Diamant's POV
The convoy moved smoothly through the sleeping city.
Morning traffic had only begun to gather, but the roads ahead of us were already being cleared.
Efficient.
Predictable.
Normally, I would have appreciated it.
Today, I barely noticed.
The tablet resting on my lap displayed aerial photographs of the collapsed construction site.
I studied every image.
Every fracture.
Every broken support beam.
Every pile of shattered concrete.
Something didn't fit.
My phone rang.
Project Manager.
I answered immediately.
"Report."
The man on the other end sounded exhausted.
"We've secured the entire site, Mr. Reed."
"Casualties?."
"No fatalities."
A small knot in my chest loosened.
"Eleven construction workers sustained injuries. Three have multiple fractures. The remaining injuries are minor to moderate."
"They're receiving treatment?"
"Immediately after the collapse."
"Good."
At least no one had died.
Buildings could be rebuilt.
Lives couldn't.
"What about the families?"
A weary sigh came through the speaker.
"They're angry."
"As expected."
"Some are demanding compensation. Others want answers. The media has already started gathering outside the site."
Naturally.
The moment a structure carrying the Reed name collapsed, the cameras would arrive before the ambulances left.
"I'll address them myself after I arrive."
"Understood, sir."
I looked back at the photographs.
"The foundation."
Another pause.
"...That's the strange part."
"Explain."
"The concrete samples passed every strength test before the collapse."
I narrowed my eyes.
"The steel reinforcement?"
"Still within specification."
"The materials?"
"We've rechecked the supplier documentation."
"No substitutions?"
"None."
That was impossible.
Buildings didn't simply collapse because they felt like it.
Especially not mine.
Every material used in Reed projects came from certified suppliers.
Every shipment was tested.
Every stage underwent inspection.
I trusted systems.
Not luck.
"Then tell me what failed."
Silence.
Finally, the project manager spoke again.
"The investigation team found something unusual."
My attention sharpened instantly.
"What?"
"There are signs that several key reinforcement bars in one section were cut after installation."
I said nothing.
The silence on my end became heavy.
The manager continued carefully.
"Not enough to be obvious during routine inspections."
"But enough..."
"...to weaken the structural load distribution."
I closed the file in my hand.
Someone had tampered with it.
Deliberately.
Professionally.
"Anything else?"
"We also found traces suggesting the concrete around that section may have been chemically compromised after it was poured."
Chemical deterioration.
Not poor construction.
Sabotage.
Someone had attacked the structure itself.
Without leaving obvious evidence.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
"Seal the site."
"Already done."
"No one enters without my authorization."
"Yes, sir."
"Retrieve every surveillance recording."
"We're trying."
"Trying?"
"The storage servers were damaged during the collapse."
I almost smiled.
Too convenient.
Far too convenient.
"Recover them."
"We've already contacted forensic specialists."
Good.
Whoever had done this had planned well.
Almost too well.
They understood construction.
They understood investigations.
And they understood how to erase evidence.
Almost.
Nobody erased everything.
Everyone overlooked something.
Always.
The call ended.
I leaned back in my seat.
Outside, the airport came into view.
Private terminal.
Security waiting.
Jet already prepared.
Everything moved according to schedule.
Everything except the collapse.
I replayed the facts in my mind.
No material failure.
No engineering mistakes.
No design flaws.
Tampered reinforcement.
Chemically weakened concrete.
Damaged surveillance systems.
None of that happened by accident.
Which left only one conclusion.
Someone wanted Reed Enterprises to fall.
Financially.
Reputationally.
Or personally.
But why now?
The timing bothered me most.
I had personally inspected the project days ago.
Everything had been perfect.
The sabotage happened after I left.
Meaning...
Someone had been watching my movements.
Waiting for the exact moment I was no longer there.
That narrowed the possibilities considerably.
This wasn't random.
It wasn't vandalism.
It was targeted.
Calculated.
I stepped out of the vehicle.
The morning air was sharp against my face.
Airport staff greeted me, but I barely acknowledged them.
My mind was already several moves ahead.
Competitors?
Possible.
Corporate revenge?
Also possible.
Aiden Frost?
My expression hardened.
He certainly had the intelligence.
And the audacity.
But Aiden preferred psychological warfare.
This...
This felt different.
Methodical.
Industrial.
Designed to destroy trust before destroying people.
Whoever orchestrated it understood one thing perfectly.
A reputation built over decades could begin crumbling in a single morning.
I climbed the stairs into the private jet without slowing.
As the cabin door closed behind me, I looked once more at the photographs on my tablet.
Concrete.
Steel.
Precision.
Reduced to rubble.
A slow smile appeared on my face.
Cold.
Dangerously calm.
"Whoever dared to mess with me..."
I closed the tablet.
"...has to be either really bold..."
My eyes darkened.
"...or very stupid."