The smell of leather and polished oak filled the air as Victor Pierce sat at the head of the exquisite conference table. His office, in the executive wing of Pierce Tower, high above the city, was the pinnacle of power and control for a man who ruled with an iron grip. The city grew like a kingdom under his control, and outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the skyline sparkled against the night.
Victor leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers as he observed the men and women seated around the table. He had called in the board of Pierce Industries, which included CEOs, investors, and politicians. They sat in awkward silence, waiting for him to say anything.
He could feel their fear. And he enjoyed it.
Not something Victor simply wanted, but power was something he demanded. The final obstacle had been removed with Aidan out of the way, and he could now govern the empire. He owned the city, the corporation, and the wealth. But Victor wasn't content to be in charge. He was determined to gain total dominion, and nothing could stop him. Not Aidan. Not the board. Nobody.
Victor cast a cold glance at Raymond Holt, a senior board member who was one of the few who dared to question his recent decisions. Holt, a persistent pain in Victor's side, quietly resisted his efforts to establish authority. Victor now plans to permanently remove him.
"Raymond," said Victor, "you've been quiet tonight." Although he spoke in a friendly tone, there was a definite undertone of animosity. "I hope the new course I've laid out is acceptable to you."
Raymond gripped the armrest of the chair, his knuckles turning white, but his face remained composed. His words were cautious: "I have some reservations. The company's rapid reorganization and aggressive acquisition tactics are starting to worry some of our investors. We have to be careful."
Victor's lips curled into a slow, predatory smile. "Raymond, careful? That's not how we maintain power. If you're weak, then you have to be careful. All around the world, strength is revered. Our investors are also searching for results. If they see us wavering, they'll go. And I'm not going to let that happen."
Raymond opened his lips to respond, but Victor stopped him with a raised hand.
"Raymond, I didn't ask for your opinion. I asked for your permission."
The room grew quiet as everyone's gaze shifted uneasily between Victor and Raymond. They all knew what was going on. Most of them would have liked to appear as if they had never seen Victor's strategies before, but they had. In this way, it was easier to accept that they were part of a legitimate corporate empire rather than a government that was ruthless and founded on terror.
Raymond swallowed hard as Victor stared at him, his defiance melting away. He answered, barely able to speak above a whisper, "Of course, Mr. Pierce. I have faith in your judgment."
Victor's grin widened, but it was cold. "All right. Knowing we agree makes me pleased."
He didn't have to make Raymond seem bad in front of the world tonight. That is, later, in a far more private setting. Raymond's days were numbered, and Victor would see to it that he was taken out as quickly as possible and for good. Opposition was intolerable to him. Not at this moment. Never.
Victor stood up to declare the meeting over. He said in a commanding manner, "This company is stronger than it's ever been. But we're not finished yet. There are still problems that need to be fixed that could endanger our progress. I expect you will all do your part to keep us untouchable. Does everyone agree?"
There was a chorus of muted agreement, but no board member dared to look Victor in the eyes for more than a second.
Satisfied, Victor swiped his hand dismissively. The board members silently filed out of the room, leaving the plush carpet behind. Only Raymond remained at the back, his expression a mix of resentment and resignation.
As the last of the board members disappeared through the door, Victor dropped his mask of civility. The expression that had come to define him in place of his smile was one of cold calculation.
Reaching for his phone, he entered a number.
"Vargas," he murmured hurriedly as the line appeared. "Now is the moment."
There was no need for more explanation. Victor's chief of security, Daniel Vargas, understood exactly what Victor meant.
Victor hung up and walked to the window to gaze at the city below. Pierce Industries was the jewel of his empire, but it was only beginning. He had lofty goals that went beyond the realm of business to include organized crime, international trade, and politics. He intended to expand his already extensive network of influence.
But there were still difficulties. Even after being removed off the board, Aidan Pierce was is still one of them.
Victor's jaw tightened as he thought about his nephew. He hadn't realized how annoying Aidan had been. The child had always been an optimist, a dreamer who cherished dignity and ancestry. It had been almost laughable how easily the media and board had turned on him and set him up for embezzlement. But Victor had thought that Aidan's death would be quiet. The fact that he had disappeared into the night made him dangerous.
Aidan's escape surprised Victor because he took great pride in being aware of everything that happened in his empire. These folks were more loyal to the Pierce name than to Victor's wealth, and his nephew had contacts and was out there making millions. He couldn't allow that to continue.
Vargas was going to find him. When he does, Victor would make sure Aidan was dealt with for good.
There was a knock on the door. Victor turned to see his secretary, Meredith, standing tensely at the doorway.
When she responded, "Mr. Pierce, your car is ready," her voice sounded a touch unsteady. "And Vargas is downstairs, waiting for you."
Victor put his phone in his pocket and nodded. "All right. Inform him that I will be there soon."
