Chapter 1: Sunrise Over a Fallen Kingdom
Chapter 1: Sunrise Over a Fallen Kingdom
The morning sun broke through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the mansion.
Inside, everything felt perfectly normal.
Andrew woke up in his custom silk sheets.
Brenda was curled up against his chest, wearing a satisfied smile.
Downstairs, Margaret was already demanding her morning espresso from the kitchen staff.
They thought they had won.
They thought the nuisance was finally gone.
Andrew reached for his phone on the nightstand, expecting to see his daily stock reports.
Instead, the screen was flooded with notifications.
Red text.
Urgent alerts.
Dozens of missed calls from his Chief Financial Officer.
He blinked, his sleep-fogged brain struggling to process the words on the screen.
Transaction Denied.
Account Frozen.
Insufficient Funds.
He frowned, tapping on his banking app.
The spinning wheel loaded for three agonizing seconds.
When the dashboard appeared, the numbers didn't make sense.
His personal checking account: $0.00.
His corporate expense account: $0.00.
His offshore emergency fund: $0.00.
Panic flared in his chest, hot and sharp.
"Glitch," he muttered to himself. "It's just a system glitch."
He dialed his private banker.
"The number you have reached is no longer in service," an automated voice replied.
Downstairs, a piercing shriek shattered the morning quiet.
It was Margaret.
Andrew threw off the sheets and sprinted out of the bedroom, Brenda trailing closely behind him.
They found Margaret in the grand foyer, holding her platinum credit card like it had burned her hand.
Standing in front of her was the head of their private security team.
"What's going on?" Andrew demanded, his voice echoing in the marble hall.
The security chief didn't flinch.
He didn't look at Andrew with his usual respect.
"Sir," the guard said coldly. "We've received new orders."
"Orders from who?" Andrew snapped. "I pay your salary!"
The guard shook his head.
"No, sir. You don't."
He stepped aside, revealing a team of men in dark suits entering through the front door.
May you like
"The true owner of the estate has terminated your lease," the guard continued.
"You have exactly one hour to vacate the premises."
