Reclaimed Crown: The Ascension of Aidan Pierce

A Dangerous Paranoia

The city's lights extended beneath Victor Pierce's feet like a nation he had conquered and ruled for a long time. From his lofty perch, he seemed to have complete command over the surrounding area. But paranoia's relentless grip had begun to usurp that feeling of mastery. The people he trusted the most became targets of his agony as a result.

Due to Aidan's relentless campaign, the city's power structure was shifting. Aidan stayed elusive and ever-prepared, even as Victor sent in mercenaries, damaged assets, and plotted assaults. This infuriated me. As his every action was met with apparent resistance, Victor's sense of isolation grew. As he fought to keep it, he could feel it sliding through his fingers.

Tonight, Victor sat alone in his office, the dim light drawing attention to the wrinkles on his face. Victor, you're losing your grasp... he could still hear the distorted voice from the earlier phone call. Aidan is gaining strength by the day. The words struck a chord with him. Who could possibly comprehend the profoundness of his anxieties and secrets?

He poured himself another tumbler of whiskey, his hand trembling as he raised it to his lips. No amount of wine could alleviate the icy knot in his gut. It had been years since Victor had felt this way about his company and his closest associates.

His mind raced to his rule, the alliances he had forged, and the treacheries he had plotted. For as long as anyone could remember, he was the master puppeteer, pulling strings to achieve his ends. The situation had turned around, though, and he appeared to be the one under control.

He called his head of security, Daniel Vargas, by pressing a button on his desk. Vargas was there in a heartbeat, with his customary formality and unwavering posture. Victor scowled as he gave him a careful look. Was Vargas still loyal? Had he been bought off like everyone else, or could he be trusted?

"Vargas," Victor said, his icy, controlled voice concealing his genuine hesitancy. "I think someone is giving Aidan information from within, and he's making moves." I implore you to look into Langston, Romero, and Chen. Examine everything, including daily routines, bank documents, and communications. I want them taken out if there's even the slightest indication of treachery.

Victor detected a hint of uncertainty, but Vargas maintained an expressionless countenance. Yes, I understand. If we start investigating your closest advisors excessively, though, it might raise suspicions.

Anxiety gripped Victor's lips. So, you should give it a shot. I hope that my kids will grow up knowing that being devoted isn't a luxury but a need. An ally worth having has nothing to fear.

Vargas nodded and departed from the chamber. As Victor watched him depart, a sense of unease persisted. However, when it came to loyalty, Vargas was an entirely other story. While waiting for the right moment to turn, Victor knew that Vargas might be sending Aidan information.

Upon completing his beverage, he cast his eyes towards the window. A constant companion, his paranoia would not budge. The traitors he suspected were among him, so he had to be vigilant and outwit them.

Without delay, the investigation into Langston commenced. Peter Langston, one of Victor's trusted advisors, had worked with him for many years, facilitating business deals and building relationships that strengthened the Pierce empire. To a certain extent, Langston had been faithful. But loyalty in Victor's world was only reliable to the extent that it benefited the devotee. If Langston had something greater to give, he may even betray Aidan.

Victor watched while Vargas secretly recorded Langston's office. He closely watched the man as he went about his day, overhearing meetings, phone calls, and dinners with other powerful businesspeople. I didn't notice anything suspicious or betrayal-worthy. Even when nothing suspicious was discovered, Victor's unease grew. If anything, Langston was overly neat and orderly.

There was a time when Langston took a call. Leaning closer, Victor listened intently as Langston talked in calm, measured tones. Even though it was just a casual talk about nothing in particular, Victor felt uneasy about how Langston glanced around his office as he spoke.

He must be hiding something, Victor reasoned. And if he thinks he can outwit me, he's completely mistaken.

In the course of the evening, Victor told Vargas to "keep him under surveillance." "I want to know if he makes a mistake."

It was Ivan Romero's turn next. While Victor's chief financial officer and the man in charge of his offshore accounts had always been on the cautious side, the latter's behavior had grown increasingly erratic in recent years. Victor watched hours of footage and saw the same signs he had noticed during their meetings: Roma looking over his shoulder, taking long, seemingly unnecessary breaks, and constantly checking his phone.

