Chapter 21
His voice was already beginning to tremble.
“My partners… we’ve all been blacklisted. The statements went out not just from Victor Enterprises but from Global Investments too. All at once. No explanation. Is this a mistake or… or did we offend someone p>
At that moment there was a short pause on the other end.
Jeremy is the Secretary to William Victor.
Then a deep sigh.
“Sir,” Jeremy said carefully—it was William Victor’s personal secretary, the man who served the eldest son of the Victor family. His voice was cautious, but there was a weight behind his words.
“It’s not a mistake,” Jeremy continued. “I shouldn’t be saying this, but considering your long-standing ties, I’ll speak freely. The order came from the top. The Victors gave the directive personally p>
Bartholomew Ainsley’s mouth went dry.
Jeremy continued, his tone now heavy. “From what I’ve heard in the last few minutes… it’s not just about business. The family is furious. The exact words being thrown around were… ’They dared to ignore us. They were told, yet they acted blind p>
Hearing what Jeremy just said Bartholomew Ainsley’s brows furrowed deeply. “Told what? Ignore what p>
Jeremy hesitated before adding, “Apparently, there was an internal warning issued by the Victor family minutes before the public announcement. Something about respecting their family decision… about a shift in leadership or something tied to a private matter p>
Then came the words that shattered every illusion in the room.
“The Victors feel that you all turned a deaf ear. That despite the announcement, you mocked it. Disregarded it. The blacklisting… was a punishment. A reminder p>
At that moment silence followed it was heavy, sharp, unforgiving.
None of the men in the room dared to move.
None of them could even breathe properly.
They had all heard the announcement, they all laughed at it.
Dismissed it as irrelevant drama.
And now… they were paying for it.
At that moment, Jeremy’s voice on the other end of the call grew heavier, firmer, and more deliberate.
“That’s why I’m sure,” he said slowly, “that’s exactly why the Victor family took this action. From the tone in the room, from the movements I’ve seen, this didn’t come from just anger… This came from a calculated decision. And more than that—there’s a whisper running through the halls over here p>
He paused, and Bartholomew Ainsley—still holding the phone to his ear—closed his eyes slowly as if bracing himself.
Jeremy continued, “There’s a feeling… that this order, this blacklisting it didn’t originate solely from the Victor family. No. From everything I’ve gathered, from everything I’ve overheard… the Victors might be doing this to impress someone. Someone even more powerful. Someone none of us have seen coming p>
That line made James turn instantly toward Ashcombe. “What’s he saying?” James whispered.
Immediately Bartholomew Ainsley raised a hand, silencing the room.
Jeremy’s voice kept going, quiet but firm. “I don’t know who this person is. But the tremors the person caused… were heavy enough to make the Victors act like pawns. That’s what scares me the most. If the Victors are acting like this out of fear or loyalty, not pride—then you all have crossed a line that’s far beyond money or influence p>
Immediately James’s jaw tightened. Everyone else in the room—men who had moments ago walked in like kings now sat slouched, pale, helpless.
Jeremy went on, “And… from the look of things, this isn’t just about one moment. It’s not just what happened recently. There’s a deeper grudge here. Something… someone among you might have done something a while back, and now the consequence is finally here p>
At that moment Bartholomew Ainsley’s fingers clenched tightly around the phone.
“Listen,” Jeremy added, voice slightly rushed now. “You all need to think. Among yourselves. Go back, rewind everything that’s happened over the last few weeks maybe even months. Think of who you may have offended. Who you overlooked. What message was ignored. Something was done, and someone felt it p>
Silence filled the room once again.
“But I need to go,” Jeremy said. “This call is already risky. If I’m caught relaying this, I could lose everything. And from the look of things, you all need to be extremely careful from now on. This isn’t a business war. This is personal. It feels targeted. Calculated, And if you’re not cautious… this might only be the beginning p>
And with that, the call ended.
Then Bartholomew Ainsley slowly lowered the phone from his ear.
The color in his face was almost gone.
James stared at him, eyes burning with confusion and anger.
And then Bartholomew Ainsley spoke, low and broken, “He said… the Victors are trying to impress someone. Someone far above them. And if that’s true, then whoever we’ve offended… is not someone we can just walk up to and apologize p>
He scanned the faces in the room men, and said, “We need to think. Fast. Because whatever we did… is about to burn everything we’ve built p>
At that moment, the call ended, and the heavy silence that followed was like a dark cloud settling in the room.
Bartholomew Ainsley lowered his phone slowly, his hand trembling ever so slightly. He looked frozen in his seat, unsure whether to speak or even breathe. For a man who had seen decades of political and business storms, this moment was different. It rattled something deep inside him.
Everyone in the room had heard the conversation. Jeremy’s voice was loud enough to pierce through the luxurious silence of the VIP suite. Now, all five men began to stir restlessly, their faces twisted in confusion, tension, and dread.
“This can’t be happening,” one of them muttered, eyes darting around the room.
“I didn’t say anything bad about the Victors,” another whispered under his breath.
“Did anyone insult someone from their bloodline or dismiss a message?” someone else asked, his voice shaking.
“No! I even praised them just last week!” came a reply.
They all began to murmur and debate softly, talking over one another like desperate gamblers trying to make sense of a losing hand.
It wasn’t panic yet—but it was fear. Unsettling fear.
“What did we do?” one of them said. “Who did we offend that would make the Victors blacklist us overnight—and get Global Investments involved too p>