Chapter 47: A Deal with the Devil

Chris sat back in his chair, fingers tapping against the desk. The contract was signed. Wren Lancaster was no longer a man of power—he was a man living on borrowed time.

Ethan leaned against the desk, arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips. "So… do we let him figure it out first? Watch as the realization dawns on him?"

Chris's gaze was cold. "No. He dies before he ever learns the truth."

Ethan's smirk widened. "Brutal."

Chris didn't respond. This wasn't about brutality. It was about erasing a problem permanently.

"Make it clean," Chris ordered. "No mess. No loose ends. And nothing that can be traced back to Blackwood."

Ethan nodded. "I have the perfect guy for this."

Chris's voice was firm. "Good. Make the call."

---

Meanwhile…

Wren Lancaster sat in his penthouse, sipping a glass of whiskey. The past few weeks had been hell. The betrayal, the financial chaos, the desperation—but now, he felt a sense of relief.

Blackwood was backing him.

Or so he thought.

His phone buzzed. A text.

Unknown Number: Come to the docks. Now. We need to talk.

Wren frowned. He wasn't stupid—this could be a setup. But at this point, he had few allies left. He grabbed his coat and left.

---

The End of Wren Lancaster

The docks were silent, save for the gentle lapping of the water against the boats. Wren stepped out of his car, scanning the darkness.

Then—a single gunshot.

A sharp pain exploded in his chest. He staggered backward, his breath hitching as he looked down at the growing red stain on his shirt.

From the shadows, a man stepped forward. A professional. Cold. Efficient.

Wren's vision blurred. "W-Who…"

The assassin crouched beside him, voice calm. "A ghost."

A second shot.

Silence.

Wren Lancaster was dead before his body hit the ground.

---

Blackwood Headquarters…

Ethan's phone buzzed. A simple message.

"It's done."

He turned to Chris. "He's gone."

Chris exhaled, staring out over the city skyline. One less problem in the world.

Ethan chuckled. "And the best part? He never even knew he signed away everything."

Chris smirked. "Exactly."

Wren Lancaster was erased—his power, his wealth, his legacy… all absorbed into

Blackwood.

And the world?

Would never know he was even worth remembering.