Vargas's investigation uncovered Romero's financial violations. Huge withdrawals and unapproved transactions were revealed in the records. Much more concerning were payments to unknown sources—amounts too large to be ignored. It appeared to Victor that Romero was preparing for an escape or something.

Enraged, Victor lost control. "Bring him in." I would rather that he be interrogated.

"Want him to be brought in quietly?" Vargas was neutral when he asked.

The pupils of Victor's eyes were chilly. "Make sure he stays in the room if he resists."

Things were very different when it came to Vivian Chen. She had been Victor's lawyer for almost a decade, seeing to his legal affairs as well as the less honorable parts of his business. If Langston and Romero were his business associates' hands, then Vivian was their mastermind. The legal safeguards put in place to protect his firm could crumble without her unwavering commitment.

But even Vivian's allegiance had been called into doubt not long before. The footage showed her sitting silently in her office long after her meetings had ended, her fingers tapping rapidly on the desk as if she were completely absorbed in her work. She paused in returning Victor's calls, and her voice, while calm, lacked the solidity he had become used to.

While Victor was glued to the feed one night, she picked up the phone. As the audio channel began to play, Victor moved in closer, his ears straining to catch every word.

By saying, "I get it," Vivian demonstrated her understanding. Nevertheless, we need to be careful. If Victor finds out, it's over.

His heart was pounding as Victor listened. Who was the intended listener? Neither the screen nor any of the data on her laptop were picked up by the camera. Something about her conversation made him wonder if she was talking to another customer or an unknown contact.

Her abrupt end to the call re-enforced Victor's long-simmering resentment. Everyone pays a price, no matter how dedicated they are. If Vivian intended to hurt him, he would confront her head-on.

So he instructed Vargas to "double the surveillance on her." "I want to know what she's hiding before she does something."

Nevertheless, the paranoia just got worse despite all the extra safety measures. Once as solid as the steel beams that held up his skyscraper, Victor's dominion now seemed fragile, built on a bed of shifting sand. The more he probed his friends, the more he felt his own authority dwindle.

A different unwanted call reached Victor's phone one night. The return of the warped voice taunted him once more.

Victor, you're not looking where it's supposed to be. Your enemies aren't far away; they're standing close by you.

With a firmer grasp, Victor clenched the phone. Say my name. How do you know this to be true?

The metallic, hollow sound of the voice's laughter made Victor's blood boil. I am knowledgeable. It is no secret that you did what was necessary to solidify your position as head of the Pierce family. The past will inevitably come to light, even though you thought concealing it would keep you safe.

Viktor's pulse was pounding. With his free hand, he made a fist. "You have no knowledge."

Absolutely, but I'm the one who does it. Aidan will be right behind. If he finds out, there is no where in this city you can hide.

Dying was the line. Victor, his heart hammering with anger, slammed the phone down. He knew just what the voice was referring about, and it made him tremble. Years ago, he plotted the heinous act that would solidify his position in the Pierce empire; not even his closest advisors knew the full extent of the crime.

Obstacle number one was Victor's mother, who held a stranglehold over the family's history. She was the obstacle to his ambitions and the one who may have taken the empire from him. Quick and immediate action was required of him.

As if she were dead, he had pretended.

A shiver ran down Victor's spine as he poured himself another shot of whiskey. His mind kept playing back the voice's words. That couldn't happen if Aidan found out. If Aidan discovered that his mother was alive, all of Victor's hard work would have been for nothing.

In order to keep his secret safe, he had to eliminate all potential sources of exposure. His duty was to do it before Aidan could learn the truth.

A growing sense of paranoia gripped Victor. Even his inner circle's most mundane activities were subject to his heightened surveillance, which he entrusted to Vargas. He further isolated himself and would not meet with anyone without first conducting a thorough background investigation. Victor was doing all he could to stay alive at the center of his empire, which had become a bastion of distrust.

As he tightened his grip, though, his friends could see that he was becoming more unstable. Someone would inevitably mess up or, even worse, betray him; his anxiety would engulf him.