The Heiress Spoiled by Four Brothers and One Devilish CEO-Chapter 252 Checkmate, Old Man

The sleek black Bentley sped through the road heading to the Lewis family estate.

Tristan wiped the blood off the corner of his mouth with his thumb, dialing Megan and the Lewis family over and over again.

All calls were going straight to voicemail.

His heart clenched painfully, irritation, panic, and helplessness boiling up inside him.

"Something really went down," he muttered, his jaw tightening. "Stay back, don’t get too close."

Karl pulled over about a kilometer from the estate. Tristan grabbed a pair of binoculars from under the seat and scoped out the scene.

The old Lewis home was already surrounded by SWAT—heavily armed, alert and on high guard.

"Did they take Megan and the others?"

Tristan shook his head. "Not sure. I can’t reach anyone. Not even Zeta Prime."

Just then, his wristwatch flashed red. He quickly pressed a button on the side, and Zeta Prime’s voice crackled through.

"Boss, where are you? We’re surrounded by a bunch of idiots. At least forty-two of them!"

Tristan asked, "Where are you now?"

Then Megan’s voice came through. "Tristan, we’re in the basement below the dining room. The Reids and Shaws moved down as planned. We shut off our phones to avoid being tracked—we’re using interference protocols to jam their signal so I could reach you."

Tristan let out a shaky sigh. "Thank God you’re okay. Just didn’t expect to set up defenses for Nathaniel and end up defending against someone we trusted. His resurrection—clearly orchestrated."

"Is Charles using Nathaniel to control you? Or is he also after the biotech itself?"

"You always see through things so fast." Tristan chuckled low. "Listen, don’t come out yet. I’m going to talk to Charles directly."

"Tristan, if you go, they’re going to catch you. This is dangerous!"

He heard the panic in her voice and tried to soothe her. "Relax, I always leave myself a way out. Just keep your eye on Michelle for me."

"I will," she said, her voice trembling. "Tristan... I’ll wait for you."

He smiled softly. "I’ll be back."

As his screen dimmed, he looked at Karl. "Karl, wait here for Keith. Keep an eye on everything. I’m heading to meet Charles."

Karl gave him a nod. "You promised Megan you’d come back."

Tristan grinned. "I haven’t forgotten."

Karl got out. Tristan moved into the driver’s seat. "Karl, Michelle’s dangerous. Keep tabs on her. My tech base’s entrance is at the Cresthollow border stone. Access code: XAL1201."

"Dude... are you giving me your last will?" Karl frowned. "Since when do you surrender easily?"

Tristan crooked a finger, motioning him closer. Karl leaned in, and Tristan flashed a devilish smirk. "If I get nabbed, lead the mech army and come bust me out."

Karl’s expression darkened. "Knew it, you coward! Want me to commit treason just for your sorry ass?"

Tristan pulled out a pack of smokes, lit one up, the flickering flame casting shadows across his face as the smoke curled around him.

"The mech army can’t fall into the wrong hands. Keep it under wraps. And... take care of Megan."After saying that, he rolled up the window and hit the gas, the car shooting off into the darkness.

"You said you had a backup plan! You promised you’d come back!" Karl clenched his fists, his voice tight with frustration. "If you die, someone else ends up with your wife and kid!"

He stared at the fading red taillights as they disappeared into the night, a heavy sense of responsibility crashing down on him.

He dialed Keith. "Where are you now?"

"Boss, those two headless corpses are still clinging to the trunk—we can’t shake them off."

Karl exhaled softly. "Set the car on fire. Burn them to ashes. Then switch cars and come around again."

Keith didn’t argue. "Got it, boss. Might take about thirty minutes though."

Karl spoke through clenched teeth, "Fine. Bring a hundred mercenaries, fully geared."

The night was eerily quiet, like a beast lying in wait, ready to strike.

Behind the wheel, Tristan drove one-handed, the other arm resting casually on the door, a cigarette pinched between his fingers. Ash from the tip floated away with the wind.

The worst news he’d heard today wasn’t that Nathaniel came back from the dead—or even that his own days might be numbered.

It was that if he dies... Megan would still be just eight months pregnant. A dangerous, unstable month.

He stubbed out the cigarette, rolled up the window, and focused straight ahead with a sharp, unreadable gaze. Then he stepped harder on the accelerator.

Soon, the car pulled up at a private villa.

Dozens of armed SWAT officers had their guns trained on him.

Tristan stepped out, posture straight as ever. "I want to see your boss."

One of the officers walked up. "Sorry, Director—it’s standard procedure."

He began to frisk Tristan from head to toe. Only after confirming there were no weapons or gear did they let him pass.

Tristan strode into the villa with confidence. Inside, a man was playing a game of chess.

"You’re here," Charles said.

Tristan sat directly across from him. "I told you—I’m not here to climb the ladder. You’re being way too paranoid."

Charles gave a faint smirk. "Temptation’s everywhere. No one stays the same forever. Especially men—money, power, status—it eats at them. You shine too bright, Tristan. Can’t really blame me."

"So, what’s your plan for me?" Tristan picked up a chess piece and dropped it straight onto the king’s spot. "I risked everything to protect this king, only to end up like this."

Charles’s smile faded. "Are you planning to turn on me?"

"I don’t give a damn about dying. But if you go after the wrong people—my people—that’s where you cross the line." Tristan’s stare was ice-cold. Like a blade in the dark, sharp and deadly. Charles had never seen that kind of energy from him before.

He looked at the 27-year-old man across from him. There was something dangerous about him. If left unchecked, he could become a real threat.

Charles spoke, "Hand over your mech army. I’ll make sure your family remains unharmed."

"I never wanted to use them against you. But everything you’ve done step-by-step has been... a major disappointment. Truth is, you’re the real mastermind behind all this. You used Nathaniel to wipe out the Coopers, knowing full well his mom’s real lover was you. You made him your pawn to stir up a war among the four families. You want to wipe them out and replace them with your own people. He thought he was calling the shots—when really, he was always just your piece on the board.

You knew everything he was doing: the mind-control facility, the weapon labs, the biological experiments... You let it all slide just so you could swoop in and take the credit. Meanwhile, you used him to keep me tied down.

Now you’re scared that once he’s gone, there’s nobody else who can keep me in check. And if one day I ever set my sights higher—then what? You’ll be helpless."