Chapter 8

The Gathering Storm

Ron Roy sat across from William Smith in a sleek, modern conference room at Smith Enterprises. The air was thick with tension, but Ron maintained a calm exterior, his sharp eyes scanning the room. William leaned back in his chair, a smug grin plastered across his face.

William Smith: "So, Ron, what brings you to my doorstep? I thought you were too loyal to the Roys to ever consider working with me."

Ron smirked, his voice steady. "Loyalty is a luxury I can no longer afford. My family has made it clear that I'm expendable. So, I've decided to make myself indispensable—to you."

William raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."

Ron leaned forward, his tone low and deliberate. "I have insider knowledge of Roy Industries—their strategies, their weaknesses, their secrets. I can give you everything you need to bring them to their knees. But in return, I want a seat at your table. I want power, influence, and a guarantee that when the dust settles, I'll be the one standing tall."

William studied him for a moment, then chuckled. "You're bold, I'll give you that. But why should I trust you? For all I know, this could be a ploy to infiltrate my company."

Ron's expression hardened. "You think I'd risk everything just to play spy? No. This is personal. They humiliated me, cast me aside like I was nothing. I want them to pay. And if you're smart, you'll take this opportunity to crush your biggest rival."

William's grin widened. "Alright, Ron. You've got my attention. Let's talk details."

As the two men began to outline their plan, Ron felt a surge of satisfaction. He was no longer the forgotten son—he was the architect of his own destiny. And soon, the Roys would feel the full force of his wrath.

Meanwhile, back at the Roy mansion, Billy sat in his office, staring at the documents spread across his desk. The weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him, but he refused to let it show. He had to be strong, not just for himself, but for the company.

A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts. He looked up to see Rin standing in the doorway, her expression unreadable.

Billy: "Sis, come in."

Rin stepped inside, closing the door behind her. She took a seat across from him, her sharp eyes scanning the room before settling on him.

Rin Roy: "You've been working late. Is everything alright?"

Billy sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Just trying to stay on top of things. There's a lot to manage, especially after what happened with Ron."

Rin's lips tightened at the mention of their brother. "Ron made his choice. If he chose to betray us. We can't afford to dwell on it."

Billy nodded, but there was a flicker of doubt in his eyes. "I know. But it's hard not to wonder if we could've done something differently. If we could've prevented this."

Rin's gaze softened, just for a moment. "Billy, you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved. Ron has always been driven by his own ambitions. This was inevitable."

Billy leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. "Maybe. But I can't shake the feeling that this is just the beginning. Ron's not going to stop until he gets what he wants. And if he's working with William Smith…"

Rin's expression darkened. "Then we'll be ready. We've faced worse before. We'll face this too."

Billy nodded, but the unease in his chest remained. He knew Rin was right—they had to be prepared. But he also knew that the battle ahead would test them in ways they couldn't yet imagine.

The First Strike

The weeks that followed were a whirlwind of activity. Ron's defection had sent shockwaves through Roy Industries, and the company was scrambling to shore up its defenses. Billy worked tirelessly, coordinating with his team to ensure that every aspect of the business was secure. But despite their efforts, cracks began to appear.

It started with small things—delayed shipments, missed deadlines, unexplained budget overruns. At first, Billy dismissed them as minor setbacks, the kind of thing that happened in any large organization. But as the problems piled up, he began to suspect that something more sinister was at play.

One evening, as he reviewed the latest financial reports, a knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see Klaus, his senior manager, standing in the doorway, his face pale.

Klaus: "Sir, we have a problem."

Billy's stomach dropped. "What is it?"

Klaus stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "We've just received word that one of our key suppliers has backed out of their contract. They're refusing to do business with us."

Billy frowned. "Which supplier?"

Klaus hesitated. "All of them, sir. Every single one."

Billy's heart raced. This wasn't just a setback—it was a disaster. Without their suppliers, Roy Industries would grind to a halt.

Billy: "Do we know why?"

Klaus shook his head. "No, sir. They're not giving us any explanation. But… there's a rumor going around that Smith Enterprises has been offering them better deals."

Billy's jaw tightened. William Smith. Of course. This had his fingerprints all over it.

Billy: "Get me a list of every supplier we've lost. And reach out to our contacts—see if we can find new ones. We need to move fast."

Klaus nodded and hurried out of the room. Billy leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. This was just the beginning. If William was targeting their suppliers, it was only a matter of time before he went after their clients, their partners, their employees.

Billy picked up his phone and dialed Rin's number. She answered on the first ring.

Rin Roy: "Billy, what's wrong?"

Billy took a deep breath. "We've got a problem. William's making his move. He's going after our suppliers."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line. Then Rin's voice came through, cold and steady.

Rin Roy: "Then we'll hit back harder. Call an emergency meeting. We need to strategize."

Billy nodded, even though she couldn't see him. "I'll get everyone together. But Rin… this is just the beginning. We need to be ready for anything."

Rin's voice was firm. "We will be. We're Roys, Billy. We don't back down from a fight."

As Billy hung up the phone, he felt a surge of determination. Rin was right—they were Roys. And no matter what William Smith or Ron threw at them, they would fight back. The battle had begun, and Billy was ready to lead the charge