The city pulsed beneath him like a living thing.
Kian stood at his office window, whiskey glass in hand, watching the lights flicker across the skyline.
It had taken years to get here.
Years of clawing his way to the top.
And now?
Now, there was no one left to stand in his way.
Mercer was gone.
Foster had fallen.
Nathan had disappeared into the abyss where all loose ends eventually vanished.
Kian Vale had won.
And yet—
As he stared out over the city, something in his chest felt tight.
Not fear. Not regret.
But something else.
Something he couldn't name.
He exhaled slowly, taking a sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle in his throat.
There was no time for hesitation.
No time for second-guessing.
Because now that he had everything—
He had to keep it.
---
The office was quieter than usual.
Not because people weren't working—
