Late at night, in Choice Bar, Lothian Banks sat in a corner. A glass of champagne rested on the table before him.
He picked it up and took a slow sip, then swirled the remaining wine in the glass as his eyes scanned the room impatiently.
He was clearly waiting for someone.
After several minutes of fruitless waiting, he picked up his phone and dialed a number.
"Hello," a voice answered from the other end.
"Didn't you say Mr. Thompson is a regular at Choice Bar? I've been lurking here for over a week and still haven't seen him," Lothian said, irritation evident in his tone.
The person on the other end paused briefly before replying, "The Thompson family has been busy with a major project recently. They closed the deal this evening. He should be there tonight."
"Are you sure?" Lothian asked, seeking reassurance.
"Yes."
Lothian ended the call.
Just as he lowered his phone, a quiet commotion near the entrance caught his attention.
A few waiters had gathered, clearly welcoming someone important.
Lothian narrowed his eyes.
A tall man walked in, his face partly covered with a faint beard.
Wasn't that Mr. Thompson?
Lothian stood up and walked closer. As he got a better look, his lips curved into a satisfied smile.
His patience had finally paid off.
He picked up his drink and walked over, taking a seat opposite the man.
"Good evening, Mr. Thompson," Lothian greeted politely.
Mr. Thompson looked up at him. There was no surprise in his expression—only a knowing smile.
"Mr. Banks," he said. "How may I help you?"
Mr. Thompson was now the head of the Thompson family, having taken over after his father's death just a month ago. He was the one calling the shots.
"I'm here to discuss business," Lothian said.
"That's obvious," Mr. Thompson replied calmly, taking a sip of his drink.
"Well, I'm planning to venture into the entertainment industry, and I'd like to collaborate with you," Lothian explained. He slid a file across the table. "You can review my proposal."
Mr. Thompson glanced at the document, then looked back at Lothian.
"It's not that I don't want to cooperate, Mr. Banks," he said slowly. "But everyone in Milan knows Luciano is the future heir of the Banks family. What exactly would my family gain from partnering with you?"
Lothian's gaze darkened at the mention of Luciano.
He hated hearing that name.
Despite being the second son of Chairman Banks, he had always been overlooked.
First, it was his father, Lorraine. Now, it was the son.
Still, Lothian let out a low chuckle.
"Those are just baseless rumors," he said smoothly. "My father only gave him the temporary CEO position to console him after his father's disappearance. No will has been made yet—and I am still the next of kin."
He leaned slightly forward.
"I believe you understand what that means."
Mr. Thompson considered his words for a moment before responding, "I'll think about it."
Lothian nodded. "Of course."
He stood up. "Please review the proposal at your convenience."
With that, he left the bar.
This deal had to go through.
For now, he was just an executive at Banks Corporation—but he needed to prove himself to the old man.
Lost in thought, he made his way to the underground parking lot.
He pressed his car key as he approached his vehicle.
Suddenly—
Something struck the back of his head.
His vision blurred.
Darkness swallowed him whole.
When he regained consciousness, he found himself tied up inside a sack.
Panic surged.
What was going on?
Who had done this?
He struggled to free himself, but it was useless.
Not far away, two men stood beside the sack.
"It seems he's awake," one of them said.
They exchanged a glance, then signaled to a third man.
Without hesitation, they began striking the sack with sticks.
Each blow landed heavily—targeting his legs.
Pain exploded through Lothian's body.
"Who are you?! Let me go! Do you know who I am?! Aghhh—!"
His screams pierced the silent night.
But no one came.
At a distance, in a parked car, Berry sat calmly, recording everything.
Once the beating stopped, he lowered his phone.
Without hesitation, he hit send.
The video was delivered straight to Luciano.