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< Chapter 276: The End of the Illusion
Chapter 276: The End of the Illusion
+25 Points
While Nicholas Ashcroft’s mind was busy conjuring every possible scenario of what Harper and Hiro could be doing and every possible way he intended to “punish” her once he saw her, Damien rubbed his temple, silently wondering how his best friend could make himself look like such an obvious, jealous fool.
If this went on any longer, Nick was going to make an even bigger fool of himself.
Before Nick could fire off another question, Damien calmly interjected.
“Kenji… about Phase Two?”
Kenji immediately composed himself, the playful grin on his face fading as he understood Damien was steering the conversation back to business. Although Nicholas clearly wasn’t finished with his interrogation, he reluctantly swallowed the rest of his questions and leaned
back in his chair.
“Right… sorry, my bad. Okay, first things first. Let me give everyone a quick update.”
His fingers moved swiftly across the keyboard.
“Their plane is still en route. Everything is proceeding normally, and the weather conditions remain favorable. They should arrive on schedule.”
“Thank you,” Damien said.
“My pleasure,” Kenji replied with an easy smile as his fingers danced across the keyboard, bringing another window onto the shared screen.
“Oh… and you’ve probably figured this out already, but you’ve got a stalker.”
A photograph of a rugged–looking man appeared beside a detailed profile.
“This is Roman Kozlov,” Kenji explained.
“His criminal record includes multiple arrests for aggravated assault, illegal weapons trafficking, kidnapping, extortion, armed robbery, attempted murder, murder, and organized
crime.”
Kenji clicked his tongue.
“He’s spent more time in and out of prison than most people spend at a full–time job, yet he always manages to walk free. He’s one of Viktor Volkov’s most trusted men.”
Another image appeared, showing the same black sedan following Damien’s vehicle earlier
The End of the Huston
that morning.
“He’s been tailing you since you left Blackwood Manor and has been reporting your
movements to Volkov in real time.”
Kenji looked directly at Damien before giving a casual shrug.
+25 Points
“My advice? Let him watch. Act normally and only let him see what you want him to see.”
Damien nodded once.
“Oh, one more thing.”
Kenji opened another encrypted file.
“I’ve just completed a final verification on the private jet Harper arranged for you. Everything checks out. Your flight path is clear, and the crew has already been vetted.”
He paused.
“When you arrive, you’ll be met by a man named Leo. Before anything else, ask him for the verification code.”
He quickly looked back at his monitor.
“Hang on… let me double–check it.”
He tapped a few keys, then suddenly froze.
A strange expression crossed his face before he suddenly burst out laughing.
“Well… this is awkward.”
He looked apologetically at Damien.
“The code is… ‘Harper is amazing.”
Kenji lifted both hands defensively.
“I swear this wasn’t my idea. That’s one hundred percent my sister.”
Even Damien couldn’t help smiling.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Kenji glanced at the clock in the corner of his monitor.
“Well… it looks like it’s time.”
< Chapter 276: The End of the Illusion
+25 Points/
He tapped another key, replacing the shared screen with a large digital countdown timer.
The three men watched in silence as the final seconds ticked away.
00:00:03
00:00:02
00:00:01
00:00:00
Kenji clicked a single button labeled LAUNCH.
Instantly, lines of encrypted code began racing across the screen.
“And… we’re live,” he announced. “Start getting ready. In approximately one hour, your Taiwan headquarters will contact you regarding the incident. Shortly after, the news will break, and chaos will follow. I’m sure you’ve already made the necessary preparations.”
Damien gave a single nod.
“Thank you, Kenji.”
“No problem, Mr. Blackwood.”
Kenji then turned his attention to Nicholas.
“At exactly five o’clock your time, assuming everything goes according to plan, you should already be airborne. That’s when I’ll launch the second attack. Just in case something unexpected causes a delay, you can reach me through this encrypted link.”
Both Damien and Nicholas nodded in understanding.
“All right! We’re all set. Good luck, and have a safe flight,” Kenji said with a warm smile. “I’ll see all of you very soon.”
With that, the video call ended, and silence settled over the office.
Damien picked up his phone and immediately called Nicholas. The call connected almost instantly.
“You know what to do.”
“Yeah… I know,” Nicholas replied absentmindedly, his thoughts clearly somewhere else.
Damien simply ended the call before turning his attention to James.
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“Inform Monroe. Tell him to prepare. It’s time. You know what to do.” James gave a firm nod. “Yes, Sir.” +25 Points Without another word, James turned and left the office, quietly closing the door behind him. Silence settled over the room. Damien slowly closed his laptop and leaned back in his chair. Resting his clasped hands before him, he stared into the distance, his expression unreadable. For years, he had lived beneath the weight of guilt that was never his to bear. Because he couldn’t save Cassandra, Viktor Volkov had turned her death into an invisible chain, convincing him it was a sin he deserved to carry for the rest of his life. He had simply let Volkov believe those chains still bound him. A faint, cold smile touched Damien’s lips. How unfortunate. The illusion was about to end. “The clock is ticking, Viktor Volkov,” he murmured. His eyes turned cold. “I’m taking my freedom back.” His fingers slowly tightened together. “Soon… we will meet again.” His voice was calm, yet every word carried the weight of a death sentence. “And when that day comes… I’ll personally put an end to your miserable life.” The corner of Damien’s lips lifted into a faint, merciless smile. “This time… there’ll be nowhere left for you to run.” The real hunter had finally stepped out of the shadows. Once his claws sank into his prey… he wouldn’t let go until he had torn him apart. Cedella Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.