minimalist, functional, lined with books instead of awards. It spoke of a man who valu

eve Liam' s ambition is more than just wanting to r

s you to lose. He' s been obsessed with surpassing you his entire life, and Bethany... she' s the

smissive like Liam or my father. He was listening,

offer any proof beyond my own conviction. F

ing, but it was the only f

framing me, made another public prediction. She stood be

less. It will generate unprecedented returns over the next quarter. This is a s

Hayes Industries was investing heavily in Sterling Financial. His endorsement was enough. The money started to pour in, and Sterling' s stock bega

. The date was two weeks away. Bethany was right about the surge, but she was wrong about the timing of the collapse. Her information was incomplete, a ha

would fail.

et opened, and Sterling Financial' s stock held steady, but it didn' t surge as she ha

h the market. It was the trigger. Sterling' s "flawless" algorithm went haywire, making a series of

e were watching their money evaporate in real-time. This time,

n the last, gathered outside the Hayes Industries headquar

way into the building. Security

the security feed, pacing back and forth like a cornered ani

It was me. She

s a high-pitched, desperate shriek. "They

he woman who had thrown me to the wolves

asked, my voice de

isters!" she cried, the word

ghed. I hung

s of the building. The crowd roared at the sight of us, their

ising silence fell over the mob.

lified by a small speaker system. "I understand your

belief went thr

our initial investments in Sterling Financial," Ethan continued. "We are settin

sed the crowd' s anger, turning their rage into relief. It positioned us

the more extreme individuals, however, remained. They broke through the security line and rushed

he lobby. One of them grabbe

eamed in her face. "A real p

ill-fitting gold bracelet she always wore snagged on his jacket

lemished skin. There was no mar

terrified face. A look of dawning, furi

ake! A compl

choed through th

osed to the world, did the only thing she

with hysteria. "She has the mark! She' s the one

, she had revealed

rash mother! You came into our house to ruin us! She was not

and cruel, struck a

dn' t shout. I simply

y much alive. A cocktail waitress in a casino in Vegas, isn' t she? The one your father paid

as now out in the open, hanging in the air for everyone to hear. The crowd gasped. The r

ce a mask of disbelief. He had tied his horse to this wagon, an

ding forward. "I will use every resource

commanding voice c

o no such th

wood clan, stood at the entrance, his face li

f he wasn't there, his e

he announced, his voice booming through the lobby. "Liam, you are suspended f

o me, his expression soft

ood families is confirmed," he declared. "A