George struggled against his restraints, his face reddening with anger. "Keaton! Tell them to release me immediately! This is outrageous!"

Keaton just smiled. It was a pleasant smile, the kind that didn’t reach his eyes. "Doesn’t this ring a bell, Father?"

George’s struggles paused. For a moment, confusion flickered across his features before being replaced by dawning comprehension—and then fury.

"It was just business," George spat. "Everything I did was just business!"

Keaton’s smile turned sheepish, almost nostalgic. "Yes, I suppose it was. Business is business, after all. Isn’t that what you always taught me?"

MJ watched the exchange with growing fascination.

There seemed to be history here—old wounds and bitter lessons hiding beneath the surface of their words.

He had heard rumors, of course. Everyone in the corporate world had heard whispers about how George Hewitt had built his empire, the competitors he crushed, the underhanded tactics he employed. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

But seeing Keaton stand there, watching his own father be arrested with that strange smile on his face...

These rich people are absolutely insane.

"Corporate espionage isn’t just business," Keaton continued to say lightly. "Neither is bribery. Or evidence tampering. Or conspiracy to commit fraud."

He tilted his head. "Did I miss anything?"

George’s face went from red to purple. "You ungrateful—after everything I’ve done for you—"

"You mean after everything you’ve done to me?" Keaton’s smile didn’t waver, but something sharp flickered in his eyes. "Let’s not rewrite history, Father. We both know exactly what you’ve done."

The assembly hall had devolved into chaos. Employees were whispering frantically to each other, some openly recording the scene, others struggling on their cuffs to try and slip away unnoticed.

But of course, they couldn’t because even if they somehow got out of their cuffs, they wouldn’t be able to escape the security team, Julius, and the Hidden Guards.

MJ found himself watching Keaton Hewitt’s gaze drift across the assembly hall until it landed on... Neville.

Neville was standing on the podium with a neutral expression as he let the chaos go on. But when his eyes met Keaton’s, something passed between them—a silent communication that MJ couldn’t understand.

Neville raised an eyebrow slightly, as if asking a question.

Keaton seemed to consider it, his smile fading into something more serious.

MJ watched in fascination as the two engaged in what appeared to be an entire conversation using nothing but subtle facial expressions.

Neville tilted his head almost imperceptibly to the left.

Keaton’s eyes flickered toward his father before returning to Neville with a slight nod.

Neville’s lips twitched—not quite a smile, but something close.

What the hell are they talking about anyway?

Before MJ could figure out what was happening, before Keaton could even speak, something changed in the atmosphere.

Grayson’s displeased gaze landed on Keaton.

Grayson didn’t seem to be angry at Keaton or threatening him. Rather, he seemed to be warning him. He could see the goosebumps rise visibly on the skin of Keaton’s neck.

Okay, did I miss something? Why is Grayson Maxwell looking at Keaton Hewitt like he’s about to commit murder?

MJ’s eyes darted between Grayson, Keaton, and Neville, trying to piece together the invisible threads connecting them. He knew there was definitely something there, but he couldn’t pinpoint it.

And then the doors burst open.

MJ’s head snapped toward the entrance, along with everyone else in the assembly hall. What he saw made his jaw drop widely again.

It was Military Personnel.

Not just any military personnel. Judging by the distinctive insignia on their uniforms, it seemed to be the Imperial Military. A full squad of them marched into the assembly hall, showing off their years of training and discipline. They moved in perfect formation, their boots striking the floor in unison, their expressions blank and professional.

At their head walked a man that MJ had only seen from military broadcasts.

Colonel Riley Vane.

Colonel Vane’s sharp eyes swept across the assembly hall, taking in the chaos in front of him.

Then his gaze found Grayson Maxwell.

Grayson turned to face the Colonel fully, his posture changing subtly into something more military than corporate.

Colonel Vane stopped. His heels clicked together as he snapped to attention.

And then he saluted.

The assembly hall went deathly silent.

MJ’s brain short-circuited. Everything was going fast; he knew the military was involved, but he didn’t expect to see them here.

"I am Colonel Riley Vane," Colonel Vane announced, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the assembled crowd, "I’m here to apprehend several individuals whose names appear on our priority list."

He paused, letting the weight of imperial authority settle over the room like a heavy fog. "This was a matter of galactic security."

MJ noticed how several faces in the crowd paled at those words. From where he was, he could see Grayson calmly sitting back in his chair, eyes tracking every movement of Colonel Vane.

"And have you successfully arrested these individuals, Colonel?" he asked.

The question was simple enough, but MJ caught the undercurrent struggle.

Was there something else going on?

Colonel Vane’s jaw tightened visibly. "We have... encountered difficulties in locating certain parties. Therefore, I require information from individuals who may have had contact with our primary target."

MJ blinked. It was surprising to see a Colonel admit that he had failed. To think that the Imperial Military would come here empty-handed, it seemed that he came here to clean up someone else’s mess.

Looked like it wasn’t just the corporate world that was messy; even the military has these days.

It was at that moment that MJ witnessed something he had never seen in his years working in the Maxwell Corporation. Grayson’s face twisted into contempt, albeit it lasted for just a second.

Holy shit. For Grayson to disdain someone to this extent was a first!

Then there was the annoyance and impatience that followed.

Looked like the military really fcked up this time.

Before he could even process this situation, Neville’s voice was heard from the podium. There was something different about him after hearing the reply of Colonel Vane. He seemed to be ready to fight someone.

"You’re just in luck, Colonel,"