CHAPTER 42;
The SUV pulled into the old shipping yard just after midnight. The headlights cut through the fog, revealing a tall figure leaning against a rusted container.
Clark didn't move as the vehicle stopped in front of him. The driver's door opened, and the man stepped out, dressed in black, clean-cut, confident, and quiet.
"You took your time," Clark said, voice low, eyes sharp.
The man shut the door without answering. He walked slowly towards Clark, stopping just a few feet from him.
"You called," the man said. "I came."
Clark's lips curved slightly. "I didn't expect you to show up this fast."
"You said you wanted him dead," the man replied. "I've waited a long time to hear those words."
Clark folded his arms. "This time, I'm not just here to rattle William's cage. I'm going to burn the whole damn mansion down. I'll take everything he has. His wife, his power, his name. Then I'll kill him. Slowly."
The man raised a brow. "Your obsession with him... is personal."
Clark stepped closer, his voice harder. "He made me watch everything I built fall apart. Now, I'm going to make sure he watches his life rot in front of him."
The man nodded once. "I don't care about the wife. Or his pride. I want his company. I want Dray Corp ruined. The moment he's broken, I take the business."
Clark smirked. "Then we understand each other."
The man's voice went colder. "But if you step on my plan just to satisfy your rage, we're done. You stick to your revenge. I'll handle the fall of Dray Corp."
"Fine by me," Clark said. "As long as William dies screaming."
---
Across town, Gabriella leaned against the railing of her penthouse balcony, phone pressed to her ear.
"Yes, I know," she said. "But you didn't do it right. You were supposed to leak the photo of them arguing, not the one where they made up."
A pause. Her jaw tightened.
"Do it again. I want cracks, not apologies."
She ended the call and tossed the phone onto the couch. She walked into the living room, her heels clicking softly on the marble floor.
A maid passed her with a tray, but Gabriella waved her off. Her mind was already spinning.
She picked up a glass of red wine, staring out at the city lights.
"They say love wins," she muttered. "But love didn't win when he left me."
She paced slowly. "She's nothing, Kate. Nothing but a charity case in a fancy dress. And when William sees what she's hiding, he'll run back to me. He always does."
She pulled out her tablet and opened a live feed.
"Let's start with planting doubt again. This time, we use her uncle. Let's see how William feels when he finds out who Kate's blood is working with."
---
Meanwhile, Kate sat in a dim booth at a quiet downtown restaurant, her eyes flicking up as Jeremy slid into the seat across from her.
"You really couldn't pick somewhere less sketchy?" he muttered.
Kate gave him a look. "I don't need ambience. I need answers."
Jeremy leaned forward. "You told me to dig deep. I found some things. Your uncle, Carlos Jones… he's not just funding those shady shell companies. He's linked to offshore accounts—same accounts Clark used before he vanished."
Kate's face went pale. "They're working together?"
Jeremy nodded. "Looks like it. They're trying to bring down Dray Corp from the inside. Carlos is the banker. Clark's the hammer."
Kate's fingers tightened around her glass. "And the man behind Clark? Who's he working for?"
"I'm still looking," Jeremy said. "Whoever he is, he's smart. He uses proxies. Ghost names. Encrypted transactions routed through four countries."
Kate's voice hardened. "Break it. I don't care how long it takes. I want his name. I want his face."
Jeremy frowned. "You're not planning something stupid, are you?"
"I'm planning to protect my husband," Kate said, eyes burning. "Even if he doesn't know what's coming."
Jeremy sighed. "You sure you still want to be in this? With William?"
Kate looked away for a moment, then back at him. "I didn't come this far to lose now."
Jeremy smirked. "Alright. Let me see what I can pull out from the firewall next."
---
Back at the Dray mansion, William stood by his window, staring into the night.
Something was coming. He could feel it, like a seer. And this time, it wasn't just Clark. It was something worse.
He clenched his fists , And he knew, deep inside— This is a new phase.
*****
The SUV drove off, leaving Clark standing alone in the cold night. He zipped his hoodie up and walked into the abandoned warehouse, his face lit by the orange flicker of a broken streetlight. His phone buzzed again. He didn't need to look to know who it was.
