Dominic Hayes had built an empire from nothing. He had clawed his way to the top of the tech industry, turning his company, Hayes Industries, into a global powerhouse. Ruthless in business and relentless in ambition, he was the kind of man people either feared, envied, or wanted to destroy.
But tonight, in the dimly lit streets of Manhattan, none of that power mattered.
He stood in the penthouse of his high-rise, staring at the message on his phone. Five simple words, but they carried the weight of a thousand ghosts from his past.
"I know what you did."
The glass of whiskey in his hand trembled slightly before he tightened his grip. Someone was coming for him. The problem was, Dominic had too many enemies to count.
A soft knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.
Julian Carter, his best friend and business partner, strode in, his usual cocky smirk in place. "You look like you just saw a ghost," Julian remarked, pouring himself a drink from Dominic's bar.
"Maybe I did," Dominic said, tossing the phone to him.
Julian read the message, and for the first time, his smirk faltered. "Well… that's unsettling."
"No shit," Dominic muttered.
Julian leaned against the bar, swirling his glass. "Any idea who sent it?"
Dominic exhaled slowly. "I don't believe in coincidences. Andrew Cole disappeared after I shut down his company. If he's alive, he might want payback."
Julian raised an eyebrow. "That was five years ago, Dom. You think he's been plotting revenge all this time?"
"Some grudges don't fade," Dominic said.
Julian sighed. "Alright, I'll dig into it. But if this is serious, we need more than just theories. We need someone who can find the bastard before he finds you."
Dominic nodded, already knowing who to call.
Somewhere in Prague, Alyssa Rowan moved like a shadow through the abandoned warehouse, her Glock steady in her grip. The informant she was supposed to meet was late, and she didn't trust late people.
She heard footsteps deliberate, slow, calculating.
A figure stepped out of the darkness: Nikolai Petrov, a name that sent a wave of rage through her. The man who had once left her for dead.
Alyssa smirked, though her finger tightened on the trigger. "Didn't expect to see you outside of Volkov's leash, Petrov."
Petrov chuckled. "Alyssa Rowan. Always so charming. We both know how this ends."
She didn't wait for him to make a move. She fired.
The bullet missed by an inch as Petrov ducked behind a crate, returning fire. She rolled to cover, cursing under her breath.
The warehouse erupted into chaos. More men emerged from the shadows Volkov's men. A setup.
Alyssa had fought in worse situations. But as she took down one man after another, a sinking feeling settled in her gut.
They weren't trying to kill her. They were trying to capture her.
She shot two more before bolting for the exit, but a sharp pain exploded in her side. A dart.
Her vision blurred. The last thing she saw before darkness swallowed her was Petrov's smug grin.
While back in New York, Dominic's phone buzzed. A blocked number. He hesitated before answering.
A woman's voice, steady and laced with danger. "Mr. Hayes. We need to talk."
"Who the hell is this?"
"Alyssa Rowan. And if you want to stay alive, you'd better listen carefully."