Chapter 44

For years, Jenkins Group rode high on the back of entertainment investments, raking in fortunes while the virtual economy boomed. Recently though.market winds had shifted. The digital landscape shrank overnight, leaving the group searching for solid ground.

Instead of retreating, Zayne plotted a bold new direction.Drawing from the expertise they'd gained in show business, he pushed the company toward tangible industries. He lounched beauty and fashion lines, using Marilee's celebrity status to promote their products both domestically and internationally.

Competition, however, was cutthroat. Even with production costs kept low, real profits and lasting brand power remained elusive. Every advertising dollar had to count, so Zayne set his sights on joining the World Luxury Association, hoping the stamp of approval would open new doors.

Gaining such recognition as a fresh, local brand,though, was an ordeal fit for a Greek tragedy Roadblocks rose at every turn, each more daunting than the last.

Waiting wasn't an option. Jenkins Group needed allies, and in Northbay, only one name held enough weight: Goldrose Consortium.Their network stretched everywhere, and their reputation was unmatched.

Frankly, Goldrose Consortium hadn't lied; Jenkins Group's credentials fell short of their standards. Still,why extend an olive branch if they truly saw the group as beneath them?

Just now, they'd ridiculed Zayne's efforts. Yet not so long ago, the same voices had praised his sharp mind and quick judgment. Had their admiration been genuine, or was it all an act?

Those thoughts bounced around in Zayne's mind until a single name interruptad-Luna

He still had Luna. She was a legend in the finance world, a mysterious presence he'd encountered online by sheer luck. Every crisisthat had threatened to sink him before, Luna had steered him through. Even the connection with Goldrose Consortium could be traced back to her.

If Luna agreed to lend her hand once more, there might yet be a way forward

Excitement replaced his doubts. Zayne's fingers moved quickly. He tapped into an old chat, searching for the familiar golden star icon, and sent off a message,hoping for a lifeline.

The message bounced back, undelivered.

Staring at the screen, Zayne felt a sharp rush of anxiety.

He had been blacklisted.

His secretary, catching the change in his expression.spoke up quietly. "Is something wrong, sir?"

Not a single word left Zayne's lips for several minutes.Fear held him still, rooting him to the spot.

She was the one who had asked for his friendship.Why was she the first to walk away?

Despite all the admiration and hope he'd placed in her,she vanished without leaving a trace or a reason.

Now that Luna had disappeared, what future did Jenkins Group have?

Confusion swirled in his mind. Luna had always been his guiding star. Now, she was gone, and he felt completely lost.

At Last, with a rawness in his tone that betrayed his desperation, he gave an order. "Let everyone know Search everywhere. Spare nothing-time, money,whatever it costs. I have to find Luna."

Morning arrived, and Alexia set her moving plans in motion.

With only a few bags in tow, she barely felt the burden-Newhall Garden was ready for her from the start. Even 5o, Ada's excitement about lending a hand was impossible to refuse.

Crossing into the property, they passed a woman whose makeup and hair seemed meticulouslyarranged.Not long after, the woman slowed her step, paused,and discreetly lifted her phone to capture a photo of them from behind.

The image went straight to Marilee's inbox.

Dina Hampton's fingers danced over the screen."Marilee, isn't this Alexia?"

A frown flickered across Marilee's face as she glanced at the image. "That's her. What's up?"

Dina answered, "She's just moved into Newhall Garden!Your family must be feeling extra charitable, handing over a place worth close to a billion. I've spent half my life in showbiz and I still don't have the credit to own a home there!"

Marilee replied, "You're giving us too much credit. We never gifted her anything-she must be renting."

Dina retorted, "Impossible. I watched her go into the exclusive section. Those properties aren't for lease.

just for sale."

"Then someone's footing the bill for her. She's probably living off some rich benefactor."

Dina didn't hesitate. "Who could it be? Which powerful player has pockets that deep?"

Marilee pressed her teeth into her lower lip. Talk about Waylon and Alexia always traveled quietly among the upper crust. People preferred to keep those suspicions under wraps rather than risk saying anything out loud.

Bringing up Waylon's name in casual conversation felt pointless to her It would only boost Alexia's image.

She responded, "Honestly, who can say? My guess is she's latched onto some older man with money and peculiar preferences. The way I see it, Alexia's got nothing of her own-no job, no prospects, and after her divorce, even less to offer. There's no way I could outmatch her knack for this sort of thing."

A rush of sympathy washed over Dina. "That woman has no shame. She's taken so much from you, yet she still gets to live the easy life. How is that fair?Whoever her backer is, he's probably just stringing her along. If Alexia's reputation wasn't still intact, she would've been left behind ages ago!"

As Marilee read those words, a clever scheme began to form in her mind.