Rebirth of Billionaire's Wife

A day after the consignment had been dispatched, Jedrick sat leisurely in his room, swirling a glass of amber liquor in his hand. The muted light of the evening slanted across his desk, casting long shadows that danced with each flicker of the fireplace.

The sharp trill of his phone cut through the quiet. Jedrick's calm eyes flicked toward the device, recognizing the caller instantly. A slow, amused smile curved his lips as he answered.

"Mr. Walton," he drawled, his tone rich with feigned pleasantry. "I trust the consignment has reached you."

A strained pause answered him — the kind that prickled at the edges of instinct. Jedrick's fingers tightened slightly around his glass, though the smile remained frozen on his lips.

"That's the thing," Mr. Walton's voice finally grated through the line, clipped and tense. "It hasn't."

Jedrick's smile didn't falter, but the air around him grew razor-sharp.

"Explain," he said, his voice still pleasant, but now edged with steel.

Mr. Walton, a seasoned dealer from the notorious Hitman Gang — the same man who had brokered a lucrative deal promising to bolster Jedrick's empire — sounded unusually rattled.

"The truck never made it to the drop point. Last we heard, the driver called in—said he was being tailed. Then... radio silence. No sign of the shipment. No bodies. No wreckage. It's just... gone."

For a long moment, silence crackled between them. Jedrick leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing into slits as he watched the flames in the fireplace.

But a creeping dread was already coiling around his heart like a noose.

Without a word, he ended the call and immediately dialed Rick — the man entrusted with the consignment. He pressed the phone tightly to his ear, each ring stretching out like a blade drawn across skin.

No answer.

Again, he called. Still nothing.

A shadow flickered across Jedrick's expression. His jaw clenched, and the glass in his hand cracked under the force of his grip. Setting it down with unnecessary force, he shot up from his chair.

Without pausing to grab a coat or even glance back, he stormed out of the house, the heavy door slamming behind him.

The night air was cold and biting, but he barely noticed. A wrongness gnawed at his gut — an all-too-familiar darkness that he knew better than to ignore.

As he strode across the gravel drive, he punched in another number, calling one of his trusted men.

The line connected almost instantly.

"Where's Rick?" Jedrick demanded, his voice low and simmering with fury.

There was a beat of hesitation before the man answered, "We haven't seen him since he took off with the consignment."

Jedrick froze, every muscle in his body wound tight.

The darkness he'd sensed wasn't paranoia.

Rick was missing — and so was everything Jedrick had staked on that shipment.

Lowering the phone, Jedrick stared out into the night, the fire inside him growing into something feral.

His empire had been challenged.

And whoever dared to cross him had just declared war.

***

[Hidden Base]

Stefan stood near a table cluttered with maps and tactical plans, his arms folded tightly across his chest as he addressed the small group before him.

"Thank Rick for helping us," he said, his voice cutting through the tense air like a blade.

Eveline and Gabriel exchanged a look, both nodding grimly.

"But we don't have much time," Stefan continued. "Jedrick must already know Rick betrayed him. If we're going to take Jedrick down, we have to move fast."

Eveline's jaw tightened. Gabriel's hands balled into fists at his sides. They all understood the stakes. Jedrick wasn't known for forgiveness — he was known for leaving bloodied warnings.

Jedrick had trusted Rick to handle the consignment, withholding even critical details to limit exposure. It was a rare slip — and they had seized the opportunity.

Thanks to Rick's inside knowledge, Kaden and his men had been lying in wait halfway along the route. The ambush had been clean. Brutal. Effective.

The truck was seized, the cargo secured, and the trail wiped clean — leaving Jedrick groping in the dark.

Now, the shipment was hidden, their leverage firm in hand.

But the clock was ticking.

Though they had managed to outmaneuver Jedrick, Eveline couldn't shake the gnawing unease clawing at her insides. Her instincts screamed that it wasn't over.

Then it happened — her phone rang.

The room tensed as her screen lit up with a name that sent ice down her spine: Jedrick.

Everyone exchanged sharp glances. Stefan gave a slight nod, signaling her to answer but stay sharp.

Eveline drew in a breath, steadying her racing heart, and put the phone on speaker.

"Well played, Eveline," Jedrick's voice slithered through the line, low and mocking. "But you still can't win against me."

Eveline stayed silent, gripping the phone tighter, refusing to rise to his bait.

"I know Rick is with you," Jedrick continued, his tone casual, almost amused.

Eveline's gaze darted toward Rick, who shifted uneasily under the sudden spotlight.

"And I know you have the consignment."

His words fell like stones into the heavy silence. Eveline's heart hammered against her ribs.

"What do you want, Jedrick?" she asked finally, voice cold and steady despite the fear gnawing inside her.

Jedrick's chuckle was slow, full of malice.

"Simple," he said. "Return the consignment... and I'll let your parents live."

The world tilted.

Eveline's blood ran cold. Her face drained of color.

"Shocked?" Jedrick taunted. "You shouldn't be. Check your house if you don't believe me."

Eveline's grip tightened around the phone until her knuckles turned white.

"Jedrick..." she ground out through clenched teeth, fury burning in her veins.

But his mocking laughter cut through her rage.

"Time is ticking, Eveline," he said, voice dark and gleeful. "If you want to save your dear parents... you'd better run."

The call ended with a final, sharp click, leaving only the pounding echo of her racing heartbeat behind.

Eveline stood frozen for a moment, the weight of the threat pressing down on her. Then she snapped into action.

They had a choice to make.

And time — precious, dwindling time — was no longer on their side.