Lei leaned back into the leather chair, his eyes narrowing as he stared out the window at the quiet countryside.

"I could get used to this," he muttered.

However, amidst the peace, he still felt a storm brewing inside his head. It had sunk in now.

He had lost his empire-everything he worked hard for. Lei's expression hardened before he let out a deep chuckle.

But that didn't mean he had to lose everything. He could still take back some control and salvage what was left.

"Oh, who am I kidding?" he chuckled, his eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep and the alcohol in his system.

It was over. It was gone-never to be found again!

Now, what he couldn't accept was that June was still running free!

With that, Lei set his mind on ending June, once and for all.

June had the briefcase. Lei was sure of it. That's why June was able to move so confidently now, and that's why Phoenix Entertainment had rebounded under his influence. The briefcase had fallen into his hands, and it was too late for Lei to recover it.

But it wasn't too late to end June's life. That kid has escaped death way too many times.

Lei smiled to himself as the plan formed in his mind. There wasn't a deliberate plan. He went to the kitchen and saw a stack of knives on the counter. He was already imagining plunging the sharp metal into June's throat.

His life was already destroyed, after all. Lei had nothing left to lose.

Satisfied, Lei stood up, stretching his arms as he walked toward the counter, touching the knives like it was his most prized possession.

Then, he chuckled. He still had some money left. He could use that to kill June, maybe sneak up to him in an event. They were going to have a comeback soon. With that thought in mind, The let go of the knives and stepped backward.

The place was quiet, save for the gentle hum of the refrigerator. He opened it, surprised to see it fully stocked with fresh food. His brows furrowed.

"Why is it stocked?" Lei muttered to himself.

He scanned the kitchen again. The counters were spotless, the floors practically shining.

It wasn't just clean-it was pristine, almost too perfect. No dust, no signs of neglect. It was like the house had been waiting for him.

Lei's gaze drifted toward the wall, and that's when he noticed them: the picture frames.

His eyes landed on the first frame, a photograph of Lena holding a small child. The boy looked familiar. Lei tilted his head, squinting at the photo. "Where have I seen him before?" he whispered, his mind racing.

But before he could piece it together, his eyes caught sight of another frame-one that sent a chill down his spine.

The bald man.

The man who had been plaguing his thoughts for years, the one who had no importance but never left his mind. He was in the photograph standing beside a young teen and a beautiful

woman.

"Why are you here?" he exclaimed in a loud voice. He grabbed the frame and looked at it more intently, his frown deepening when he realized who the young teen was-Lena.

The three of them held something in their hands-a scroll, a banner? Lei squinted to make out the words.

"Long Live, Phoenix," he muttered under his breath, his pulse quickening.

That's when everything started to fall into place.

It hit him like a bullet train.

The pictures, the pristine house, the stocked refrigerator-it was a trap.

A perfectly laid trap.

The house wasn't a safe haven-it was a cage, a snare waiting to snap shut.

His mind raced as he spun around, heading for the door. The frame fell from his hands, the glass shattering into a million pieces, with some even splattering to scratch the skin on his legs.

However, that was the least of his worries.

He needed to get out. Now.

But before he could make it to the exit, the door burst open with a deafening crash. Lei froze, his heart hammering in his chest as a flood of men in uniforms stormed in, guns raised and shouting orders.

The authorities. They had found him.

He cursed under his breath, backing away from the door as they rushed toward him, their boots thundering against the floor. He had no time to think or react.

"Get on the ground! Hands where we can see them!" one of the officers barked, his voice booming in the small space.

Lei's mind scrambled for a way out-some last-minute escape. But there was none. The walls were closing in, and there was nowhere to escape.

He had been outplayed until the very last second.

Lena had set the perfect trap, and now he was caught.

"Damn it," Lei muttered, dropping to his knees as the officers swarmed him, forcing him to the ground. The cold steel of handcuffs clamped around his wrists, the weight of defeat crushing him.

As they hauled him to his feet, Lei's mind raced back to the photographs. The bald man, the banner, the haunting words, June.

That fucking bastard June.

Long Live Phoenix.

It all made sense now.

Lena was the head, after all.

She was bigger than him, bigger than his gang, bigger than the empire he was trying to build.

Lei had been a pawn, and now the game was over.

They dragged him outside, the bright sunlight stinging his eyes as he was shoved into the back of a waiting car. The doors slammed shut, the sound echoing in his ears like the final nail

in his coffin.

As the car sped away, Lei leaned his head back against the seat, staring blankly at the ceiling.

His empire was gone. His brother was dead, and June held all the power now. Everything Lei had fought for, everything he had sacrificed-it was all for nothing.

And then, at that moment, someone's face flashed in the back of his mind.

Chen Jun Hao.

For some damn reason, he felt that all of this wouldn't have happened if he didn't kill him.

And for once, Lei was right.

He was finally right, but what was the use of that now?

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