Chapter 204: The Beginning of Chaos

A full moon cast a silver glow over Emerald City, its skyscrapers stretching into the heavens like monuments to ambition. The night air carried whispers of fortune and betrayal, desires and regrets, victories and defeats.

Inside the luxurious Celestial Towers, Ochieng sat in the penthouse, his gaze locked on the USB drive in his palm. The weight of it wasn't physical—it was the knowledge it held. The truth about his parents' deaths. The very secret that had shaped his life into an unrelenting climb to power.

Walter, standing by the glass window, took a sip of whiskey and exhaled. "Are you gonna plug that in, or are we just gonna sit here pretending it's a time bomb?"

Ela, perched on the couch in a sleek black dress, stretched her legs. "It probably is a time bomb. Figuratively, at least."

Ochieng turned the drive between his fingers. His instincts screamed at him. This is a trap. It always is.

Then the door burst open.

Rolex stormed in, a cigar clenched between his teeth, his eyes flashing with urgency. "Boss, we got a situation."

Ochieng pocketed the drive instantly. "Talk."

Rolex threw a folder onto the table. "Someone is buying up shares in Blackhawk Industries. A silent takeover."

Blackhawk Industries. One of the most powerful corporations in the country. A company that Ochieng had invested in—one that fueled the underground economy in ways the public could never imagine.

Walter grabbed the folder and flipped through it. "Who the hell has enough capital to do this?"

Rolex's jaw tightened. "That's the thing. We don't know who."

Ela arched a brow. "A trillionaire mystery figure?"

"Looks that way," Rolex confirmed. "Whoever they are, they're moving fast. Buying up shares through dummy corporations. If we don't counter this now, they'll own Blackhawk by morning."

Ochieng exhaled sharply. This was no coincidence. Someone was making moves.

Walter cracked his knuckles. "Should we crash their little operation?"

Ochieng's lips curled into a smirk. "No. We'll play the game. And we'll win."

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number. The line clicked.

A silky voice answered. "Well, well. If it isn't my favorite troublemaker."

"Victoria," Ochieng said smoothly. "I need a list of the top shareholders in Blackhawk. Now."

Victoria laughed. "You sure know how to call a woman at interesting hours. What's in it for me?"

Ochieng's voice dipped lower. "A birthday party. On a private yacht. Just for you."

Victoria purred. "Tempting. Send me the details, and you'll have your list in ten minutes."

Call ended.

Ela chuckled. "Smooth."

Ochieng merely smirked. "I don't lose."

Meanwhile, across town…

Inside a dimly lit nightclub, Seline sat with a glass of wine, her legs crossed elegantly. Across from her, a man in a sharp gray suit stirred his drink absentmindedly.

"So?" he asked, his voice deep and calculated. "Did he take the bait?"

Seline smirked. "Of course. Ochieng is many things, but he's still human."

The man, Gideon, leaned back. "Good. Because the real game hasn't even started yet."

Seline swirled her glass, her mind flashing back to old times. To the love she had thrown away. To the regret that burned inside her, no matter how deeply she buried it.

Would Ochieng ever forgive her?

Or had she already destroyed any chance of redemption?