Zev hadn’t left the office in over a day.
He hadn’t even taken a moment to rest. His mind buzzed, a blur of calculations and strategy. But it wasn’t enough.
Ken had flipped. Out of nowhere, he’d turned on them, and now the company was in chaos.
First, Clarissa left. Then Ken followed, and now Stuart had seized the chance to make a mess of everything He’d pulled his people out and walked out of the Lockhart Group.
Zev’s grip on the situation was slipping fast.
Behind all this, the figures pulling the strings, the ones who’d been quiet when Wade left, were now showing their true faces. The masks had come off.
Quentin sat across from Zev, his face drawn with concern. “Mr. Zion. The company’s situation … it’s not looking good for you. Most of the core team are questioning your judgment, your decisions. My suggestion? Take some time off.”
The crisis at Lockhart Group was more than just a momentary setback. It was a storm, and if Zev stayed at the helm, it could tear everything apart.
“Leave? If I leave now, it’s like admitting I’m running from them.” Zev’s breath was heavy, his chest rising and falling with the force of his emotions.
Quentin’s gaze softened, his voice quiet but firm. “Mr. Zion, this isn’t about pride.”
“Think about it,” Quentin urged, rising from his chair. He placed a hand on Zev’s shoulder, a brief touch, and then turned toward the door.
“Mr. Zion!” Hanson burst into the room, panic in his eyes.
Zev looked up, his exhaustion clear in his haggard face. “Mr. Zion … ” Hanson hesitated, biting his lip. “The company… we’re in serious trouble.”
go home. Get
Zev rubbed his forehead, the pressure behind his eyes too much to ignore. Hanson saw the pain in his movements. “You’re still burning up with fever. You haven’t slept in over 24 hours. Please some rest. We’ll hold things together here.”
Zev waved him off, his determination unshaken. He couldn’t leave now. There was too much to fix, too much that needed his attention–the company, his grandfather’s legacy, everything.
Hanson’s voice dropped, his concern deepening. “Mr. Zion … the senior staff–Stuart’s gone, Ken’s gone. That leaves only Fabian and Jacques. Both have ties to Wade. But … they’re close with Ken. If Ken pulls them to Wagner Group, we’re finished.”
The weight of Hanson’s words hit Zev like a cold wind. If the key players turned against him, it didn’t matter how skilled he was. The people, both inside and outside the company, would see him as nothing more than a young heir, in over his head.
The partners would pull out, the company would crumble.
And in the end, Zev would be standing alone.
1/3
Chapter 405 Failure Is Not Allowed
Hanson’s voice trembled. “Mr. Ashford can’t hold this together alone…
Finished
The thought of it tightened Zev’s chest. Quentin had come from Wagner Group, but at a heavy price Med burned bridges, and now Wagner was unified, pushing against Lockhart with everything they had. Even Patrick couldn’t stop it.
Zev’s vision blurred, his legs buckling beneath him.
Hanson was there, catching him before he fell. He eased Zev into a chair.
When Kelly arrived with dinner after work, Zev’s face was pale, drained of all color. The exhaustion was written across every feature.
“Kelly, please talk to Mr. Zion,” Hanson pleaded, his voice tight with urgency. “He’s burning up with fever and can’t shake i t… yet, he’s still pushing himself at work.”
Kelly hurried over, her hand pressing against Zev’s forehead.
The heat was unbearable. His skin felt like fire.
Zev looked at Kelly, his eyes rimmed with red. The weight of the world seemed to rest on his shoulders.
He had no family left. When Wade had gone, the vultures began to circle, waiting for their chance to tear him apart.
Once, those same predators had descended on his father, Sylvester. Now, they turned on Zev, eager to use the same tactics against him.
“Zev …” Kelly’s voice softened, but she could feel the urgency beneath it. Now was not the time for pity. This
was about survival.
“You need to take care of yourself,” she said, her tone firm. “Your health is everything. If you break, it’s over. Think about me, Shane, and Jasper. If I end up a widow, stuck with all your shares, your business–do you think we’d be safe?”
Zev jerked upright, his hand quickly covering Kelly’s mouth, his voice urgent. “I won’t let you be a widow. Stop thinking that way.”
Kelly smiled softly, resigned. “Then how about you come home and sleep for a while?”
Zev nodded, unusually obedient. Without a word, he followed her.
Hanson exhaled sharply, raising his thumb toward Kelly. “Only you can handle him, Kelly.”
On the way back, Kelly glanced at Zev, his head resting against her shoulder. “Do you remember when your dad started Lockhart Group? He faced so many challenges. Wade told Jasper and Shane about it.”
Zev nodded, the past weighing heavily on his mind.“When my dad took over Lockhart, it was in chaos. The company was on the brink of collapse.”
Sylvester had made his name in that struggle, becoming a legend in the business world.
But brilliance often attracts danger.
2/3
16:41 Fri, 30 May
Chapter 405 Failure Is Not Allowed
“If he made it, you can too,” Kelly said, her grip tightening around his hand. “Like father, like son?
Zev held her tighter. For once, a small warmth filled the emptiness inside him.
Kelly’s voice dropped, serious now. “The wolves after Lockhart–taking advantage of Wade’s absence–don’t forget them. Your father’s death? They’re behind it, no doubt.”
Zev sat up straighter, his eyes now sharp with resolve.
He would not make the same mistakes his parents made. He wouldn’t die. And he wouldn’t let Kelly or their child face danger.
This time, he would win.
He had no choice.
Because failure would be disastrous.
Helena’s death was the price of Sylvester’s failure. And Zev was left to pick up the pieces.
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