Chapter 417: The Death of Daniel

Daniel felt the searing pain explode in his chest as the blade pierced his heart. The steady rhythm that had been keeping him alive faltered... and stopped.

Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision. A piercing ring filled his ears, as if death itself were calling his name.

He staggered back, then collapsed onto the bed, his gaze locking on Eric and Eirlys, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

Eric looked down at the dying man. Suddenly, he clapped his hands together, his expression shifting to one of sudden alarm.

"Ah, damn. I almost forgot something important. Luna knows you're Daniel too. If she tells Theron who you really are, that boy will come after me one day. How the hell did I overlook that?"

Eric smacked his forehead in mock frustration. Daniel, barely clinging to life, summoned the last scrap of strength in his body. He pointed a trembling finger at Eric, his voice a hoarse roar, "Bastard... you will not touch her..."

The words tore from his throat, and then his chest fell still. Daniel was gone.

Eric's frown melted away, replaced by a cold, detached calm.

"I never liked using hostages. My plan was to strip you of everything, watch you crawl in the dirt, and then tell you the truth. But now... now I have to resort to something this crude. It's just not satisfying."

He glanced at Daniel's lifeless body, then turned and pulled Eirlys into his arms, holding her tightly.

"Nothing about this is satisfying, Eirlys. Jonathan is dead. Harold is dead. Patricia is in custody. Daniel dies without even putting up a fight. That leaves only Gerald... and that idiot could never be a real opponent. It's all so... boring."

His voice carried the petulance of a child denied his favorite toy.

Eirlys wrapped her arms around him. "It's alright, Eric. You still have me. Remember what I said? Once we've finished all our revenge, we'll travel the world together."

Eric nodded, holding her close before pressing his lips to hers.

Across town, the news of Patricia's arrest tore through the internet like wildfire. The public was stunned — a beloved celebrity, accused of murder.

[My God, I always thought Patricia was the victim. Turns out she was sleeping with Harold all along.]

[Jonathan really has terrible luck. First he falls for a divorced woman with three kids, then for a snake like her.]

[At least Kathie is better than Patricia. She divorced first, before moving on.]

[I feel bad for calling Kathie names before. She's a good woman. I hope she and Jonathan get back together.]

[Please. Jonathan should find someone even better. Like me.]

[Do you love his body, his looks, or his money?]

[I just hope this doesn't leave Jonathan with scars he can't heal.]

In a private dining room at the top floor of one of Keith's family-owned restaurants, Jonathan, Kathie, Melinda, and Keith sat together. Keith had shut the floor off to outsiders, ensuring complete privacy.

"Kathie, your cousin works fast. I can't believe he found proof against Patricia so quickly," Keith said, raising an eyebrow.

Kathie shrugged, unaware of the deal between Archibald and Zachary. She assumed it was just Archibald's skill.

Melinda leaned forward, eyes bright. "I never liked that woman. Always pretending to be something she wasn't. Now she's in jail, and no matter what her impostor and her father do, even the best lawyer can't get her out."

Kathie and Jonathan exchanged a glance, faint smiles tugging at their lips. Patricia had never been a real threat to them.

Keith's expression hardened. "About that impostor — have you decided when you'll expose him inside the company?"

Jonathan's eyes narrowed. "I've identified a few of Eric's allies, but I still need time."

Then, a smirk crossed his face. "You know what they say — plans never survive contact with reality. From what I've seen, Eric's real target is the Stewart Family. But now that Patricia's out of the picture, I want to see how that impostor plans to take them down."

Before anyone could respond, Jonathan's phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen — Ben was calling.

The moment he answered, Ben's urgent voice filled the room. "Mr. Jonathan Berkeley, I just got word. Atlas is dead. Suicide at his villa."

The words hit like a gunshot. Keith and the others froze, eyes widening.

Jonathan's gaze turned sharp. "Understood. I'll confirm it now."

He looked to Kathie, who immediately dialed Archibald.

Archibald picked up almost instantly. "Kathie, let me guess — you're calling about Atlas."

"Yes," Kathie replied. "We just heard. What happened?"

Archibald sighed. "Not long after we arrested Patricia, Atlas's assistant, Eirlys, called us. She said she heard a gunshot from his room. When she went in, she found him dead. There was a note beside him."

He relayed the contents of the note. The room fell silent.

Keith exhaled slowly. "Looks like we underestimated that impostor. He pushed Atlas to the edge."

Kathie ended the call and met Jonathan's eyes. Neither had expected the impostor to go this far.

Then Kathie's phone rang again. She checked the screen — Barnabas.

"Kathie," his voice was grim, "the monastery's been attacked. Luna has been targeted for assassination."