Chapter 8 - The Hollow Victory
Leo frowned and inspected the wooden truck in his hand.
He twisted the back cab, splitting the toy open along its hidden seam.
The secret compartment inside the wood was completely empty.
Leo's eyes widened in sheer panic and confusion.
He frantically shook the toy, but there was no USB drive hidden inside.
Vincent let out a low, dark chuckle that echoed off the crumbling walls.
He explained that he had known about the hidden drive for over a month.
He had found it while Alina was cleaning the office, long before Leo even knew it existed.
Vincent had left the empty toy for Mia to play with as a perfectly safe decoy.
Leo screamed in frustration and aimed his gun back at Vincent.
He demanded to know where the real ledger was located.
Vincent calmly tapped his own chest.
He had swallowed a micro-SD card containing all the data three hours ago.
He knew the hit was coming, and he had ensured that his death would destroy the empire forever.
If Leo killed him now, the stomach acids would dissolve the casing before an autopsy could retrieve it.
Leo lowered his gun, his hands trembling with absolute fury and defeat.
He realized that without the ledger, the commission would execute him for failing the coup.
He begged Vincent to make a deal, offering to call off the remaining men upstairs.
Vincent stared coldly at the brother who had just tried to murder an innocent three-year-old girl.
He told Leo that he was no longer part of this family.
Vincent raised his weapon with lightning speed.
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Before he could pull the trigger, the rubble behind Leo suddenly shifted violently.
A massive, heavily armored mercenary burst through the debris and fired a shotgun directly at Vincent.
