Moris Sinclair stood over the fallen body of his own guard, his pulse a drumbeat of rage.
Julian was inside the walls. Not physically, but through his reach—his ability to turn trusted men into weapons.
And tonight, he had nearly won.
Isabel sat on the bed, her breathing uneven, gripping the sheets as if letting go would send her spiraling into the chaos Julian had unleashed.
Leo was already working, his fingers flying over the phone he had pulled from the dead guard's pocket. Sarah stood by the doorway, gun still raised, scanning the shadows as if expecting another attack.
Moris turned to Isabel, his voice softer than usual. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"
She nodded, but her hands trembled. "I—" She swallowed. "I woke up, and he was just standing there. Watching me."
Moris's fists clenched. Watching her.
Julian's game wasn't just about taking things from Moris.
He wanted him to suffer.
Leo cursed under his breath. "Julian wiped the message history. The only text left is the last one—'Time to wake her up.'"
Sarah exhaled sharply. "That means there are more of them."
Moris looked down at the dead man on the floor. "How long had he been working for me?"
Leo scrolled through files. "Six years."
Moris's jaw tightened. "Six years of loyalty, thrown away for Julian."
Isabel whispered, "Why would he do this?"
Moris met her gaze. "Because Julian doesn't just find people. He turns them."
No One is Innocent
They had no choice.
By sunrise, every single guard, staff member, and associate connected to Sinclair Enterprises was under review.
Leo was digging into financials. Sarah was questioning employees. No one was above suspicion.
By mid-afternoon, the results were chilling.
Four more men.
Four trusted men, all with offshore accounts suddenly receiving large payments.
And the worst part?
One of them was in charge of the penthouse's security.
Moris's stomach turned. Julian hadn't just breached the safe house.
He had been inside from the beginning.
Sarah dropped the latest report on the table. "This isn't just infiltration. This is an infestation."
Moris's fingers tapped the table. Think.
Julian had money, but he had never been richer than Moris. This wasn't just about bribery.
This was loyalty.
Fear.
And something else.
Moris looked at Leo. "Did any of the men who flipped have a history with Julian?"
Leo hesitated. "Actually... yeah." He swiped through his tablet. "Two of them? They used to work for Roth Industries before Julian lost everything."
Sarah scoffed. "Loyalists."
Moris exhaled. Julian's men had never truly left him.
Leo continued, "And one of them—Daniel Vance—his daughter got into legal trouble last year. But someone silenced the case. Guess who?"
Moris's stomach twisted. "Julian."
Leo nodded. "Seems like Julian isn't just buying loyalty. He's owning people."
Moris sat back, the weight of realization settling in.
If Julian had this many hidden hands inside Sinclair Enterprises, then the war wasn't coming.
It was already here.
The Call
That night, Moris sat alone in his office, staring at the city lights.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Did you enjoy my little surprise?"
Julian's voice was smooth, pleased with himself.
Moris stayed silent.
Julian chuckled. "Come on, Moris. Say something. Tell me how angry you are. Tell me how much you hate me."
Moris exhaled slowly. "I'm done playing defense."
Silence.
Then, Julian laughed. "Now that is what I wanted to hear."
Moris leaned forward. "You want war? Fine. But when I'm finished with you—there won't be anything left."
Julian hummed. "Bold. But tell me, Moris… how do you plan to fight a man who's already inside?"
Click.
The line went dead.
Moris set the phone down carefully.
Then, he picked up his gun.
This war ends now.