Chapter 157
As Alexander and the group scrambled to contain the chaos around them, Carolina’s master plan was unfolding at a rapid pace. News outlets were now picking up on Caleb’s alleged involvement in shady business deals, and public opinion was turning against him. Even within their own circle, suspicion was beginning to grow.
Lily was busy working with her contacts to track down Maxwell’s movements, but the leak about Caleb had sent ripples through their trust. Despite Caleb’s explanations, the timing was too perfect to ignore.
"I swear I had nothing to do with those deals," Caleb repeated, frustration written all over his face. "It’s old business. I was framed back then, and now it’s coming back to bite me."
Alexander knew they couldn’t afford any more division. "We need to focus. Carolina’s playing us, and Maxwell is out there making his own moves. We can’t let their distractions tear us apart."
Just as Alexander finished speaking, a new report came through on Lily’s screen. Her face paled as she read the headline.
"Maxwell… he’s staging a hostile takeover of one of the largest tech companies in the country," Lily said. "He’s been buying up shares through shell corporations. If he gains control, he’ll have access to resources we can’t even fathom."
Alexander clenched his fists. "That means we’re running out of time. Maxwell’s using this to further his own agenda, and Carolina’s playing a separate game. They may not be fully aligned, but their actions are pushing us into a corner."
Lily’s phone buzzed with an encrypted message. She glanced at it and her eyes widened. "This is it," she whispered. "I’ve got a lead on Maxwell’s next move. He’s meeting with a key figure in the government to finalize his plans."
"Where’s the meeting?" Alexander asked urgently.
"At a private estate outside the city," Lily replied. "But there’s more—Carolina’s name came up. She’s also been in contact with this government official."
"That means Carolina might be using Maxwell’s moves to her advantage," Caleb concluded.
"Or they’re secretly working together in ways we don’t know yet," Lily added.
---
Meanwhile, Carolina was making her own preparations. In her mansion, surrounded by her most trusted allies, she stood in front of a grand map of the city. Little red pins marked key areas—financial districts, media hubs, political buildings.
"This city is the heart of their influence," she said coldly. "But I’m going to take it all from them. Maxwell is making his power play, but it’s not about the money. It’s about control."
Valeria, standing by Carolina’s side, nodded. "Once he finalizes that takeover, we’ll have leverage over every communication system and financial institution in the region. And when he’s done, we’ll use him to clean up the mess."
"Exactly," Carolina smirked. "He’s a tool—nothing more. When he’s served his purpose, I’ll discard him like I did the others. This is about Ariana’s legacy. She may have been reckless, but I’ll make sure her enemies burn."
Just then, another ally entered the room with news. "Ma’am, it appears that Alexander and his team are starting to piece together your connection to Maxwell. They’ve uncovered the location of his meeting."
Carolina smiled wickedly. "Good. Let them come. It’s time we meet face to face. But this time, they won’t walk away unscathed."
---
At the same time, Maxwell was in his private estate, preparing for his meeting with the government official. He believed everything was falling into place. His power was growing, his wealth expanding, and soon, he’d have control of the tech industry at his fingertips. But what he didn’t know was that he, too, was being played.
As Maxwell awaited the arrival of his political contact, a sudden alert popped up on his phone. It was a news notification, and the headline read: "Government Official Linked to Secret Syndicate Deal with Maxwell."
He froze. This wasn’t part of the plan. Someone had leaked the meeting details.
Furious, Maxwell slammed his fist on the table. He quickly called his security team, barking orders to secure the estate. He suspected that Alexander’s group had something to do with this leak, and he wasn’t going to let them disrupt his plans. Not now.
Little did Maxwell know, Carolina had orchestrated the leak. She had set Maxwell up, drawing attention to his dealings to weaken his position while she quietly solidified her own power base. He was still useful to her—for now—but Carolina was always two steps ahead.
---
Back with Alexander, the team was preparing to intercept the meeting. "We need to stop Maxwell before he completes this takeover," Alexander said. "But we also need to be ready for Carolina’s next move. She’s not going to sit quietly while we dismantle her plans."
Lily nodded in agreement. "We’ll need to split up. I’ll track down the government official, see what kind of leverage he has over Maxwell. You and Caleb should handle Maxwell directly."
As they set their plan into motion, Alexander received a notification on his phone. It was a news alert—finally, the media had confirmed that no one was in the burning car. Lily’s survival had been publicly confirmed. But instead of relief, Alexander felt the weight of what was coming next.
Maxwell and Carolina now knew Lily was alive. And their enemies wouldn’t stop until they had wiped out everyone in their way.
---
Back at Carolina’s mansion, she received word of the media reports as well. "Good," she murmured to herself. "Now the real game begins."
Valeria approached her with a file. "Ma’am, everything’s ready. We’ve initiated the final phase."
Carolina opened the file and smiled at what she saw. This next step would not only cripple Maxwell’s ambitions but would also break Alexander and his team in ways they could never imagine.
"We’re going to end them all," Carolina said softly, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Starting with Alexander."
The pieces were all falling into place.
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