Imperial Crown Financial Center – Crisis Meeting Room
The towering glass windows vibrated under the howling storm outside, but inside the room, a deadlier storm was about to erupt.
Selina pushed open the grand double doors, her entrance sharp and deliberate.
Her heels echoed like war drums against the cold marble, her perfectly tailored suit a stark contrast to the chaos rippling through the room. Her eyes, once filled with helpless tears, now held the dangerous calm of a predator circling its prey.
Board members who had once sneered at her presence now fell into stunned silence.
She had begged them for mercy once. Lowered her pride and dignity at their feet. But that Selina was dead. Tonight, she wasn't asking. She was taking what was rightfully hers.
Her presence was a silent blade, cutting through the thick air of arrogance and fear, her every step a countdown toward their ruin.
Selina slammed a thick folder onto the table, the sound ricocheting like a gunshot.
"Gentlemen, before the sun rises, every one of you will decide—stand with me or be buried under the ruins of this empire."
Gasps filled the room as she flipped open the file.
Inside—undeniable evidence of financial misconduct, hidden offshore accounts, and decades of buried scandals tied directly to the traitorous council members.
One of the elder directors stood abruptly, his face pale as paper, sweat beading on his wrinkled forehead.
"This is… impossible!"
Selina leaned forward, her voice low and razor-sharp.
"Impossible? You should know by now… the only thing impossible is stopping me."
Scene Switch – Damian's Recovery Room
Damian's fingers twitched against the crisp white sheets, his consciousness flickering between darkness and light.
Even in this half-dead state, his mind refused to rest. His last memory was Selina's voice, fierce and unyielding. She was fighting… for him, for their son… for everything he failed to protect.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't the one standing between her and the world.
She was standing in front of him.
Shielding him.
Saving them all.
The thought was both his greatest pride and his deepest shame—like watching the brightest star rise while he lay broken beneath it.
Back in the council chamber, Selina's phone buzzed again.
This time, it wasn't a threat.
It was a live video feed.
Her heart nearly stopped as she watched—
Her son, blindfolded and crying, a timer counting down beside him.
00:23:59
A cold voice crackled through the speakers.
"You've drawn first blood, Selina. Now, let's see if you can survive the next 24 hours."
Her grip tightened on the phone, her knuckles turning white.
"Adrian… this time, even if it costs me my life, I'm bringing you down with me."