Every employee in the VIP penthouse lounge stopped breathing.

Dante Romano didn't flinch. "Big words, Julian. But you don't control the board anymore. Half of them are on my payroll. By midnight, your empire will be mine."

Dante snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, four of the Morreti corporate board members stepped forward, flanking Dante. The betrayal was out in the open. The room fell dead silent as the string quartet stopped playing.

"You see?" Dante sneered. "It's over."

Julian didn't look panicked. He looked bored. He reached into his tuxedo jacket, pulled out a thick envelope, and tossed it onto the nearest cocktail table.

"That," Julian said loudly, ensuring the entire room heard him, "is a dossier containing the offshore bank accounts, wire transfers, and criminal conspiracy charges against every board member standing beside you. My assistant, Ms. Vance, spent the last two weeks compiling it from your own encrypted servers."

Dante’s smile vanished. The board members turned pale.

"The FBI received those files ten minutes ago," Julian checked his heavy gold watch. "In fact, they should be coming through the lobby right about..."

The heavy ballroom doors slammed open. A dozen federal agents in tactical gear stormed into the room, badges raised.

Chaos erupted. The corrupt board members tried to run, only to be tackled to the marble floor. Dante Romano drew a hidden pistol, aiming wildly at Julian.

Julian shoved Clara to the floor, shielding her with his body as Victor and the security team opened fire. The gunfight was brief, brutal, and deafening.

When the smoke cleared, Dante Romano was on the floor, bleeding from a shoulder wound, screaming in agony as federal agents slapped cuffs on him.

Julian pulled Clara up from the floor, his hands desperately checking her for bullet holes. "Are you hurt? Talk to me!"