Empire of Thorne
img img Empire of Thorne img Chapter 1 A Seat at the Table
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Chapter 10 Hero img
Chapter 11 The Game Changer img
Chapter 12 The Smile That Changed Everything img
Chapter 13 Garden Talks and Game Plans img
Chapter 14 The Boardroom Gambit img
Chapter 15 Business or Pleasure img
Chapter 16 Headlines and Heartstrings img
Chapter 17 A knife Through Air img
Chapter 18 Between Us Two img
Chapter 19 A Taste of Ease, A Whiff of Trouble img
Chapter 20 Priorities img
Chapter 21 Engaged To The Past img
Chapter 22 The Challenge Unveiled img
Chapter 23 Sparks of Code img
Chapter 24 Building The Machine img
Chapter 25 Shadows At The Table img
Chapter 26 Fractures img
Chapter 27 The Lines We Draw img
Chapter 28 Smokes and Shadows img
Chapter 29 Battlefield img
Chapter 30 Aftermath img
Chapter 31 Between Yesterday And Tomorrow img
Chapter 32 The Face Of Thorne img
Chapter 33 After img
Chapter 34 A Gathering of Wolves img
Chapter 35 The Silence of Loraine Thorne img
Chapter 36 A Pact of Smokes and Shadows img
Chapter 37 The Board Divided img
Chapter 38 Love to Hate Damien Thorne img
Chapter 39 A Shadow in the Board img
Chapter 40 Damien Thorne img
Chapter 41 The Weight of Truth img
Chapter 42 The Boardroom Gambit img
Chapter 43 The weight of a Crown img
Chapter 44 Five Years in Ashes img
Chapter 45 The War Council img
Chapter 46 Shadows and Bait img
Chapter 47 THORNE'S DAY img
Chapter 48 The Trap is Set img
Chapter 49 The Dead don't stay Buried img
Chapter 50 Emergency Meeting img
Chapter 51 Shadows in the Light img
Chapter 52 Ghost in the Spotlight img
Chapter 53 The First Blow img
Chapter 54 Fire and Brainstorms img
Chapter 55 A Poisoned Offer img
Chapter 56 The Betrayals in the Shadows img
Chapter 57 Files and Ghosts img
Chapter 58 Unfinished Luggage img
Chapter 59 Smokes and Shadows img
Chapter 60 The File that won't Let Go img
Chapter 61 On Speaker img
Chapter 62 Confrontation and Curriculum img
Chapter 63 A Wary Utility img
Chapter 64 A Manipulated Man img
Chapter 65 Missing Threads img
Chapter 66 Pressure Points img
Chapter 67 Nathan finds a Map img
Chapter 68 Threads and Knives img
Chapter 69 Pressure Points in the Web img
Chapter 70 The Office Return img
Chapter 71 The Council Reframed img
Chapter 72 Tonight img
Chapter 73 Nights Like This img
Chapter 74 What Morning Brings img
Chapter 75 Are we Brothers img
Chapter 76 Weight of The Past img
Chapter 77 Renewed Purpose img
Chapter 78 Threads of the Past img
Chapter 79 The Trap Begins img
Chapter 80 The Counterweb img
Chapter 81 The Legacy Showdown img
Chapter 82 Clash of Titans img
Chapter 83 When the Net Tightens img
Chapter 84 Lines in the Sand img
Chapter 85 The First Blow img
Chapter 86 The Smirk in The Storm img
Chapter 87 The Grass Between Elephants img
Chapter 88 The Power of the Elephant img
Chapter 89 The Waiting Game img
Chapter 90 The Grass is Greener img
Chapter 91 The Betrayal img
Chapter 92 Brothers in Blood img
Chapter 93 LORIANE'S FURY img
Chapter 94 The Unmasking img
Chapter 95 The Daylight Gunfire img
Chapter 96 The Gathering Storm img
Chapter 97 Nathan's Cage img
Chapter 98 Blood for Blood img
Chapter 99 The Fall of Brothers img
Chapter 100 Dawn img
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Empire of Thorne

Tioluwani
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Chapter 1 A Seat at the Table

The Thorne estate glimmered under the morning sun, all tall glass windows, trimmed hedges, and a fleet of valets in black vests ushering expensive cars into designated lots. Inside, the walls were polished to a quiet gleam, the scent of cedarwood and orange blossom lingering from the candles Loraine had handpicked just two weeks ago.

It was Day Three of the Thorne International Annual Gathering, a three day affair so exclusive and high profile that it made the tabloids salivate and shareholders breathe easier. It was the time for the press to get all influential business people in one place.

Loraine Thorne had barely slept in forty eight hours.

From overseeing the arrival of the European partners on Day One to managing last-minute changes to the keynote speakers on Day Two, she'd worked herself into quiet exhaustion. She hadn't even touched the sea bass at the gala dinner last night, a dish she had specially requested for. She'd been too busy smoothing over a media slip from the Australian division. If only things ran themselves.

But today... today was supposed to be the payoff. The final day was always reserved for leisure, luxury, and legacy which included champagne brunches, private boat tours, and Damien Thorne's signature closing speech, usually laced with praise for the family member and business partners who had held things together behind the scenes.

