Kian’s POV
The skyline of Central City stretched endlessly beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows of Kian Mondiego’s office, the city bathed in golden light as the sun dipped toward the horizon. From this vantage point, he could see the empire he had built—skyscrapers bearing the Mondiego name, business centers that thrived under his control, and the bustling streets that never slept.
Yet, despite all his power, his mind was consumed by two things: the people threatening Hunter and the woman who had disappeared from his life without a trace.
He exhaled slowly, forcing himself to focus on the more pressing matter.
In front of him, his laptop screen displayed the latest intelligence his private team had gathered. Reports detailed the businesses and hidden dealings of the Fosters and Lancasters—two of the most influential families in Southbay City. Both had built their power through generations of ruthless ambition. Both had reasons to despise Hunter.
But which one was trying to destroy him?
Or, worse—was it both?
Kian’s fingers tapped against the desk, deep in thought. Years ago, there had been serious discussions about a merger between the Foster and Lancaster conglomerates. Had they succeeded, they would have controlled nearly every sector in Southbay—construction, hospitality, trade, entertainment, and medicine. But the deal had fallen apart. No public explanation had ever been given.
Now, someone from those families was hunting for details about Hunter’s past.
The question was: why?
A sharp knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, and Elias, his most trusted investigator, stepped inside, a file in hand. His expression was serious.
"We have an update."
Kian straightened. "Talk."
Elias placed the file on the desk and flipped it open. "Someone is digging into Hunter’s past. A private investigator was hired to gather details about his time in prison—the charges, his behavior while inside, even the guards who handled him."
Kian’s eyes darkened. "Who hired them?"
Elias hesitated. "We haven’t confirmed it yet, but we traced the initial payment to someone linked to both the Fosters and Lancasters. The connection isn’t direct, but it’s there."
Kian’s grip on his pen tightened. This wasn’t just a grudge. Someone was playing a deeper game.
"Do we know what they plan to do with the information?"
"Not yet," Elias admitted. "But one thing is certain: they’re preparing something. If this were just a casual inquiry, it wouldn’t be this well-hidden. Whoever hired them doesn’t want to be traced."
That only fueled Kian’s anger.
Hunter had already lost two years of his life because of someone else’s scheme. Now, when he was finally starting to reclaim his future, someone was trying to drag him down again.
Not on Kian’s watch.
"I want names," he ordered, his voice sharp as steel. "I don’t care how much it costs—find out exactly who is behind this. And once we do, I’ll handle them myself."
Elias nodded. "Understood. We’ll double our efforts."
The moment Elias left, Kian leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly.
The weight of responsibility pressed against him.
Being the head of the Mondiego Empire was never just about business. It was about power, strategy, and control.
And now, it was about protecting Hunter from those who wanted to bury him again.
His gaze flickered to the stack of papers on the far side of his desk—the reports he had gathered over the years about her.
The woman who had vanished.
The woman who had walked away from him without a word.
He had searched. Of course, he had. He had spent years trying to track her down, only to come up empty-handed every time. It was as if she had disappeared from the face of the earth.
And Kian hated losing.
He clenched his jaw, his mind torn between two battles.
One against the people threatening Hunter.
The other against the ghost of a woman who had left him with nothing but questions.
But there was only one choice he could make right now.
Hunter came first.
His brother—the man who had been robbed of his rightful place, his future, and his peace.
Kian had lived a life of privilege, wealth, and power. Hunter had lived in an orphanage, on the streets, and behind bars.
Two years.
Two years in a prison cell while the real criminals walked free.
If he hadn't intervened, Hunter would have spent five years suffering for a crime he never committed.
Kian’s fingers curled into fists.
For now, he would set aside his own pain.
Because his brother needed him more.
Because no one—not the Fosters, not the Lancasters, not even the ghosts of the past—was going to take another second of Hunter’s life.
Not while Kian Mondiego was still standing.
A buzz from his phone disrupted his thoughts.
He picked it up. A message from Elias.
"We found something. Both suspected families has been digging Hunter’s past the Foster had been digging information about hunter before but halted for no reason whole lancaster just started gathering information about hunter's past."
Kian’s lips curled into a cold smile.