Chapter 244: Vespera- The City That Never Sleeps

The evening at Pearl Villa felt different.

Quieter.

Heavier.

As if the house itself understood that something had changed.

The gates slowly opened.

An ambulance entered first.

Its white body reflecting the dimming sky.

Behind it, a carrier truck rolled in.

And then

Miles’ car followed, coming to a steady stop.

The sound of engines fading left behind an unusual silence.

Monica and Silvey stepped out from the villa, their expressions shifting as they took in the scene.

“What is happening…”

Silvey whispered.

The back doors of the carrier truck opened.

A medical bed was carefully brought down.

Wheels locked.

Hands steady.

Professionals moving with precision.

Then

The ambulance doors opened.

Timothy Sterling.

Still.

Unmoving.

Sleeping.

The hospital staff carefully transferred him onto the bed.

Every movement controlled.

Every second careful.

Daniel and Elena followed closely behind.

Not letting him out of their sight even for a moment.

Silvey stood frozen for a second.

Then slowly turned toward Miles.

“Is he…”

Miles nodded.

“Yes.”

A pause.

“He is Grandpa.”

Silvey’s eyes widened slightly.

“Grandpa Tim… is back?”

Her voice carried disbelief.

“What happened to him?”

Miles answered quietly.

“He has been in a coma for the past seventeen years.”

Silvey fell silent.

Seventeen years.

A lifetime.

She had never seen him.

Never known him.

This branch of the family was new to her.

And yet

It already felt heavy.

Real.

….

Inside the villa, the ground floor had been prepared.

A spare room.

Cleaned.

Arranged.

Ready.

The medical bed was wheeled in.

Placed carefully at the center.

Machines followed.

One by one.

Monitors.

Support systems.

Each device brought life into the still room.

The staff adjusted everything.

Checked every connection.

Ensured stability.

And then

They stepped back.

Timothy lay there.

Peaceful.

Unaware.

….

Soft footsteps approached.

Hope and Asher entered slowly.

Curiosity filled their eyes.

They looked at the old man.

Silent.

Still.

Hope walked toward Elena.

Asher followed closely.

“Mama… who is he?”

Asher blinked, waiting.

Elena bent down slightly.

Her hands gently cupping their cheeks.

“He is your grandpa.”

Hope’s eyes widened.

“Really?”

Asher looked at Timothy again.

“Grandpa?”

A small pause.

Then a thought crossed his mind.

“Is he sleeping… like dad was?”

The memory was still fresh.

The time Daniel had been lying just like this.

Unmoving.

Elena smiled softly.

Though her eyes still held tears.

“Yes, dear… he is sleeping.”

Hope stepped a little closer.

“He will wake up… right?”

Daniel stepped forward.

His voice steady.

Warm.

“He will live with us from now on.”

He looked at both of them.

“And we will take care of him together.”

Asher nodded immediately.

“Yes, dad.”

He walked closer to the bed.

Looking at Timothy carefully.

As if trying to understand.

Trying to connect.

Hope stood beside him.

Quiet.

Observing.

Miles stood near the door.

Watching everything.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

This felt like a home being completed.

Not broken.

Not missing.

Whole.

Then

His phone buzzed.

The sound pulled him back.

Miles glanced at the screen.

A notification.

From Charles.

A report.

On the Mordecai Family.

His expression changed.

Slowly.

Silently.

He turned.

And stepped out of the room.

The screen on Miles’ phone glowed softly in the dim light of the corridor.

Lines of information scrolled one after another.

Cold.

Precise.

Every detail carefully compiled.

The Mordecai family.

A name that carried weight.

A name that carried blood.

Miles’ eyes moved slowly across the report.

Mordecai Family moved from England to the country of Haven when democracy took over the region.

He paused.

Then continued reading.

A family rooted in business and trade for generations.

A lineage built not just on wealth… but control.

They had settled in the City of Vespera.

A neighboring city to Citadel.

Strategic.

Hidden in plain sight.

And from there they built Mordecai Industries.

Miles’ gaze hardened slightly.

The list of their operations appeared next.

Weapons and arm manufacturing.

Supply chains across borders.

Medical research and production.

Private educational institutions.

Investments across multiple growing sectors.

A vast network.

Deep.

Wide.

Dangerous.

This was not just a business empire.

This was influence.

Power.

The structure of the family caught his attention next.

Unlike the Sterlings

The Mordecais were divided.

Split.

Controlled.

Only the eldest retained authority.

Only one line held power.

The rest were discarded.

Given their share.

Forced to leave.

To build their own lives.

No unity.

Only hierarchy.

Only dominance.

Miles scrolled further.

Current generation.

Three lines remained.

At the top Rowan Mordecai.

The family head.

The final authority.

Every decision passed through him.

Every move.

Every deal.

Under him

His son.

Jax Mordecai.

The one currently running operations.

The face of Mordecai Industries.

Young.

Active.

Ruthless.

Then A name that made Miles’ fingers pause.

Marlove Mordecai.

Rowan’s daughter.

Married into the Sterling family.

To Chester Sterling.

The connection.

The bridge.

The betrayal.

And then

Another line.

Mother of Kyle Sterling.

Miles’ eyes darkened reading this again. He still hated Kyle more than anyone.

Everything connected.

Every thread.

Every hidden piece.

It all led back here.

Slowly, he scrolled through the attached images.

Faces.

Profiles.

Expressions.

