Dominic Valerius stood on the helipad of the Sterling Global tower, the wind whipping his coat. He checked his phone. A message from Victoria.
*I need the Caymans file. Tonight.*
Dominic looked out at the city. He had spent his life hating William Croft, but his hatred for his father was a living thing, a rot that had consumed his childhood. Arthur had pitted him against Julian, manipulated their lives, and treated them like chess pieces.
He typed a reply: *If I give you that, Sterling Global collapses. My inheritance turns to ash.*
The dots bubbled as she typed back: *It’s the only way to stop him. Do it for the truth. Or do it for me.*
Dominic stared at the screen. He knew this was the end. If he handed over the ledger, he wasn’t just stopping a blackmail attempt; he was burning his own dynasty to the ground. He would be the King of Nothing.
But then he thought of Arthur’s smug face at the board meeting. He thought of Victoria, who had fought harder for her family than he ever had for his.
Dominic turned and walked back toward the elevator, heading not for his office, but for the secure server room on the 40th floor. He wasn’t doing it for William. He was doing it to watch his father bleed.