VEIL OF DECEPTION

The room was suffocating with tension.

Elias Harrington's face, once the image of untouchable confidence, was now pale. His fingers clenched around his phone as if he could crush the damning headlines flashing on his screen.

He looked up, his gaze locking onto Ethan's. Recognition. Rage. Fear.

Ethan took another slow sip of his drink, letting the moment sink in. This was power. Not just wealth, not just influence—but the ability to destroy a man's entire existence with a single move.

Elias straightened his tie, regaining some composure. Then, with forced calmness, he made his way through the crowd. The whispers around them grew louder as people read the headlines in real-time, the news spreading like wildfire.

Ethan didn't move. He wanted Elias to come to him.

And he did.

"Enjoying yourself, Mr. Cross?" Elias asked, his voice tight.

Ethan smirked, placing his glass on the bar. "It's a lovely event, Harrington. Shame about the… distractions."

Elias leaned in, lowering his voice. "I don't know what game you think you're playing, but you have no idea who you're up against."

Ethan raised an eyebrow, amused. "Oh? Because from where I'm standing, it looks like you're already losing."

Elias's jaw tightened. He scanned the room—too many eyes, too many cameras. He couldn't make a scene. Not here.

"You should leave," Elias muttered. "Before you regret it."

Ethan chuckled. "I don't regret things, Elias. I plan them."

The older man exhaled sharply, then forced a smile as if nothing had happened. He turned and walked away, shaking hands with people, pretending his world wasn't crashing down.

But Ethan wasn't done.

Not even close.

—

Outside – Midnight

Ethan stepped onto the balcony of The Sapphire Grand, the cool night air brushing against his skin. The city stretched below, lights blinking like stars. A kingdom waiting to be claimed.

Behind him, footsteps approached.

"I'd say that went well," Dominic's voice was laced with amusement. "He's unraveling."

Ethan exhaled, watching the city. "He won't go down quietly."

Dominic leaned against the railing. "Of course not. Men like him? They claw their way out of graves. But you anticipated that, didn't you?"

Ethan smirked. "Always."

Dominic handed him a small envelope. "This arrived for you an hour ago. No sender."

Ethan opened it.

A single playing card.

The King of Spades.

His smirk faded.

Dominic frowned. "What does it mean?"

Ethan closed the envelope. "It means I'm not the only one playing this game."

—

Downtown – A Hidden Penthouse

In a dimly lit room, a figure watched the footage of Ethan at the gala, his smirk mirroring Ethan's own. He held a matching King of Spades card between his fingers, tapping it against the desk.

"The boy moves well," he murmured.

A woman in a sleek red dress sat across from him, swirling a glass of wine. "He's reckless," she said. "But I see why you like him."

The man chuckled, tossing the card onto the table. "Let's see how far he can go."

—

Ethan wasn't just facing Elias anymore.

The real players were finally stepping in.