Meredith vanished as fast as she had appeared, obviously nervous to spend too much time with Victor. She had spent enough time working for him to understand that even the smallest mistake might have serious consequences.
Before making his way to the door, Victor straightened his suit jacket and adjusted his tie in the mirror. Tonight, he had a meeting that would strengthen his hold on the most influential people in the city. He had to deal with Raymond first, though.
His mind stayed icily concentrated on the task at hand as he rode the private elevator down to the parking garage. It was unacceptable for Raymond Holt to have questioned his authority in front of the board. He needed to set an example for others. Naturally, not in public—that would attract unwanted attention—but in a quiet, covert manner that would make a statement to anyone else considering crossing the boundary.
The sleek black SUV was waiting for him in the dark garage when the elevator doors slid open. Vargas stood next to it, his strong body casually threatening the car as he leaned against it. As Victor stepped forward, his keen eyes shining with anticipation, he straightened.
Vargas answered softly, "Everything is in place. Holt is now being picked up. We're going to handle it."
As Victor got into the SUV, he nodded once. While the driver, a silent figure in black, pulled out of the garage and onto the street, Vargas sat with him in the backseat.
The vehicle traveled toward an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of the city through its dimly lit streets. Victor possessed a number of untraceable locations, all of which were helpful in situations like this. There were times when people had to vanish.
There was a lot of anxiety in the air during the calm ride. As he gazed out the window, Victor watched the city go by while he mentally planned his next move. Even if he had taken Aidan off the board, the youngster remained dangerous. Despite weeks of searching, Vargas's men had not yet found Aidan. But it was only a question of time. Nobody could remain hidden indefinitely.
"Any updates on Aidan?" Victor asked in a chilly tone.
Vargas gave a headshake. "We're keeping an eye on his well-known associates, but not yet. Claire Jennings, Jacob Pierce, and a few others. We will be informed if he contacts any of them."
Victor's mouth tensed. Jacob. Another unforeseen issue had been his brother's appearance out of the shadows. Although it had been wise for Jacob to vanish all those years ago, he was now causing trouble for himself once more. Jacob and Aidan are bad news if they are collaborating. They were enough knowledgeable about the family's past and the inner workings of the business to actually do harm.
"Keep searching," Victor advised. "I want to find Aidan. Additionally, make sure Jacob is taken care of. silently."
Vargas gave a nod, his face inscrutable. That meant something to him. Although Jacob was a loose end who needed to be constantly restrained, Aidan was Victor's nephew.
The SUV's headlights pierced the night as it approached the warehouse. Vargas was the first to go, looking around before approving Victor. As he got closer to the entrance, Victor followed, his sneakers crunching on the gravel.
Raymond Holt was waiting inside, strapped to a chair in the middle of the space. His eyes were wide with terror, and his face was pale. Vargas's men had obviously roughed him up, but the true horror had not yet begun.
A few feet in front of Raymond, Victor came to a halt, his face impassive and icy.
"Please, Victor," Raymond begged, his voice trembling. "I didn't mean—"
Victor quietly interrupted him, saying, "Stop. You are aware of your purpose. Raymond, you made a mistake. You questioned my ability to lead. You wondered about this company's future. And I can't have that."
Raymond shook his head wildly, his breath coming in short gasps. "I just wanted to—"
Victor's voice was like ice when he said, "You were trying to undermine me. And you'll be an example now."
He turned and gave Vargas a slight nod. Pulling a silenced pistol from his jacket, Vargas took a step forward. Raymond's eyes widened in terror, but the bullet reverberated through the room before he could say anything. The impact was clear, even if the sound was muffled.
Raymond sagged on the chair, his limp body still restrained by the chains.
Victor's face was unreadable as he gazed at the body for a while. The deed was done out of need, not satisfaction. Problems were supposed to be solved, and Raymond had been one.
Victor turned away from the scene and whispered to Vargas, "Clean this up. Additionally, ensure that the board is informed, silently."
Vargas gestured for his troops to tend to the deceased after nodding. Victor was already beginning to forget about Raymond's passing as he made his way back to the SUV. He needed to take care of more pressing issues
Victor's phone buzzed with a fresh message as the vehicle left the facility. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the screen.
"He's not gone yet. He's also closer than you may imagine."
Victor gripped the phone more tightly. Aidan. The boy continued to play his little game, but it was coming to an end. Victor would track him down. And Aidan would meet the same end as Raymond when he did.
But there were other loose ends besides Aidan. He would deal with Claire, Jacob, and the rest of the small, rebellious circle. He had been waiting too long for this empire, and he was determined to hold onto it no matter what.
Victor's thinking grew sharper with each passing second, his merciless focus as the city lights outside the window blurred. He would have the entire Pierce empire to himself. And he would obliterate everybody who stood in his path.
Victor's hold on the city was only getting stronger as the SUV raced through the night and vanished into the city's shadows.