Volume 4: Counterattack from the Edge
Summary: Torn between fear and guilt, Emily struggles with her conscience. Knowing she was used by Richard, she begins secretly aiding Jack in an attempt to atone for her past.
Richard clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, his eyes narrowing like a venomous serpent. "Brian… so it really was him! I knew he'd been eyeing my position all along! That sly old fox!" His voice was low and hoarse, barely containing the fury simmering beneath the surface—a volcano on the verge of eruption.
Kevin flinched slightly, clearly unsettled by Richard's reaction. He seemed even smaller now, hunched over like a frightened rabbit. "Mr. Richard, I've told you everything I know. You promised to protect me…"
Richard managed a stiff smile—cold and lifeless, like a plaster mask. He suppressed his rage and patted Kevin's shoulder, the gesture mechanical and insincere. "Of course, I never go back on my word. From this moment on, you're my friend. I'll arrange for you to leave the country, give you some money—you can live in peace."
Though Richard's tone softened, the icy malice in his eyes remained unchanged. Kevin forced a grateful grin and nodded profusely. "Thank you, Mr. Richard! Thank you! You truly are generous and kind!"
Inwardly, he knew better—the money was little more than blood money, and "peace" meant exile from Wall Street forever.
As Richard watched Kevin disappear into the night, the hatred in his gaze deepened. Brian would not escape his wrath. He would make him pay dearly—teach him what happens to those who dare covet what belongs to Richard Kane. In his mind, a new scheme began to take shape.
Meanwhile, in a minimalist yet artistic apartment on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Emily sat motionless at her desk, staring blankly at the computer screen. Her face was pale, her expression weary. Scattered across the table were legal documents and casebooks, chaotic and disheveled—just like her thoughts.
On the screen was the grim green K-line chart of Solar Dynamics and a stream of news reports detailing Taurus Fund's dire situation. Once a shining jewel of the market, it now resembled a massive ship struck by an iceberg, slowly sinking into oblivion. And Emily felt as if she were aboard that ship, drowning alongside it.
Since Jack's disappearance, her life had changed irrevocably. She had quit her high-paying job at a prestigious law firm and joined Taurus Fund's legal department, hoping to do whatever she could for Richard. Perhaps it was the only way she could ease the unbearable guilt gnawing at her soul. At night, Jack's face haunted her dreams—his betrayal, her silence, her complicity.
She knew full well what Richard had done to Jack—she had even seen him fabricate evidence to frame him. But she had stayed silent. Because she loved Richard. Because she feared losing the comfortable life and bright future he provided. She chose him over justice, over her own conscience.
But now, watching Richard spiral and Taurus Fund teeter on the edge of collapse, her heart twisted in torment. She understood Richard's ambition, his ruthlessness in pursuit of power—but he was still the man she once loved. She couldn't bear to watch him fall.
"Maybe I can find loopholes—ways to reduce his liability…" she murmured to herself. She put on her glasses and began combing through stacks of financial records and legal papers, searching desperately for anything that might help him. If she could just lighten his punishment, perhaps she could finally quiet the guilt inside her.
She knew this was dangerous. If Richard discovered her actions, she would face consequences far worse than dismissal. But she had no choice—this was her penance. For every moment she had chosen silence, she now owed truth.
Suddenly, the phone rang, shattering her focus. She picked it up, seeing Richard's name flashing on the screen. Taking a deep breath, she answered.
"Hey, Richard?" Her voice carried a subtle tension, though she tried to sound composed.
"It's me. What are you doing?" His voice sounded tired but gentle—an unexpected relief.
"I'm working. The fund's in bad shape—I want to do what I can," she replied, hoping he would understand how much she wanted to help.
"I know. Just keep doing your best. I trust you," Richard said, then added after a pause, "Oh, and Emily—there's a charity gala tomorrow night. Come with me. We need to show strength, stabilize investor confidence." There was a hint of pleading in his voice—he needed her support, and her presence would serve as reassurance to others.
Emily hesitated. She hated these events, especially now. She wanted nothing more than to stay locked away, buried in paperwork. But she also wanted to observe Richard closely. "Alright, I'll go."
After hanging up, a strange unease settled over her. She sensed Richard was hiding something, but without proof, there was nothing she could do. Lately, he had seemed increasingly distracted, his eyes clouded with suspicion and unrest. It worried her deeply.
The next evening, dressed in an elegant black gown, Emily entered the gala on Richard's arm. The ballroom glittered with lights, filled with the perfume of wealthy women and the idle chatter of New York's elite. Champagne flowed freely, and laughter echoed hollowly through the air.
Richard moved effortlessly through the crowd, charming financiers and politicians alike. Emily stood beside him like a carefully arranged ornament, smiling politely at passing greetings. Yet inside, she felt empty—like a marionette forced to perform.
She noticed Richard paying particular attention to a woman named Isabella—a renowned philanthropist and one of Wall Street's most influential investors. Every move she made could sway the entire market. Richard went out of his way to impress her, offering warm smiles and excessive flattery, but Isabella responded with polite indifference, even disdain.
Emily sensed immediately that Richard had ulterior motives. Was he trying to use her to save himself? What exactly was he planning?
Just then, a familiar voice cut through the noise.
"Emily? Long time no see."
She turned to see a man in a sharp suit standing before her, lips curled into an unsettling smile. There was something predatory about his expression—as if he were a snake lurking in shadows.
She blinked, recognizing him instantly. "Kevin? What are you doing here?"
His presence startled her. She hadn't expected to see him at such an event.
Kevin smiled. "I'm a friend of Mr. Richard's. Of course I'd come to support him. Besides, charity galas are great networking opportunities."
His words were polite, but Emily detected something else beneath them—something unspoken.
A frown creased her brow. Kevin's smile now seemed ominous. She couldn't shake the feeling that something dark connected him and Richard. His sudden appearance only deepened her unease.
A chill ran through her. She had the distinct sense that she was being pulled into something dangerous. A game where the stakes were higher than ever. Should she expose Richard's crimes? Could she escape the mess she was in? How could she reclaim the person she once was?
That night, sleep eluded her. Outside, neon lights flickered mockingly, casting judgment on her inner turmoil. Emily's struggle had only just begun—and ahead lay choices she could no longer avoid.