The Laugh of Betrayal

Sarah Isabel Fortex sat in her elegant yet fortified mansion, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across the polished wooden floors. She was in her private study, surrounded by shelves filled with books on strategy, warfare, and the history of the underworld. Her mind, however, was focused on more pressing matters.

Her phone buzzed on the desk, a message lighting up the screen. She picked it up, her eyes scanning the brief report from one of her informants. The news made her lips curl into a sly smile.

**"Wyatt Lim ambushed on his way to Cojuangco headquarters. Survived, but critically injured. All his men are dead."**

Sarah chuckled, a low, cold sound that echoed in the quiet room. She leaned back in her chair, the leather creaking softly under her weight, and let the full weight of the news settle in. The so-called kingpin of the Cojuangco mafia, her father, had finally felt the sting of betrayal, a taste of the treachery he had long served to others.

"So, they've finally turned on you," she murmured to herself, a hint of satisfaction in her voice. "How fitting."

She thought of Wyatt, lying somewhere in a hidden medical facility, writhing in pain and grappling with the reality of his situation. His allies—those he had considered friends—were slowly cutting their ties, seeing him as a liability rather than an asset. His empire, once formidable, was beginning to crumble from within.

Sarah rose from her chair and walked over to the large windows that overlooked her estate. The vast gardens and the distant mountains were a picture of serenity, a stark contrast to the chaos enveloping her father. She crossed her arms, her gaze distant, as she contemplated the next moves of the players in this deadly game.

She had no love for her father, especially after his betrayal of her mother, Fenn Isabel Fortex. His downfall was inevitable, and Sarah had no intention of offering him a lifeline. His suffering was a poetic justice, a slow unraveling that mirrored the pain he had inflicted on others.

Her phone buzzed again, another message popping up on the screen.

**"Wyatt's condition is critical but stable. Rumors suggest some of his allies orchestrated the ambush."**

Sarah's smile widened. The very men who once bowed to her father were now plotting his demise. It was a harsh reminder that in the world of crime and power, loyalty was fleeting.

She picked up the phone and typed a quick response.

**"Let me know when they make their next move. Keep me informed."**

After sending the message, Sarah put down the phone and walked back to her desk. She had plans to make, and this ambush was just another piece of the puzzle. Her father's enemies were now her potential allies, unwittingly aiding her cause.

As she sat down and began reviewing her notes, her laughter echoed once more through the mansion—a chilling sound, full of confidence and the promise of more chaos to come.