CHAPTER 206: CHAPTER 206 THE TRUTH IN THE ASHES

Lucian’s POV

They were there again—hovering just beyond my reach in that foggy realm between consciousness and sleep. My parents. Not the cold-blooded business tycoons who raised me, but my true parents—their faces always slightly blurred, like looking through rain-streaked glass.

"We trusted them," my mother’s voice whispered, as it always did in these recurring dreams. "And they destroyed us."

My father’s hand reached toward me, fingers never quite making contact. "The truth is buried in the ashes, son. Find it."

I jerked awake, my silk sheets damp with sweat, heart hammering against my ribcage like it wanted to escape.

"I will make this right," I whispered to the empty penthouse bedroom. "I swear it."

Sleep was pointless now. I threw back the covers and padded to the floor-to-ceiling windows that showcased the city sprawled below. My city. The empire I’d built from nothing after clawing my way up from the ashes of my true family’s destruction.

Celestial Gems hadn’t become the jewelry industry powerhouse through inheritance or luck. I’d built it through calculated moves, strategic partnerships, and an unrelenting drive fueled by one purpose: positioning myself for revenge.

My phone vibrated on the nightstand. Only one person would dare call at this hour.

"What is it, Victor?" I answered, not bothering with pleasantries.

"Sir, we’ve verified the financial trail. The offshore accounts we’ve been tracking... they all lead back to him."

My grip tightened on the phone. "You’re certain?"

"Beyond doubt, sir. Kane Blackwood orchestrated the hostile takeover that bankrupted your parents’ company twenty-five years ago. He was the architect behind their downfall—not Ryan Blackwood."

I closed my eyes, absorbing this revelation. Kane had carefully fed me information pointing to Ryan as my enemy, positioning me as his unwitting pawn in some elaborate chess game against his nephew.

"Sir? Are you still there?"

"Send me everything," I commanded, my voice cold and steady despite the rage boiling inside me. "Every transaction, every connection, every piece of evidence. I want it all on my desk by morning."

Hours later, I sat behind my desk at Celestial Gems headquarters, reviewing the mountain of evidence Victor had compiled. Each document was another nail in Kane Blackwood’s coffin—proof that he’d systematically dismantled my parents’ business, stripped them of every asset, and left them to drown in manufactured debt.

The pieces finally fit. My parents hadn’t committed suicide out of shame as I’d been led to believe—they’d been murdered, their deaths staged to look self-inflicted after Kane had destroyed everything they’d built.

My intercom buzzed. "Mr. West, your 11 o’clock is here."

"Send them in." I closed the confidential files on my tablet and straightened my tie.

My assistant entered, carrying a tablet of her own. "Sir, I’ve confirmed what you suspected. Those two informants who approached us last month—the ones who provided those misleading reports about Ryan Blackwood’s involvement in your parents’ case—they were on Kane’s payroll."

"And the money trail?"

"Offshore accounts, just like the others, but we’ve traced it. Same source, same benefactor—Kane Blackwood." She hesitated. "There’s more. We’ve triangulated multiple information sources, and they all point to Kane being the mastermind behind everything—the false information leaks, the attempts to turn you against Ryan, even the recent efforts to disrupt your collaboration with Dreamland Studio."

The mention of Serena’s company made my jaw clench. I’d nearly ruined a potentially valuable business relationship—and whatever fragile trust I’d begun to build with Serena—all because I’d been dancing like a puppet on Kane’s strings.

"That manipulative bastard," I slammed my fist against the desk, sending pens scattering. "He’s been playing me for years, letting me believe his nephew was responsible while he hid in the shadows. All this time—" My voice cracked with fury. "I’ve been going after the wrong man while that snake watched from the sidelines, probably laughing at how easily I was misdirected."

I forced myself to take a deep breath, channeling the rage into something colder, more calculated. "Where is he now?"

"Kane Blackwood has been spotted at his lake house retreat. However, sir, he’s never without protection—at least four security personnel at all times."

I rose from my desk, walking to the window that overlooked the financial district. From here, I could see the imposing Blackwood Tower in the distance—a dynasty built on blood money. My parents’ blood.

"I want eyes on him round the clock. Find me his weak spots—moments when his security is thinnest." My voice had dropped to a dangerous calm. "But keep this operation small and tight. No leaks, no paper trail."

"Sir, with all due respect, we’re talking about Kane Blackwood. He’s connected to some of the most powerful people in the country. If this goes sideways—"

"It won’t," I cut her off, turning to face her. "Because we’re going to be smarter than he is. We wait for the perfect moment. One opportunity is all I need."

"Yes, sir. And what about our previous strategy regarding Ryan Blackwood?"

"Adjust accordingly. Ryan Blackwood is no longer our target." I paused, a new strategy already forming. "In fact, I believe it’s time we explored potential... alliances."