CHAPTER 5 — THE COUNTERMOVE
At 11:15 a.m., the first resignation hit.
Then another.
Then three board members quietly stepped down before lunch.
Stock alerts began flashing red across financial terminals.
Not crashing.
But bleeding.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
Controlled detonation.
Ethan finally understood what had happened.
This wasn’t a reaction.
It was execution.
And he knew exactly who had authorized it.
His wife hadn’t screamed.
Hadn’t fought.
Hadn’t begged.
She had simply… activated.
Meanwhile, somewhere above the Pacific Highway, a black Range Rover crossed the city limits heading toward LAX.
Inside, she sat calm.
Hair tied back.
No jewelry.
No past.
Only one encrypted phone buzzing once.
Her attorney:
“Media is confirming the leak. Do you want to respond?”
She looked out the window.
City lights reflected in her eyes like something she no longer belonged to.
She typed:
“No.”
Then paused.
May you like
And added:
“Let them watch it burn.”
