Chapter 57: The Shadow King’s Rule

Langley sat across from me, his expression carefully controlled. The dim light from the single hanging bulb above cast shadows over his sharp features, making him look even more like the ghost he had trained himself to be. No digital footprint, no paper trail, no ties to any known organizations—Vincent Langley was a man who should not exist.

But I had brought him here.

He was in my domain now, and whether he realized it or not, I had already won.

Leaning forward, I rested my elbows on the table between us, my fingers loosely intertwined. I didn't speak immediately—I let the silence stretch, long enough for the weight of uncertainty to settle in. Langley was used to control, to being the one who dictated the pace of a conversation. By staying silent, I was already forcing him into unfamiliar territory.

Finally, I spoke.

"You're not as invisible as you think, Langley."

His lips curled into a smirk, but it didn't reach his eyes. "That so?"

I tapped my fingers against the table. "You made a mistake."

His smirk didn't waver. "Enlighten me."

I pulled out the black notebook—the one containing everything I had gathered on him. It wasn't much, but it was enough. His eyes flickered to it for half a second, and that was all I needed.

A small tell. A crack in his armor.

I flipped through the pages casually. "No birth records, no social security, no bank accounts—on paper, you don't exist. But I know exactly what you are, Langley. I know how you were made."

Langley's smirk faded slightly. "You don't know anything."

I ignored him, continuing in a slow, measured tone. "Fifteen years ago, David Lawrence decided he needed something different. Not another politician. Not another enforcer. He needed someone who could move unseen, someone who could operate outside of his influence yet remain completely loyal."

Langley's jaw tightened, but he remained silent.

I leaned in. "Tell me, Langley—have you ever wondered why David gave you so much freedom?"

His eyes narrowed. "What are you getting at?"

I tilted my head slightly. "You think he trusts you?" I chuckled, shaking my head. "No. You're just an experiment. David wanted to see how far he could take it. How much free will he could allow before you stopped being useful. And let me guess—you've been waiting for the moment he finally cuts you loose."

Langley's fingers curled into fists. Good. He was starting to feel it.

Doubt.

I continued, my voice taking on a colder edge. "The moment you stop being his perfect little ghost, the moment you stop serving his interests, you know what happens, don't you?" I tapped the notebook. "Maybe there's a file out there—one you don't know about. A single command and you disappear."

Langley let out a short laugh, though there was a flicker of something uneasy in his eyes. "You're just trying to get into my head."

"I already have," I countered smoothly.

Silence.

Langley exhaled slowly, his expression unreadable. But I knew the truth—his mind was at war with itself.

I let my next words settle in like a knife between his ribs.

"You are nothing more than David's insurance policy. And when the time comes, he'll erase you without hesitation."

Langley clenched his jaw. He knew I was right. He had always known. But hearing it out loud? That was different.

Now, it was real.

I leaned back. "I'm offering you a way out."

Langley let out another short laugh, but this time, it was laced with something else—uncertainty. "You expect me to just betray the person who made me?"

I shrugged. "He didn't make you. He used you."

Langley remained quiet, his gaze locked onto mine. He was weighing his options, searching for an angle. There wasn't one.

I reached into my coat and placed a small vial on the table.

Langley's eyes flickered toward it.

"The loyalty bind serum," I explained. "Drink it, and I'll know you're serious. You'll be bound to me—completely incapable of betraying me."

Langley smirked, though there was no humor in it. "That doesn't sound like freedom to me."

I smirked back. "It's more than what David has given you."

Silence stretched between us once more. Then, slowly, Langley picked up the vial. He stared at it for several moments before, without a word, he drank it.

Langley set the empty vial down, his fingers lingering over the glass for a moment before finally releasing it. His breathing was steady, but I could see the way his eyes shifted ever so slightly, as if he was still processing what had just happened.

It was done.

Vincent Langley, David's untouchable ghost, had just been severed from his leash. And now, he belonged to me.

Edward let out a low whistle from where he stood beside me. "Damn." He crossed his arms, shaking his head. "You know, John used to call you the Shadow King of Orthrus Inc. Back then, I thought it was just him hyping you up." He exhaled sharply. "But now? Now, I see it."

I turned to him, offering nothing but a slight smirk.

He chuckled, though there was an edge of something almost wary in his voice. "You didn't just make him betray David. You made him believe it was his choice."

I tilted my head slightly. "Because it was."

Edward gave me a knowing look. "No, it wasn't."

Langley finally spoke up, his voice calm but firm. "So what now?"

I studied him for a moment, then leaned forward. "Now, you do what you do best. Disappear."

Langley frowned slightly. "Disappear?"

I nodded. "For now, David doesn't know you've switched sides. That gives us an advantage. But when he finds out—" I glanced at the empty vial on the table. "He'll do everything he can to eliminate you. That's why you need to make it look like you're still his."

Langley's expression shifted as he processed my words. "You want me to spy on him."

I smiled. "You're already good at staying hidden. Now, you just need to hide in plain sight."

Langley exhaled through his nose, then nodded slowly. "I'll need resources."

"You'll have them," I assured him. "Money, safe houses, backdoor access to networks David doesn't even know I control. You'll be better equipped than you ever were under him."

Langley hesitated. Then, something flickered across his face. Realization.

"You planned this from the beginning, didn't you?" His voice was quiet, but there was something dangerous beneath it.

I didn't respond immediately. I simply leaned back in my chair, watching him.

And then I smiled.

Langley's jaw tightened. "You knew I'd drink the serum."

I shrugged. "I knew you'd realize the truth sooner or later. I just made sure it happened on my timeline."

Langley exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair. "You're dangerous."

Edward snorted. "You're just figuring that out now?"

Langley's lips twitched, but he didn't argue. Instead, he stood. "I'll need time to cover my tracks. If David suspects anything—"

"He won't," I cut in. "Not yet."

But he would soon.

And when that happened, I needed to be ready.

Elsewhere…

David Lawrence sat in his office, fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood of his desk.

The room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the soft glow of his monitor. He had been reviewing reports, cross-checking movements, ensuring every cog in his empire was operating exactly as it should.

Then, suddenly—

A notification appeared before his eyes.

[WARNING: Vincent Langley has lost connection.]

[Subject is no longer under control.]

David's fingers stopped moving.

For a brief second, he didn't react.

Then, slowly, his eyes darkened.

A quiet, ominous chuckle escaped his lips.

"…Interesting."