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The sound of Clara’s heavy metal brace hitting the marble floor echoed like a gunshot in the silent ballroom. / Chapter 7 / 8

Chapter 7 - WAR OF THE OLIGARCHS

The destruction of Hale Tower was blamed on a gas main explosion, but the elite class knew the truth: the Hale family was falling apart from the inside.

Three days after the collapse, Marcus, Serene, Noah, and Clara were sheltered at an old, unregistered family estate in the mountains. Leo stayed with them, sitting by the fireplace, his golden glow completely hidden. He looked like an ordinary boy again.

Suddenly, the front gates of the mountain estate were breached by a fleet of armored SUVs.

Dozens of heavily armed mercenaries poured out, taking positions around the house. Stepping out from the lead vehicle was Julian Vance—the mastermind of the Vance Syndicate—alongside Vanessa Hale, her face scarred from the tower collapse, her eyes hungry for revenge.

"Marcus!" Julian’s voice boomed through a megaphone. "Come out! You lost the board! You lost the company! Hand over the child and sign over your remaining shares, or we level this cabin!"

Inside, Marcus picked up his tactical shotgun. He looked at Serene and held her hand tightly.

"Stay with the kids," Marcus said.

"Marcus, no!" Serene cried. "There are fifty of them!"

"I spent my whole life protecting money and status," Marcus smiled bitterly, kissing her forehead. "It's time I protect my family."

Marcus stepped out onto the porch, pointing his shotgun at Julian and Vanessa.

"You're outgunned, brother," Vanessa laughed insanely. "Julian and I have merged our holdings. We own the city now. Give us the boy. Julian’s private labs can harvest his cellular structure and create unlimited energy technology. We will be gods!"

"He's not a battery," Marcus spat. "He's my son."

Julian smiled coldly. "Then die like a father."

Julian raised his hand to order his men to open fire.

BOOM!

A bolt of lightning struck the center of the courtyard, smashing a massive crater into the pavement and flipping two armored SUVs into the air!

The mercenaries shrieked, backing away as thick black smoke rose from the crater.

Walking out from the smoke was Leo.

He was barefoot, wearing his simple linen shirt. But around him, the air vibrated with incredible pressure, crushing the heavy tactical rifles in the soldiers' hands into useless scrap metal!

"You want the power of Elena Vance?" Leo asked, his voice shaking the earth beneath their feet. "You killed her because she tried to hide me from you. Now... see what she left behind!"

Leo raised his hands to the sky.

The clouds above gathered into a massive, swirling vortex. The vehicles trembled, their alarms blaring, as gravity itself seemed to reverse around the courtyard. Mercenaries fell to their knees, gasping for air as the pressure crushed their armor.

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Deep inside my banking app, the little green toggle next to the automatic transfer had vanished. For forty-eight months, that button had silently pumped $2,450 out of my dwindling savings account directly into the primary mortgage servicing pool for 442 Oakridge Lane.

Deep inside my banking app, the little green toggle next to the automati...

Ethan went pale—but his mother looked terrified and whispered, “Stop her before she finds out.” That was when I realized my triplets weren’t the only secret the Montgomery family had been hiding.

Ethan went pale—but his mother looked terrified and whispered, “Stop her...

After six years away, I came home and found my mother on her knees, dressed like a maid in the house I had bought for her.

After six years away, I came home and found my mother on her knees, dres...

Vanessa panicked, pulling a detonator from her pocket. "I have a remote strike targeted on this grid! If I die, a missile destroys this entire mountain!"

She reached to press it—

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