Billionaire's Hidden Desire**

Chapter 38: The Gambit

Lucien strode through the hospital’s gleaming hallways, his mind a war zone of strategies and scenarios. The text message from the unknown sender replayed in his head like a warning bell, each word a reminder of the high-stakes game he’d been dragged into. It wasn’t just his empire on the line—every move he made now had the potential to save or shatter Ivy’s life. He needed to think several steps ahead, but the danger was already closing in like a tightening noose.

Nathan’s call came through just as Lucien was exiting the hospital’s main doors. “Lucien, I’ve got news. We’ve traced the source of the takeover bid to one of Renaud’s shell companies. It’s a sophisticated setup, designed to look like a legitimate competitor, but the threads all lead back to him.”

Lucien’s grip on the phone tightened. “Any idea where Renaud is hiding?”

“We’re working on it,” Nathan replied, his tone strained. “But it’s like he’s vanished. No trace on any of his usual haunts, no financial trails—he’s gone dark. But there’s something else. Renaud’s reputation in the corporate world is ruthless, but his background is murky. Rumors of connections to criminal elements. I think he’s willing to cross lines we wouldn’t.”

Lucien cursed under his breath. Renaud wasn’t just a business adversary; he was a predator who thrived on chaos, and Alessandra had given him the perfect entry point into Lucien’s world. Lucien’s instincts told him that Ivy’s condition wasn’t a coincidence—it was a warning shot, a demonstration of how far Renaud was willing to go.

“Keep digging, Nathan. I don’t care what it takes—find him,” Lucien ordered, his voice cold and decisive.

As he disconnected the call, Lucien’s phone buzzed again, a new message lighting up the screen. This one wasn’t from a blocked number, but from Marcus Wilder.

**“Need to meet. Urgent. Not safe to talk over the phone. There’s more to this than we thought. Meet me at the old foundry in an hour.”**

Lucien’s heart pounded as he read the message. The old foundry was a derelict building on the outskirts of the city—a place Marcus used when discretion was paramount. If Marcus was calling for a face-to-face, it meant the situation had escalated beyond even his expectations. Lucien glanced at his watch. Every minute counted. He needed to keep moving, to stay ahead of whatever Renaud and Alessandra had planned.

He hailed a cab and gave the driver the address, his mind racing with possibilities. The city streets blurred past as Lucien’s thoughts shifted between Ivy’s fragile state and the dangerous game unfolding around them. Renaud was out for blood, and Alessandra’s betrayal cut deeper than any business rivalry. She knew him—knew his strengths, his weaknesses—and she was using that knowledge against him. Lucien clenched his jaw, determined to turn the tables.

The cab pulled up to the foundry, a hulking shadow against the setting sun. Lucien stepped out, his eyes scanning the area. It was quiet, too quiet, the kind of silence that made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He pushed through the rusted gates, his footsteps echoing in the vast, empty space. The air was thick with the smell of old metal and decay, a fitting backdrop for the underhanded dealings that seemed to surround him.

Marcus was waiting inside, his silhouette barely visible against the dim light filtering through the cracked windows. Lucien approached, his senses on high alert. “What’s so urgent you couldn’t tell me over the phone?”

Marcus turned, his expression grim. “Lucien, this is bigger than a hostile takeover. I’ve been digging into Renaud’s history—there’s a lot of dirt, but the most alarming part is his ties to a syndicate known for high-level sabotage and extortion. They don’t just ruin businesses; they ruin lives. Ivy’s condition... I think it’s related.”

Lucien felt a chill run down his spine. “What are you saying? That they targeted Ivy as a way to get to me?”

Marcus nodded. “I’ve found evidence that points to deliberate interference. Her symptoms, the suddenness—it matches the pattern of other cases linked to Renaud’s associates. This isn’t just corporate warfare, Lucien. It’s personal, and it’s dangerous. They’re not just after your company—they’re after you.”

Lucien’s fists clenched, fury boiling over. “How do we stop them?”

“We need leverage,” Marcus said, his voice low and urgent. “Something that ties Renaud and Alessandra directly to these attacks. I’ve got a lead on a contact who might have intel, but it’s risky. Renaud’s got eyes everywhere.”

Lucien nodded, his mind already calculating the next move. “Set up the meeting. Whatever it takes, Marcus. I want them both buried.”

Marcus glanced around, his demeanor unusually tense. “There’s one more thing. Renaud’s been buying up property around the old docks. He’s not just looking at a corporate takeover—he’s setting up for something bigger, something that could cripple your operations. We need to get ahead of him, but we’ll be walking into the lion’s den.”

Lucien’s gaze hardened. “I’m not afraid of Renaud. He wants to play games? Fine. But he’s going to learn that when you come at me, you better be ready for the fallout.”

As they left the foundry, Lucien’s phone buzzed with another message. This time, it was a photo—a blurry image of Ivy’s hospital room, taken from outside the window. The implication was clear: they were watching her, even now. Lucien’s blood ran cold, the line between business and personal now fully obliterated. This wasn’t just about winning—it was about survival.

Lucien dialed Nathan once more, his voice steely. “Double the security at the hospital. No one gets near Ivy. I don’t care if it’s a doctor or a janitor—no one gets in without clearance from me.”

Nathan agreed, but Lucien could hear the concern in his voice. “Lucien, this is escalating fast. You need to be careful.”

Lucien ended the call, his resolve solidifying like steel. Careful was no longer an option. His enemies had crossed a line, and now it was his turn to strike back. As he and Marcus made their way through the shadows of the city, Lucien’s mind was a calculated storm of plans and counterplans.

They might think they were cornering him, but Lucien had no intention of playing the victim. He would hunt them down, expose their schemes, and make them regret ever underestimating him. Because in this game, Lucien Blackwood wasn’t just a player—he was the one writing the rules.

And he wasn’t about to lose.