"Is it done?" the voice asked.
Clark smirked. "The man and I agreed. He wants Dray Corp. I want William's blood. We both get what we want."
"You sure you can trust him?"
"No," Clark said. "But I don't trust anyone. I just use them."
There was a short silence.
"And if he double-crosses you?"
"Then I kill him too."
---
Meanwhile, across the city, Gabriella stormed into a high-end lounge. Her heels clicked sharply against the marble floor. A well-dressed man tried to stop her at the entrance of the VIP section.
"Ma'am, this section is—"
She shot him a glare. "Do I look like someone you stop?"
He quickly stepped aside. Gabriella moved past him and found her target — a journalist from a gossip blog, seated with a glass of whisky in hand.
"Gabriella," he said, surprised. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"Cut the fake smile, Derek," she snapped. "You were supposed to post the argument clip, not the lovebird reunion."
He raised a brow. "Relax. People still talked."
"Not enough," she said through clenched teeth. "Kate is still standing beside him like she owns the world. That's supposed to be me."
Derek leaned back. "You want her gone that bad?"
"I don't want her gone," Gabriella said coldly. "I want her crushed. Humiliated. Broken."
He sipped his drink. "What do you have in mind?"
Gabriella smiled slowly. "She has secrets. I just need you to help me bring them into the light."
"And what do I get?"
"My silence," she said. "Or I remind the world how your hands funded that failed charity scam two years ago."
His smile faded. "Send me what you have. I'll handle the rest."
She turned, walking away without another word. Her heart pounded with dark satisfaction.
---
Kate sat across from Jeremy, arms crossed, face hard.
"You're sure?" she asked again.
Jeremy nodded. "Yes. Your uncle is knee-deep in this mess. He's not just involved—he's a key player."
Kate exhaled. "Why would he do this? Why would he help Clark?"
Jeremy opened his laptop, turned it toward her. "Look. These accounts were created years ago. Some of the transactions started even before you married William."
"Meaning... this isn't just about William," Kate said slowly. "It's about me."
"Or your bloodline," Jeremy said. "Your uncle might be using you. Maybe even used your marriage to get closer to Dray Corp."
Kate stared at the screen. "We have to go deeper. What about the man Clark met tonight?"
Jeremy shrugged. "I don't have a name yet. Just a location. Somewhere near the old yard in Blackstone."
"Can you trace him?"
"Eventually."
"I don't have time for eventually, Jeremy," she snapped. "I need names. I need dirt. If they're coming for William, I have to stay ahead of them."
Jeremy stared at her. "You're really in love with him."
Kate looked down. Her voice dropped. "I don't know. But I know what it feels like to lose everything. I won't let that happen again."
Jeremy sighed. "Alright. I'll dig. But be careful, Kate. People like Clark… they don't leave survivors."
---
Back at the mansion, William sat alone in his study, flipping through a file.
The silence was broken by a soft knock. He looked up to see Liam step in.
William stood. "You're back."
Liam nodded. "I spoke with the guards. We tracked the SUV. Clark met someone."
William's jaw tightened. "Who?"
"We don't know. But Clark's planning something big."
William moved to the window, hands in his pockets. "He wants revenge."
"And the man wants Dray Corp," Liam added.
William turned. "We need to find out who he is. I can handle Clark, but this man—he's working in the shadows."
"Kate's already digging," Liam said. "She met Jeremy tonight."
William's eyes narrowed. "Without telling me?"
"She's trying to help," Liam said gently. "She's doing it for you."
William turned away again, silent.
---
Outside, Gabriella sat in her car, parked a block away from the Dray estate.
She looked up at the mansion, the lights glowing behind the glass walls.
"Enjoy it while it lasts," she whispered. "Because I'm taking it all back."
She lit a cigarette, exhaled slowly.
"And when I'm done, not even your name will be remembered, Kate."
---
Clark paced a dim room in an old safehouse, phone pressed to his ear.
"I want everything ready by tomorrow," he said.
A voice replied, "It's risky."
"I don't care. We hit them where it hurts. First the company. Then the people. Then I take him down myself."
"And if William finds out you're alive?"
Clark grinned.
"Let him come. I want to see his face when everything he loves burns."