Chapter 112 The Fire Beneath

The city was never truly silent.

Even in the dead of night, headlights flickered, sirens wailed in the distance, and the hum of life pulsed beneath the towering skyline.

Ethan Watson stood on the balcony of his penthouse, the cool air biting against his skin. A glass of whiskey rested in his hand, the amber liquid untouched. Below him, the world moved—oblivious to the storm brewing behind closed doors.

His eyes drifted to the folder Diana had left.

Blueprints. Off-the-record transactions. Skeletons Conrad had hidden even from his own men.

But it was the last page that caught Ethan’s attention.

A name.

Andra Larson.

His grip tightened around the folder.

Alea stepped onto the balcony, her gaze sharp. “You’re thinking too much.”

Ethan turned slightly. “Not thinking. Calculating.”

She exhaled. “Whatever’s in that folder, it’s not the full story.”

Ethan’s jaw ticked. “No, but it’s enough to start one.”

He tapped the document, his voice even. “We need to find out how deep Andra was involved.”

Alea studied him, searching for hesitation. She found none.

“Then let’s go hunting.”

A Visit to the Ghosts

The old warehouse smelled of rust and damp concrete. Shadows stretched long against the walls, the only source of light coming from the flickering bulbs overhead.

Ethan stepped inside, his presence swallowing the room. Luca and Alea followed, both silent, both watchful.

At the center of the space, a man sat bound to a chair. His lip was split, his knuckles bruised, but his eyes—they were still defiant.

“Andra’s been busy,” Luca mused, circling their prisoner. “But not careful enough.”

The man let out a dry chuckle. “You think you can scare me?”

Ethan crouched in front of him, his movements slow, deliberate. A predator before the kill.

“I don’t need to scare you,” Ethan said, his voice smooth. “I just need you to understand the mistake you made.”

The man spat blood onto the ground. “And what mistake is that?”

Ethan smirked. “Thinking you were untouchable.”

Luca grabbed the back of the man’s chair and dragged it forward, metal screeching against concrete.

“You’re going to tell us what Andra was doing for Conrad,” Alea said, her voice calm but edged with steel.

The man laughed again, though this time it sounded forced. “If I don’t?”

Ethan stood, adjusting his cuffs.

“Then you’ll leave this room in pieces.”

Silence.

A flicker of hesitation passed through the man’s eyes. He swallowed hard.

And then he started talking.

The Truth No One Wanted

Back at Watson Tower, Ethan paced his office, his mind sharp, dissecting every detail.

Andra hadn’t just been working for Conrad—she had been his contingency plan.

While Conrad built his empire in the light, Andra had been moving the pieces in the dark. Hidden accounts. Shell companies. Blackmail.

Alea leaned against the desk, her arms crossed. “We underestimated her.”

Ethan nodded. “And she knew it.”

Luca exhaled. “So what now? You confront her?”

Ethan’s gaze darkened. “No. We let her come to us.”

Alea raised a brow. “And what if she doesn’t?”

Ethan smirked, a dangerous glint in his eyes. “Then we burn down everything she built until she has no choice.”

The Collapse Begins

It started small.

A delayed shipment. A missing account. A canceled contract.

By the time Andra realized what was happening, it was already too late.

She stormed into Watson Tower, her heels clicking against the marble floors like gunshots.

The receptionist barely had time to react before she was already inside Ethan’s office.

He was waiting.

Alea stood near the window, Luca beside her. None of them looked surprised.

Andra’s eyes burned with fury. “What the hell are you doing?”

Ethan leaned back in his chair, unbothered. “Taking back what’s mine.”

Andra slammed the folder onto his desk—the same one Diana had given him. “This is bullshit.”

Ethan picked it up, flipping through the pages. “Is it?”

Her jaw clenched. “Conrad made me do those things. I didn’t have a choice.”

Ethan’s smirk was cold. “Everyone has a choice.”

Andra’s hands curled into fists. “And what about you, Ethan? You think you’re any different?”

Ethan stood, stepping around the desk. “I never claimed to be innocent.”

The room crackled with tension.

Andra exhaled sharply, looking between them. “So what now? You destroy me?”

Ethan studied her, silent.

Then, finally, he spoke.

“You tell me.”

Andra’s breathing slowed. For the first time, she wasn’t just fighting—she was considering.

Alea stepped forward. “You can walk away from this. Or you can be part of something bigger.”

Andra scoffed. “And trust you?”

Ethan tilted his head. “Trust is earned. Loyalty is a choice.”

Andra hesitated.

The silence stretched.

Then—she made her decision.

The Next Move

That night, Ethan stood at his window once more, watching the city.

Alea joined him. “She’s in.”

Ethan smirked. “Of course she is.”

Alea exhaled. “And Diana?”

Ethan’s jaw tensed slightly. Diana had given him the first push—but that didn’t mean she was on his side.

“She’s still a wildcard,” Ethan admitted. “But one I intend to control.”

Alea studied him. “And if you can’t?”

Ethan finally sipped his whiskey, the fire burning down his throat.

“Then I’ll make sure she doesn’t control me either.”