THE BILLIONAIRE'S DEFENSE: BEYOND THE SHATTERED EMPIRE

The heavy gunfire cracked against the bulletproof plating of the SUV. Ronan pulled an assault rifle from the floor compartment, his eyes calm despite the deadly peril.

"Malcolm, blow the secondary bridge charges on our signal," Ronan commanded via encrypted comms. "Ivy, when I push the rear door, you run for the boulder ridge on the west bank."

"I'm not leaving you," Ivy said, grabbing his arm, her eyes fierce with determination.

"You are the key to bringing them down," Ronan said, his hand gripping the back of her neck, pulling her forehead against his for an intense, breathless moment. "Trust me. I will find you."

Ronan kicked the damaged rear door open and laid down a heavy barrage of suppressing fire, neutralizing two advancing mercenaries. Malcolm and the remaining security team engaged the flank, drawing the enemy's heavy fire toward the front of the bridge.

Ivy slipped into the misty ravine, scrambling up the wet, rocky incline of the gorge under the cover of smoke and darkness.

Behind her, a thunderous explosion roared—Ronan had detonated the tactical charges on the bridge, severing the access road and sending two enemy trucks plunging into the abyss below.

Ivy reached the crest of the ridge, but as she emerged onto the access road near the old timber mill, a figure stepped out from the shadows of an idling helicopter.

Vivian Hail stood there, holding a small silver pistol, her face twisted with deranged fury. Behind her stood Arthur Sterling, looking cold and detached in a heavy wool trench coat.

"Did you really think you could take everything from me, Ivy?" Vivian laughed hysterically, her voice shrill in the mountain wind. "My father is in a federal holding cell because of you! My family name is ruined!"

"Your family destroyed themselves with greed, Vivian," Ivy replied, standing tall despite the cold rain soaking her gown. "And you, Arthur... Ronan’s father treated you like a brother."

"Business has no brothers, Miss Lancaster," Arthur said smoothly, checking his watch. "At midnight, the board will declare Ronan missing and presumed dead. I will assume executive control of Blackwood Global, absorb Hail's patents, and seal the records forever."

"Not while I breathe," a lethal voice echoed from the tree line.