Rowan.

Cold.

Unforgiving.

Jax.

Sharp.

Calculated.

Marlove.

Elegant.

Dangerous.

Miles stared at them.

Memorizing.

Not just their faces.

But their existence.

His thumb stopped moving.

The silence around him deepened.

Then

He tapped the call button.

The phone rang once.

Twice.

Then

“Boss.”

Charles’ voice came instantly.

Miles spoke calmly.

“It’s a good report.”

A brief pause.

“Anything else?”

Charles responded without delay.

“We have deployed field agents across multiple locations in Vespera City.”

“The information is coming in continuously. We are compiling everything.”

Miles listened quietly.

Then Charles added

“And boss… General Wraithbourne has a history with them.”

A small pause.

“It is related to the weapons business.”

Miles’ eyes narrowed slightly.

“I see.”

Another silence.

Then “Keep me updated.”

His voice remained steady.

“I will speak with General Wraithbourne.”

“Understood, boss.”

Charles replied firmly.

Then added with quiet respect “Anytime. It’s my duty.”

The call ended.

Miles lowered the phone slowly.

His gaze lifted.

Far away.

Toward something only he could see.

The pieces were no longer scattered.

They were forming a path.

And that path leads straight to Mordecai again and again.

….

Miles stood still in the quiet corridor.

The glow of his phone screen reflected faintly in his eyes.

For a moment, he said nothing.

Then

He dialed.

The call connected quickly.

“Dion.”

A familiar voice answered from the other side.

“Hey, what’s up?”

Miles’ tone was calm.

Too calm.

“How’s it going?”

There was a short pause.

Then Dion let out a small laugh.

“Dude… you sound serious. What is going on?”

Miles did not waste time.

“What do you have on Mordecai’s weapons business?”

Silence.

Not long.

But enough.

Dion’s voice returned, lower now.

More focused.

“Brother… I have been analyzing their operations since I joined.”

A brief pause.

“I dealt with Mordecai during my Graveyard days.”

Miles’ eyes narrowed slightly.

“I know someone inside.”

That was enough.

A small shift in the air.

“Good.”

Miles spoke without hesitation.

“Send me everything you have.”

A short pause.

“And connect me to that person.”

Dion exhaled on the other end.

“You really are into something big…”

Then his tone changed again.

Serious.

“Alright. I will send the files.”

A moment later

“But I am in. Whatever this is… you have to tell me, brother.”

Miles’ expression softened just a little.

“Of course.”

A faint hint of humor returned.

“I will meet you at the office tomorrow.”

A pause.

“Make sure Flora is not around.”

Another pause.

“Or she will kill me.”

Dion burst into a quiet laugh.

“Deal.”

The call ended.

Miles lowered the phone slowly.

The calm expression returned.

But his eyes

Were no longer the same.

Something had begun.

And there was no turning back.

…..

Vespera

Lights ruled the night here.

Neon signs flickered across endless streets.

Music spilled out from clubs.

Laughter echoed from casinos.

Luxury cars lined the roads.

Vespera was not large in land.

But it breathed money.

Tourism.

Entertainment.

Film.

Every corner alive.

Every shadow hiding something.

And in one of its richest neighborhoods

Behind tall gates and silent guards

Stood the Mordecai Mansion.

A structure of wealth.

Power.

And secrets.

….

Inside the mansion, far from the noise of the city

A private bar.

Dim lighting.

Polished wood.

Crystal glasses reflecting amber liquid.

Expensive silence.

Jax Mordecai stood behind the counter.

Tall.

Sharp features.

Eyes that calculated everything.

His movements were smooth.

Controlled.

A man who had learned power early.

Across from him Rowan Mordecai sat in a high-backed chair.

Older.

But not weak.

His presence alone carried authority.

Silver hair brushed neatly back.

Deep lines on his face.

Not from age but from decisions.

Ruthless ones.

His eyes were cold.

Unforgiving.

A man who had built control through fear.

Jax poured a drink carefully.

Placed it in front of him.

Respectful.

But not submissive.

Rowan picked up the glass slowly.

“Have you found my grandson?”

His voice was low.

Heavy.

Jax shook his head slightly.

“We don’t know yet, father.”

A pause.

“That Grandmaster is not speaking.”

His tone hardened.

“Looks like we will have to target his family.”

Rowan’s grip tightened around the glass.

His voice turned colder.

“Pick up his entire family.”

A dangerous silence followed.

“If something has happened to my grandson…”

His eyes darkened.

“I will burn his tea estate.”

A pause.

“And the entire Citadel City with it.”

Jax did not react outwardly.

But something flickered behind his eyes.

“We have another lead.”

He poured another drink.

Carefully.

“Layla.”

A brief pause.

“She worked for Kyle.”

Another pause.

“Now she is working for Chester’s granddaughter… Silvey.”

Rowan scoffed.

“That idiot left everything to a child.”

His voice filled with contempt.

“She will be crushed.”

He leaned slightly forward.

“Get this girl.”

Jax nodded slowly.

“Yes, father.”

He lifted the bottle again.

Poured another drink.

This time as Rowan looked away Jax’s hand moved.

A small tablet slipped between his fingers.

Dropped silently into the glass.

It dissolved instantly.

Gone.

Jax’s lips curved slightly.

A faint smile.

Controlled.

Hidden.

He placed the glass in front of Rowan.

“Yes, father.”

“I will take care of it.”

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