his face and some distance away, his sleek white BMW was seen waiting for him in the open-air parking lot.
He strode across many parks and stopped when he got to his white BMW.
Unlocking the driver's door, he slid inside and as soon as the engine roared, he pressed the accelerator and made the white BMW shoot out of the parking lot like a bullet that was fired out of a gun and flying towards his target.
As his speed gained more momentum, the Hyle Hotel shrank in the rearview mirror and disappeared after a minute.
As he pressed his foot down on the accelerator pedal, River City started to unfold before him with neon lights and chaos.
The car surged forward as he raced down the asphalt, many streetlights blurred past, many horns sounded and disappeared into the background.
Liam wasn't driving towards anything.
He was running. Running from Rachel Shen, from Erica Shen, from the empire, he never knew he had been brushing shoulders with.
He kept on pressing down on the accelerator pedal, making the BMW surge forward with a roar as it dominated the streets like its king, but before he could bask in its moment as a king, the city engulfed it back like an Emperor.
Hours passed, and the sun started to dim, but he didn't notice the sun dipping low because his mind was busy replaying Rachel's face—Rachel's smile, Rachel's laughter, and Rachel's blue eyes gazing at him while glistening with love.
He had thought he knew her, but what he knew was a lie.
He pulled over at last, on a deserted road.
The silence hit harder than the engine roar.
He leaned back and closed his eyes, then Rachel's face floated before him again.
First the girl he had mocked, then the heiress fighting for life on a hospital bed.
The two images blurred until he couldn't tell which was real between them.
He felt his chest tightening as he whispered to himself: "I gave her three hundred million Gilead dollars and felt proud. Not knowing it was a child's allowance in her world."
A hollow laugh escaped his throat while his temples throbbed in pain.
In the distance, the skyline gleamed, but it was invisible to him because what his mind was showing him was the golden skyscraper of Shen Group.
He put the car back in drive mode and pressed down on the accelerator pedal of the white BMW. No destination. Just motion.
He thought of Zerhaps Bar. Thought of drowning in liquor.
But Erica's words echoed in his head. Her vow. Her promise of death.
He thought of confessing. He even thought of begging. But he knew he couldn't. He had killed that part of himself long ago.
And as the car rolled forward into the night, Liam realized the truth.
There was no turning back.
Not anymore.