VEIL OF DECEPTION

The scent of leather and luxury filled the air as Ethan settled into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The doors shut with a quiet finality, sealing him inside. The city's neon glow blurred past as the car glided smoothly through the streets, moving toward an unknown destination.

The driver, a tall man in a black suit and gloves, remained silent, his face hidden behind dark shades. The golden emblem on his wrist caught the passing lights—an insignia Ethan still couldn't place, yet it felt uncomfortably significant.

A moment later, a voice came from the built-in speaker. Deep. Unwavering. The same voice from the call.

"You've been watching the world from the outside for too long, Ethan Cross. It's time to step in."

Ethan's fingers curled into fists. Who were these people? What did they want from him?

"You've been betrayed, humiliated, discarded like you were nothing." The voice continued, calm yet knowing. "But what if I told you that everything they stole from you... was never theirs to begin with?"

A cold chill ran down Ethan's spine.

"You were never meant to be poor, Ethan."

His breath hitched.

"You were never meant to beg for scraps, to be laughed at by men like Lucas Vanderbilt."

Ethan's pulse raced. Was this a joke? A twisted game?

The car slowed, then stopped in front of a towering skyscraper—a glass fortress standing against the night sky, its upper floors hidden among the clouds. The entrance alone radiated untouchable power, with men in black suits standing guard, earpieces flashing under the dim golden lights.

The driver stepped out and opened Ethan's door. "This way, sir."

Ethan hesitated. Everything about this felt unreal, yet the hunger inside him—the rage, the betrayal, the need to rise—burned hotter than fear.

He stepped out.

The moment his feet touched the marble pavement, the guards straightened, giving him a silent nod of acknowledgment. As if they had been waiting for him. As if they already knew who he was.

Then, the massive glass doors swung open.

And inside, waiting at the very top of the world, was the truth Ethan never saw coming.