From Bullets To Billions novel Chapter 323

Chapter 323: Shadows on the Road

Inside the luxurious vehicle, Max sat in the back, the smooth hum of the engine carrying him further away from Brinehurst and closer to the Stern manor that lay on the outskirts of the city. The leather seats were soft beneath him, but no matter how comfortable the ride, his body remained stiff, his mind elsewhere.

He wasn’t exactly looking forward to this gathering. He never did. Meeting with the Stern family was always an ordeal, always a battle of veiled words and hidden intentions. Still, there was no avoiding it. Instead, he tried to focus inward, to steady his thoughts, and to think carefully about what came next. He had literally just graduated a few hours ago, yet already his mind was turning to goals and steps, to strategy and survival.

The first thing I want to do is get a new apartment, Max thought, his gaze fixed on the tinted glass window beside him. There’s no need for me to live where I am anymore. Somewhere private, somewhere quiet. But I can’t move too far. I shouldn’t leave Brinehurst, at least not yet. It’s the place where I currently have the most protection, the strongest base.

The thought lingered before shifting. Now that school no longer tied him down, now that he wasn’t just a student juggling classes and a secret empire, he had room to focus on his own personal matters. And some matters could not be put off any longer.

Though his mind stayed sharp and composed, a shadow of unease crept at the edges. He still had no idea who had been behind the attempt on the original Max’s life, the boy whose body he now lived in. It was a thread left dangling, one he had forced himself to ignore while building the Bloodline Group, but a thread he knew he would eventually need to pull.

He exhaled slowly. He had done much for the old Max already, carried burdens that weren’t originally his. But now... now it was time to look forward, to carve toward his own goals.

The White Tiger.

He needed to know more. He needed to gather information, to track down the truth about the White Tiger, about the newWhite Tiger who had emerged since his death.

At Dennis’s birthday party, one of the Cubs was present. That alone makes no sense. We never had connections with the Stern family before, and yet, so soon after my death, they appear there? That can’t be coincidence.

Max’s hands curled lightly into fists on his lap. It was too dangerous, far too reckless, to take on the White Tiger gang head-on with the Bloodline Group. He wasn’t foolish enough to believe brute strength would carry them through. But perhaps there was another way. Perhaps he could approach from a different angle, use the Stern family’s reach and power to pry loose the information he sought.

His eyes flicked to the front of the car, catching sight of the rear-view mirror. Seated in the passenger seat beside the driver was Na, his posture straight, his face unreadable.

Na’s head, however, was far from still. His thoughts swirled as steadily as Max’s did.

Though Na had not been on the security team for long, he had adjusted quickly. Training and discipline came naturally to him. He had been part of the special forces, and Aron, who sat behind the wheel, was as well. The two spoke a language of command and execution that others might stumble over, but for them it was effortless. They explained, they corrected, they maneuvered, and Na learned swiftly.

Even before, Na had always been the more compliant one among the Rejected Corps. Not weak, never weak, but willing to follow orders, willing to work in a system rather than against it. And now, that trait had carried him here.

Of course, through this role, Na had discovered the truth of who Max really was. That he was a Stern. That he belonged to one of the wealthiest, most powerful families in the country.

I still can’t believe it, Na thought, eyes narrowing as they traced Max’s reflection in the mirror. Even now, looking right at him, it doesn’t feel real. Why would someone with so much wealth, someone born into such power, put themselves through everything he has?

If the Bloodline continues to grow, Na thought grimly, what will they become? A gang with the backing of the Sterns... a gang fused with the strongest family in the country. That’s not just dangerous. That’s terrifying.

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