Chapter 425
Chapter 425:
Alistair Thorne stepped out of the shadows. He looked like a man who hadn’t slept in a week, his eyes burning with a dangerous intensity.
“Is she there p>
“It’s a marine transponder,” Felix typed furiously. “But the rhythm… three short, three long. That’s the universal cry for help p>
Alistair stared at the screen.
“He spoofed the last signal. But this… this is manual p>
He turned sharply.
“Prepare the jet. We hunt p>
The fog in Cloud City lived up to its name, rolling off the bay in thick, suffocating waves that swallowed the skyline. The Poseidon, running low on fuel and needing repairs after the storm, docked at a private, high-security pier under cover of the gloom.
Skye stood at the top of the gangplank, a heavy trench coat draped over her shoulders to hide the bruises on her arm. Lucian stood beside her, his hand resting possessively on the small of her back. To an observer, it was a protective gesture. To Skye, it was a threat: Run, and I break you.
A convoy of three black armored SUVs waited on the wet tarmac, engines idling, exhaust mixing with the mist.
“Disappointed?” Lucian whispered, leaning close to her ear. “Expecting a welcoming committee p>
“I don’t know what you mean,” Skye said, keeping her face blank.
“Your knight is chasing ghosts,” Lucian chuckled darkly. “My tech team spoofed a signal heading toward Mexico hours ago. Alistair is currently tearing apart the Baja coast while we walk right into his backyard p>
Skye’s heart sank.
The transponder.
Had he found it? Or had he jammed it?
Lucian pulled a tablet from his coat pocket. “I have a surprise for you. Look p>
He held up the screen. A headline from the Financial Times glared back at her:
“Skye Sterling Resigns from Oracle Holdings Citing Severe Health Issues. Appoints Interim Board p>
Skye stared at the document. It bore her digital signature. It was a forgery, but a perfect one.
𝘙e𝘢𝖽 𝘸іt𝗵𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝗎𝘵𝘴 𝗈n 𝗯𝘦𝘭n𝗼𝗏𝘦𝘭ѕ.𝗰𝗈𝗆
He wasn’t just kidnapping her; he was erasing her. He was dismantling her life, brick by brick.
“I handled the burden for you,” Lucian said smoothly. “Now you can focus on what matters. Us p>
Rage—hot and blinding—flared in Skye’s chest. She wanted to scream, to shove him into the oily harbor water.
But she forced herself to lower her head.
“Thank you, Lucian,” she said meekly. “I was… tired p>
Lucian smiled, satisfied. He loved breaking things just to put them back together in his own image.
As they walked toward the lead SUV, Skye glanced at the reflective glass of the pier’s security booth. In the reflection, she saw a figure stepping out of a shadow near the warehouse, lighting a cigarette.
He wore a tailored suit that looked out of place in the grime.
Dominic Thorne.
Alistair’s rival. The man who hated everyone.
He watched them, a smirk playing on his lips. He didn’t move to help. He simply watched, like a vulture waiting for the carcass.
Why was he here?
Skye looked away before Lucian noticed. The board was getting crowded, and she was the queen piece everyone wanted to capture.