Chapter 456

Chapter 456:

“Your parents obviously love you very much,” he said.

“They do.” Camille’s voice was soft with wonder. “I never thought we’d be close again. But tonight… it felt like we were a real family.”

Alexander nodded, making appropriate sounds of agreement while his thoughts churned. He was trapped between his love for Camille and his need for justice. Between his vow to his uncle and his growing understanding that some enemies were too powerful to defeat.

The ten-million-dollar necklace around his wife’s neck glittered in the streetlight, a constant reminder of the vast wealth and power arrayed against him. A reminder that he had married into a family that could crush him without breaking stride.

But Richard Pierce deserved justice. The three workers who died in that factory explosion deserved the truth. And Alexander had made promises to the dead that couldn’t be broken, no matter the cost.

As they pulled into their building’s underground garage, Alexander made a silent vow. The Lewis family’s wealth and power wouldn’t stop him. Their threats wouldn’t deter him. Their love for Camille wouldn’t save them from the consequences of protecting Victoria Kane.

He would find another way. He had to.

Because some debts could only be paid in blood.

The morning of September 15th arrived gray and cold, matching the heaviness in Alexander’s chest as he stood at his office window. Fifteen years. Fifteen years since Meridian Technologies collapsed. Fifteen years since his uncle Richard Pierce had tied a rope around his neck rather than face another day of Victoria Kane’s systematic destruction.

Alexander’s phone buzzed on his desk, but he ignored it. Today was not for business calls or meetings. Today was a day for remembering. For honoring the dead. For making good on promises whispered in graveyards.

The secure phone in his jacket pocket vibrated against his ribs. A message from “Guardian”: System breach complete. Phoenix Grid servers compromised. Anniversary gift delivered.

Alexander closed his eyes, feeling the weight of the moment. Somewhere across the city, Kane Industries was about to discover that their precious Phoenix Grid had been sabotaged. On the exact anniversary of Richard Pierce’s death, Victoria’s crown jewel would suffer the kind of unexplained failure that would send shockwaves through the company. Justice, served cold after fifteen years.

At Kane Industries headquarters, chaos erupted across multiple floors simultaneously. Computer screens flickered and died. Emergency lights flashed red warnings. In the Phoenix Grid control room, Hannah Zhao stared in horror as system after system showed critical failures.

“What’s happening?” Camille burst through the control room doors, her face pale with panic.

“Complete server outage,” Hannah reported, her fingers flying across backup keyboards. “Primary systems, secondary backups, even the tertiary safeguards. Everything’s down.”

Camille’s phone rang. She glanced at the caller ID—power company officials from Chicago, Detroit, and Philadelphia. The three cities where Phoenix Grid expansion was scheduled to begin next month.

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