Byano sat in the leather chair of his Manhattan office, the city's skyline a distant blur through the glass walls, its lights muted by the overcast September sky. The weight of the past twenty-four hours pressed against his temples—Marcus's disappearance, Sophia's frantic discovery of his journal, and the cryptic texts hinting at secrets Byano couldn't yet grasp. Dr. Carter's call had been a lifeline: Marcus was spotted at Chelsea Piers, staring into the Hudson, unharmed but unresponsive. Byano had sent Elena to retrieve him, trusting her calm strength to coax him home. Now, with Marcus safe but fragile, Byano faced another storm: Victoria's divorce demands, escalating into a legal battle that threatened to dismantle his empire.
Harlan stood across from him, his weathered face grim as he slid a folder across the desk. "Evelyn Pierce's summary. Victoria's lawyer is pushing for alimony and a slice of your assets—half, if they can swing it. They're citing 'emotional distress' and claiming you neglected the family."
Byano's laugh was bitter. "Neglect? She's the one using Marcus as a bargaining chip." He opened the folder, scanning Evelyn's notes. Victoria's demands were audacious: $500 million in alimony, "support" for Marcus despite his age, and a share of Norwood Enterprises' future profits. The claim of neglect stung, a distortion of the long hours he'd poured into building a legacy for his children. His mind flashed to their early years—Victoria's laughter in that cramped Silicon Valley apartment, her hand in his as they dreamed big. That woman was gone, replaced by a stranger whose greed knew no bounds.
"Evelyn's good," Harlan said, breaking Byano's thoughts. "She'll tear this apart. But Victoria's playing dirty. Rumors are circulating—media's sniffing around about your 'troubled family.'"
Byano's jaw tightened. The anonymous emails—We know what you did, Byano—and the texts to Sophia and Marcus felt connected. Was Victoria leaking stories to weaken him? Or was it Kessler, the board member Harlan suspected of betraying their merger plans? "Dig deeper on those emails," Byano said. "And Kessler. If he's feeding info to the press, I want proof."
Harlan nodded, but his eyes flicked to Byano's phone, buzzing with a new message. It was from Evelyn: Meeting with Victoria's team at 3 PM. Be there. They're escalating. Byano exhaled, the weight of his empire and family colliding. He thought of Marcus, now back at the mansion under Elena's watch, and Sophia, her rebellion channeled into protecting her brother. His daughters were his strength, but Marcus's fragility was a wound he couldn't heal alone.
The meeting was held in a sterile conference room at Evelyn Pierce's law firm, all glass and chrome, the air heavy with the scent of coffee and tension. Evelyn, a sharp-eyed woman in her forties with a reputation for dismantling opponents, sat beside Byano. Across the table were Victoria and her lawyer, Richard Langston, a slick attorney with a shark's smile. Victoria's face was a mask of composure, her silk blouse pristine, but her eyes gleamed with calculation.
Langston opened with a salvo. "Mr. Norwood, my client has endured years of emotional neglect, prioritizing your business over your family. We're seeking fair compensation—half your liquid assets, a stake in Norwood Enterprises, and ongoing support for your son's care."
Byano's voice was steel. "Marcus is an adult. Your 'support' claim is a fiction. And neglect? Victoria's been absent from our children's lives for years, emotionally and otherwise."
Victoria leaned forward, her voice venomous. "You left us behind, Byano. Galas, boardrooms, your precious empire—where were you when Marcus needed you? Or when I did?"
Evelyn interjected, her tone calm but lethal. "Mrs. Norwood, your financial records show expenditures exceeding $10 million in the past five years on personal luxuries. Hardly the portrait of a neglected spouse."
Victoria's cheeks flushed, but she recovered quickly. "I built this family. I deserve my share."
The meeting spiraled, accusations flying—Victoria claiming Byano's long hours justified her demands, Byano countering with her neglect of Marcus's depression. Evelyn presented evidence: emails where Victoria dismissed Marcus's therapy as "a phase," bank statements showing her lavish spending. But Langston was prepared, producing a letter allegedly from Byano, hinting at infidelity years ago. Byano's pulse quickened—it was forged, but the timing was damning, especially with those anonymous emails circling.
"We'll need to verify that," Evelyn said, unfazed. "But let's be clear: this is a negotiation, not a smear campaign."
As the meeting ended, Victoria stood, her parting words chilling. "You think you're untouchable, Byano. But I know things. Things the world will care about."
Outside, rain began to fall, streaking the city's glass towers. Byano drove home, his mind racing. The forged letter, the anonymous threats, Victoria's escalating demands—it was a coordinated attack. At the mansion, Elena and Sophia were with Marcus, who sat on the couch, eyes hollow. "He's talking," Elena whispered. "But he's not okay."
Byano knelt beside his son. "Marcus, we're here. Whatever it takes."
Marcus nodded faintly, but his gaze drifted. Sophia handed Byano the journal, open to a new poem: I'm drowning in their shadows / Even love feels like a cage. Byano's heart ached. He needed to protect his family, but the storm was growing.
Cliffhanger: A breaking news alert on Byano's phone—a tabloid headline: Billionaire Byano's Dark Secrets Exposed.