Chapter 1266:

Brad leaned forward slightly, eyes locked on his. “It’s not my plan that matters. It’s yours.” He let the words settle, deliberate and unhurried. “How many of those clients are foreign officials? Executives at global firms? And how many of them, while appearing spotless, are laundering money or moving assets through Havenridge Group under the radar?”

Sherwood’s chest tightened. “How would I even know that? If I did, Kari wouldn’t be treating me the way she does.”

“You’ve spent years rising to the top of the business division. You know precisely where the sensitive files are, don’t you?” Brad’s voice remained calm, almost casual, but each word landed like a blow. “And what will happen to Luther if those secrets come out?”

It hit Sherwood all at once.

Brad was trying to outsource the dirty work to others.

Havenridge Group hadn’t built its empire through sheer force. It had been constructed on secrecy, control, and the absolute protection of every hidden detail. Every client who had entrusted them with vast wealth—or even the safety of their lives—had done so because Luther guaranteed total discretion.

𝗧𝗋e𝘯di𝗇𝗴 n𝘰𝘃е𝗅ѕ o𝗻 g𝘢𝘭n𝘰v𝖾𝗹𝘀.𝘤о𝘮

But what if that guarantee no longer existed?

If foreign officials discovered their hidden accounts had been exposed, if executives learned their asset transfers had been leaked, if the private lives of the elite were suddenly made public—who would bear the brunt of their fury?

Not the one who revealed the information. Never that.

Their rage would fall squarely on the man who had failed to guard their secrets—the man named Luther.

If Havenridge Group’s vault of secrecy crumbled, the very people who had once trusted it as a sanctuary would transform overnight into relentless predators.

Rain plastered Sherwood’s hair flat against his scalp, yet the only sensation he felt was an icy dread crawling over him from head to toe. “You’re… completely insane,” he murmured, his voice tight with disbelief. “The entire company would collapse into a full-blown crisis of trust.”

Brad chuckled softly—a slow, controlled sound that contrasted sharply with the gravity of his expression. He reached out and tapped Sherwood’s shoulder with a light touch, but the gesture sent a jolt of cold fear racing through him. Leaning in, his voice dropped to a low whisper meant only for Sherwood’s ears.

“Havenridge Group is enormous. There are always pockets of chaos that need someone capable to clean them up. Luther’s gone—but someone will always rise to fill the void, won’t they?”

A cold shiver ran through Sherwood from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, leaving him rigid.

Then, without warning, he lifted his gaze and locked eyes with Brad, searching for some flicker of explanation. “You…” His voice cracked, barely above a whisper. “I remember—you saved Luther once. He trusted you. You could have had everything and ruled without question. Why are you doing this now?”

Brad’s expression didn’t change, hard as stone. “I used to measure everything by the fate of the nation. Now…” He left the sentence unfinished. Behind his eyes, a memory surfaced unbidden—Rylie, his hand resting gently against the curve of her belly.

Now, she was the boundary he could never cross.

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