11. "The Ultimate Con: Marcus' Scheme Against Nathaniel and Vivienne"

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"Crash...!!"

The sound of a loud crash echoed through the dimly lit room, followed by the shuffling of bodies and the thud of flesh against the hard floor. The air was thick with tension as a man's angry voice filled the space, berating three kneeling individuals who looked like they had just been through a war.

Their bodies were battered and bruised, with whip marks and slash marks covering their skin like a grotesque painting. They looked up at the man towering over them with fear in their eyes, prostrating themselves completely on the ground as if begging for mercy.

The man was Nathaniel Delacroix, brother of Vivienne, and he was seething with rage. He had invested his money and resources in these three individuals - Orion Black, Scarlet Reigns, and Raven Nightingale - with the promise that they would help him take down his sister's company, Delacare. But now, they had failed miserably, and Nathaniel's anger was palpable.

He glared at them with disgust, his face contorting with rage as he spoke. "Where is your poise and dignity? You three shouted like everything was in your palms, and yet here you are, beaten and broken. I thought you said it would only take a few months to destroy Delacare's reputation. What happened?"

The three individuals trembled under his gaze, their voices shaking as they spoke. "Please, forgive us, young master. We didn't know that bitch Vivienne had such a strong backer behind her."

Nathaniel's anger only grew at the mention of his sister's name. "You fools. I trusted you, and you have only made me lose face. I invested in you, and this is how you repay me?"

The air in the room was thick with tension as Nathaniel's cold voice echoed through the space. The three individuals could feel his anger radiating off him in waves, and they shrank back, too afraid to look him in the eye.

Nathaniel's face was twisted with rage as he glared down at them. "You are a disappointment," he spat, his words dripping with venom. "You had one job, and you failed. And now, you will pay the price."

The three individuals quaked with fear, knowing that Nathaniel's wrath was not to be taken lightly. They knew that they had let him down, and they braced themselves for whatever punishment he had in store for them.

Nathaniel turned on his heel and stormed out of the room, his mind racing with anger and frustration. He had put all his hopes on those three fools, but they had proven themselves to be incompetent. He couldn't let this setback defeat him. He had to find another way to bring down Delacare.

Nathaniel trudged back to his office, his shoulders slumped with defeat. The weight of his failed plan bore down on him like an anchor. He had invested so much time, money, and effort into bringing down Delacare, but it seemed like Vivienne and Lucien were always one step ahead of him.

"I won't let you off the hook, Vivienne. The woman should just work in home and there is no place for you in this business field." The envy and jealousy he felt towards Vivienne were palpable, radiating off him like a toxic aura.

As he sat at his desk, brooding over his losses, a knock on the door startled him. He looked up to see a man standing in the doorway, his sly smile hinting at a hidden agenda. Nathaniel felt his hackles rise, wary of the stranger's intentions.

The man sauntered into the room, his confident demeanor making Nathaniel's skin crawl. "I couldn't help but notice your frustrations," he drawled, his voice dripping with honeyed tones. "Perhaps I can be of assistance."

Nathaniel eyed the stranger warily, but the allure of potential success was too strong to resist. "What do you propose?" he asked, his voice laced with skepticism.

Marcus chuckled softly as he introduced himself to Nathaniel. The private investigator had a sly demeanor, his voice low and conspiratorial as he leaned in close to Nathaniel.

"My name is Marcus," he said with a small smile. "I specialize in corporate espionage, and I want to help you take down Delacare. And I know just how to do it."

Nathaniel felt a surge of intrigue at Marcus's words. He had been searching for a way to bring down Delacare for so long, and Marcus's offer seemed too good to be true. But the way Marcus spoke and his confident mannerisms made Nathaniel believe that he could be trusted.

"What do you have in mind?" Nathaniel asked eagerly, his eyes alight with interest.

Marcus grinned, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "There's a friend of mine, named Isabella who has something you might be interested in," he said. "She's developed a software program that can hack into any computer system in the world. And she's willing to sell it to you."

Nathaniel felt a surge of excitement at Marcus's words. This could be the break he had been waiting for. But he couldn't help but feel skeptical. "How can I trust you and your friend?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.

Marcus didn't seem fazed by Nathaniel's doubts. Instead, he pulled out his phone and typed out a message to Isabella. Within seconds, Nathaniel's own phone buzzed with a message. He looked at the screen in disbelief as it showed sensitive information about his own subordinates that only he knew.

Nathaniel's skepticism melted away as he realized the potential of the software. He eagerly negotiated with Marcus about the price, eventually agreeing to pay a hefty sum for the program.

As Marcus took the money and left, Nathaniel felt a sense of excitement and anticipation wash over him. With this software in his hands, he knew he finally had the leverage he needed to take down Delacare and get his revenge on Vivienne.

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"Ring...Ring...Ring...!!"

Markus emerged from the building, his eyes fixed on his phone as he dialed a number. The device rang for what felt like an eternity, but finally, a young authoritative voice answered on the other end.

"How is the situation? Has the fish taken the bait?" the voice demanded, its tone crisp and commanding.

Markus couldn't help but feel a twinge of satisfaction as he replied, "Yes, the fish has taken the bait. Now we just need to wait for him to make his move."

"Good work," the authoritative voice praised him, the words dripping with satisfaction. "Keep an eye on him."

Markus nodded vigorously, his heart pounding in his chest as he basked in the praise like a puppy seeking affection. "Yes, yes, I will do my best."

The call ended, and Markus stood there for a moment, staring up at the building he had just left. His mind raced with excitement and anticipation, the thrill of the hunt coursing through his veins. He knew that he had a job to do, and he was determined to do it well.

With a final glance back at the building, Markus turned and disappeared into the night, his mind already racing with plans and strategies for how to rope a certain fish into palm of his hand.

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