Hollywood Zenith

Samuel awoke the following morning to the slight noises of movement coming from the house. There was no denying the presence of others. Robyn and Adele cuddled into him, and he carefully eased out from under them. Before getting up, he kissed each of them tenderly on the forehead.

They looked so peaceful while sleeping—no, even more beautiful than when awake. The serenity of their faces was a rare contrast to the energy they usually exuded, particularly during their attempts to wring him dry, both physically and emotionally.

After a quick shower and dressing up, Samuel made his way downstairs. He didn’t need to guess who had gathered in the meeting room; their presence was predictable.

He smiled casually at them as he walked in. "Good morning. I assume that last night the enemy made some moves.

Although the group nodded and exchanged hushed welcomes, their voices lacked a noticeable sense of excitement. Jane looked as if she hadn’t slept in days, while Steve, Cho, and Drake had gloomy faces. Her vitality was nearly nonexistent as she sat slouched in her chair. The only one who seemed unaffected was Arthur, the elderly man, who sipped his tea detachedly.

Before anyone could answer Samuel’s question, Jane snapped, her frustration boiling over. "Boss! For the love of God, would you please pick up your phone? What if there had been an emergency, huh? Don’t you care at all?" Her finger jabbed accusingly in his direction.

As though trying to calm a crowd, Samuel held up his hand, palm out. "I apologize, Jane, but I was... occupied. In addition, I have faith in my team to manage things." Despite the small smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth, which implied a total lack of regret, his voice was calm. He also made a theatrical fist clenching motion, resembling a cult leader making a motivational but pointless gesture.

Steve, who had been simmering silently, lost his composure. "Can I hit him? Please?"

The tension was sliced like a dagger by Arthur’s soothing words. "If you think you can succeed, go ahead and try." There was an implicit truth in his statement: Samuel was far superior than everyone else in the room when it came to fighting. After whispering something to himself, Steve finally sunk back in his chair.

Steve cleared his throat and returned his attention to the task at hand. "Our lookouts were found and assaulted last night. Fortunately, our people were able to go without leaving any evidence, despite the opposition’s competence. Following your earlier directions, we guided them to a place where Clark often visited. That should raise some skepticism within their ranks."

Samuel nodded thoughtfully. "Good. And the fallout?"

Steve went on in a somber tone. Word has gotten out that you beat Terry, their younger son. It’s not something Robert is taking lightly. To find out who you are, he has been using every trick in the book, including the underworld guilds. Adrian was able to confuse them with some altered photos, but they’re getting close. We even hinted that it might be one of Clark’s henchmen. It might work, but I don’t think Robert will fall for it all. To truly cause a rift between him and his son, we’ll have to go to the third stage."

Samuel’s countenance was unreadable as he reclined in his chair. "Continue to apply pressure. So far, we’ve been fortunate, but Robert isn’t going to give up. Keep tabs on everyone he interacts with. They will also be held accountable if they are helping him. It’s not just about eliminating the Greens. Every rat in the financial and political networks that supports them must be held accountable as their accomplices.

Everybody gave a nod. They were troubled by the information in the incriminating files they had found. They were more determined to complete this job because of the astounding level of corruption within the Green family.

Drake, who had remained quiet up until now, smirked confidently and spoke out. "Everything is under surveillance, including the hospital where they are staying, the locations Robert has been visiting, and any other important locations. They are unable to act without our knowledge.

Samuel leaned forward and murmured, "Good," his eyes gleaming sharply. "Destabilizing their public image is the next step. Start disclosing some of the secrets their organization has been keeping once the markets open. The correct individuals will tear them apart if you tip them off, including journalists and experts. Take things slowly, one discovery at a time. Allow the media to harass them daily. Remember to include some dirt about Robert’s two sons as well. The more scandalous and intimate, the better.

Drake smiled. "Think of it as finished. It’s going to be enjoyable.

Samuel looked at Jane. "I want you to make up some leads concerning Clark in the interim. Give the impression that he left town for an opulent getaway, perhaps in Russia. Imagine him enjoying the winter while his father handles all of this turmoil. For as long as possible, we must divert their focus."

A cheeky smile spread across Jane’s weary face. Simple. Even we will begin to believe it because I will make it so convincing. They’ll waste weeks after I utilize some of my people to make a breadcrumb trail. traditional bait-and-switch method.

For the following hour, the group worked on their plans. The atmosphere in the room started to change as each jigsaw piece came together. There was a growing sense of momentum, yet the mission’s weight remained heavy.

The room was silent as they were finishing up. The sound of footsteps outside the door caused everyone to turn.

"Who could that be?" Samuel whispered. He had specifically instructed Amanda to take it easy and avoid the meeting. After their spontaneous food fight last night, he remembered for a moment how disorganized the living room had been—he still hadn’t cleaned some of the more difficult-to-reach areas.

The door squeaked open, and Adele entered, pulling a drowsy Robyn along with her. It was a less than ideal sight. Both women wore baggy robes, their eyes half-closed, their hair unkempt. Even worse, they still had faint bruises from their "tough fight" with Samuel the night before on their arms and necks.

Adele rubbed her eyes and looked around the room as Robyn, barely conscious, leaned heavily against her. "Samuel?" she said, obviously having trouble concentrating.

The scenario became clear to her as her eyes finally fell upon him. With everyone’s attention on her and Robyn, the room fell silent. Samuel, on the other hand, was completely ashamed and had buried his face in his hands. His "work" excuse from the previous evening was now totally unfounded.

Adele’s face turned crimson. "I’m sorry!" she blurted, yanking Robyn by the arm and retreating as quickly as she’d entered. Robyn, still half-asleep, muttered something incoherent as she was dragged away.

The room remained quiet for a moment, the awkwardness palpable. Then Jane’s voice broke the silence, dripping with sarcasm. "So this is what you were busy with last night, huh, Boss?"

Samuel groaned audibly but refused to lift his head. He abruptly stood, mumbling something about "urgent matters" before bolting out of the room.

The remaining group watched him go, a mix of amusement and exasperation on their faces. Steve clapped Jane on the shoulder. "Just let him be. He’s young."

Jane chuckled, her earlier fatigue momentarily forgotten. "I know. I just can’t resist teasing him a little."

The sound of her laughter echoed down the hallway as the meeting adjourned. They had much to do, and while the path ahead was dangerous, the team was ready to see it through to the brutal finale.

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Robyn came up to her from behind while Adele continued to drag her. She was initially appalled, wondering if someone had caught up to her, but she calmed down when she realized it was Samuel.

Adele knew Steve and other people, particularly Arthur, who was like a grandfather to her, unlike Robyn. A thick robe was nothing and looked out of place, especially in front of people she had known since she was a child, but only she could comprehend the embarrassment she felt as she walked in there almost nude, even if she wasn’t!

" I am sorry. I should have told you about it but you guys were fast asleep." Samuel helped her carry the burden. Robyn refused to wake up and now her robe was even slipping in certain places. He carried her in his arms so she better utilize his chest pillow.

" No, No. I didn’t know everyone would be there. They weren’t in the house last night right?" Adele asked fearing for his reply.

" Ofcourse..." He was about to tease her but he felt like he would give her a heart attack so he denied it at the last second.

She breathed a sigh of relief before saying," I just wanted to see you work. I am sorry if I disturbed-"

" No need for apologies. Next time just rest more. I don’t think you have gotten enough sleep. I mean, just look at this sleepyhead." He started at Robyn who was laying in his arms with a relaxed smile.

" I will." They all decided it was best to not bring up this embarrassing scenario especially in front of Robyn. She would only blame Adele and if Adele was in trouble, she would drag him down with her!