This year, that praise was supposed to go to her.

She'd earned it. Hell, she'd bled for it.

So when she entered the Grand Hall, a cavernous room filled with gleaming mahogany, crystal chandeliers, and a dozen carefully curated floral arrangements, she expected applause. Or, at the very least, acknowledgment.

What she did not expect was Nathan.

Standing at the head of the room beside her father, Damien Thorne, Nathan looked perfectly at ease in his midnight-blue suit and crisp white shirt. He had that irritating quality of always looking like he belonged, no matter where he was, despite the fact that until six months ago, he hadn't even been part of the picture.

Not in her world.

Not in Thorne International.

And certainly not at the family's most sacred gathering of legacy. Employees worked their ass off just to be invited.

Her steps slowed as murmurs rippled across the room. She caught sight of Derek, her brother seated to the left of Damien Thorne, his face unreadable. His fingers tapped lightly on the polished table surface, his gaze flickering from her to Nathan and back again.

"Welcome, everyone," Damien's voice boomed, his tone clipped, authoritative. Even the wheelchair he was confined in had done nothing to diminish his authority. "Before we begin our final session, I have an announcement to make."

The room quieted instantly. Even the waiters froze.

Loraine's stomach twisted. Something didn't feel right.

Damien didn't make announcements without discussing them with her first, not anymore. Not since she'd proven herself capable of handling every crisis that came their way, from the Seoul scandal to the Dubai asset freeze.

She stood just at the edge of the room, not sitting. Watching.

Damien clasped his hands behind his back. "After careful thought and strategic analysis, I have decided it's time to begin grooming the next generation of leadership."

A heartbeat skipped. Loraine's hands clenched at her sides.

Damien continued, "Effective immediately, Nathaniel Wolfe will be serving as probationary heir to Thorne International."

Silence.

Then the murmurs. Sharp inhales. The sound of glass tapping wood as someone's fingers trembled.

Loraine didn't move. Couldn't if she tried.

Her ears rang. Her mind raced. Surely she had misheard. Nathaniel Wolfe? Her name was Loraine. Loraine Thorne.

Her grandfather's voice filled the void again, smooth and sure. "Nathan has demonstrated exceptional foresight and agility in recent projects. I have no doubt that under my guidance, he will bring innovation and stability to our legacy."

Loraine stepped forward, not realizing her heels were echoing too loudly until she reached the table.

"Grandfather," she said, tightly, "a word?"

But before Damien could respond, Derek stood. He buttoned his jacket slowly, clearing his throat.

"If I may," he said. "I'd like to speak to Nathan's qualifications."

What? Loraine turned to him, her jaw tightening.

Derek? Of all people? He had never been ambitious, never shown interest in the power plays. Their relationship wasn't perfect, but he'd always backed her. Until now.

"Over the last quarter," Derek went on, "Nathan has increased our digital asset performance by 37% and successfully mitigated a lawsuit that could have cost us millions. His strategic outlook aligns with the new markets we're breaking into."

A few board members nodded.

Loraine's voice cut through the buzz. "Since when do we hand over our legacy to outsiders based on quarterly performance?"

A pause. Then, from the far side of the table, came the unmistakable drawl of Mrs. Heathrow, board member since 1997 and unofficial keeper of the family's reputation.

"I have to agree with Loraine," she said, eyes narrowed. "Nathan may be competent, even brilliant, but he isn't blood. Damien, we've always maintained a legacy line for a reason."

Nathan stepped forward, calm and unbothered.

"With respect," he began, "I'm not here to replace the board or dismantle tradition. I'm here to build on it. To ensure Thorne International not only survives the next decade, but leads it. You'll still have the power to vote on every major decision. I'm here to serve and elevate the legacy Damien Thorne has painstakingly built."

It was an excellent answer. Measured. Rehearsed.

Loraine's blood boiled.

"You speak as if you understand this company," she said coldly, stepping closer. "As if you've carried it on your back. But where were you during the supply chain crash of 2020? The Beijing fallout? Or when I stayed up for seventy-two hours straight fixing your brilliant digital rollout after it nearly breached our firewall?"

Nathan looked at her, patient. Too patient.

"I don't mean to diminish your contributions, Loraine," he said softly. "You've done excellent work. But maybe it's time we evolved beyond the idea that legacy only comes through biology or burnout."

That stung. She took another step, fists curled at her sides.

"You have no idea what it means to be a Thorne."

"And maybe that's exactly why I can lead it better."

The room was buzzing now. Murmured agreement. Nervous glances.

Then Damien slammed his hand down.

"Enough," he barked.

The room froze again.

Damien turned to Loraine, eyes like stone. "You are not the victim here. You've had every opportunity to prove yourself and you've done well. But this company is more than your feelings. Don't embarrass yourself further."

Loraine felt her face flush, heat crawling up her neck.

Her mouth opened but then she saw it.

Mrs. Heathrow, across the table, shaking her head. A small gesture. Barely there. But her eyes were firm.

Not now. Don't give them more.

Loraine exhaled sharply. The fire was still burning, but she let the words die.

She turned.

And walked out of the room.

Not broken.

Just waiting.

            
            

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