The storm came quietly that night.
No thunder, no rain — just the slow gathering of clouds over the city, like the sky itself was holding its breath.
Inside BragTech's private penthouse, Jackim stood near the window again. His bruises had faded, but the memory of that rooftop fight hadn't. The sword mark on his father's watch kept flashing in his mind like a secret refusing to die.
Behind him, Ariana's reflection appeared in the glass.
Barefoot, wrapped in one of his shirts, she looked like peace in a room built for war. Her hair fell over her shoulder, and her eyes — always honest — searched his face quietly.
"You've been standing there for an hour," she said softly. "You're not even looking at the city. You're looking through it."
Jackim smiled faintly. "The city doesn't lie. People do."
She came closer. "Including you?"
He turned slightly. "Maybe."
She sighed. "You promised me no more secrets, Jackim."
He looked away. "And I meant it. But this… this one's different."
Ariana crossed her arms, her voice steady. "Then tell me."
Jackim hesitated, then reached into his jacket and pulled out the broken sword emblem — the one Ghost Blade had left behind. He placed it gently on the table between them.
Ariana frowned. "What's that?"
"A symbol from The Wheel," he said quietly. "The man who attacked me… said my father used to be one of them."
Her eyes widened. "Your father? The man everyone said died in the factory explosion?"
Jackim nodded. "If he really was part of The Wheel, then his death wasn't an accident. It was a message."
Ariana reached out, touched his hand. "Then we find out the truth. Together."
But before he could reply, the intercom buzzed sharply. Kelvin's voice came through, urgent.
"Jackim, we've got company downstairs. It's the Council of Families. And… Ariana's father is with them."
The silence hit like thunder.
Ariana froze. "My father?"
Jackim's eyes darkened. "He wouldn't come here unless—"
"—unless he's here to stop us," she finished, her voice breaking.
Moments later, the elevator chimed open.
Five men stepped out — polished, powerful, dangerous. And in the center of them, Mr. Vallester, Ariana's father — Chairman of the Global Trade Council, one of the most feared names in the city's business world.
"Jackim Ochieng," he said, his tone calm but sharp as a blade. "You've become quite the name."
Jackim straightened. "And you've become quite the intruder."
The older man smiled thinly. "A man who marries into power must understand power first."
Ariana stepped forward. "Dad—"
He raised his hand. "Not now, Ariana." His eyes returned to Jackim. "You've built something impressive. But your methods — your system, your secrets — threaten balance. You're playing a game you don't fully understand."
Jackim met his gaze. "Maybe. But I'm changing the rules."
Mr. Vallester chuckled softly. "And what happens when those rules destroy the people you love?"
Jackim said nothing. His silence was his defiance.
Then Ariana's father looked at her. "You think love can exist in this world, Ariana? Between people who stand on opposite sides of power?"
Ariana's voice trembled but held firm. "Love doesn't ask for permission."
Her father turned to leave, but his last words sliced through the air like glass.
"If you stay with him, you'll lose everything — your inheritance, your status, your future. Choose wisely."
The elevator doors closed behind him. The silence that followed was heavier than any gunfire.
Ariana turned away, her hands trembling. "He means it, Jackim. He'll destroy everything you've built. He has connections — politicians, security, the international boards—"
Jackim stepped closer. "Let him try."
"Don't say that!" she cried. "This isn't one of your brag battles. These people don't play fair. They don't forgive."
Jackim's voice softened. "Neither do I."
She looked at him then — really looked at him — and for the first time, she saw the cost of the empire he'd built.
The late nights.
The blood.
The scars that never healed.
"Jackim…" she whispered. "Is this who you wanted to become?"
He took a long breath. "No. But maybe it's who I need to be right now."
She closed her eyes, a single tear tracing her cheek. "Then promise me one thing."
"What?"
"When it's over… come back. Don't let this war take you from me."
Jackim reached for her hand, holding it firmly. "I'll always find my way back to you."
Outside, thunder finally rolled over the city — deep, distant, like a warning from the gods.
The System flickered faintly in his mind.
> "New Threat Detected: Global Trade Council Operations Incoming."
"Quest Updated: Protect Ariana. Neutralize Family Interference."
Jackim whispered under his breath, "So it begins."
He kissed her forehead gently — a promise in silence — then walked toward the window, the city lights reflecting on his determined face.
Down below, convoys moved through the rain — black SUVs with tinted windows and diplomatic plates.
The war wasn't coming.
It was already here.