Julian decided to test her that same week.
He didn't announce it.
He never did.
"I have a meeting," he said casually over breakfast. "You'll come with me."
Ife's fingers tightened around her teacup, but she nodded. "Of course."
They drove for nearly an hour, leaving the city behind. The road narrowed, trees thickening on both sides until the compound they arrived at felt swallowed by forest.
Ife didn't like it.
Men stood guard everywhere. Armed. Alert.
"This isn't business," she said softly.
Julian glanced at her. "Everything is business."
Inside, the air was tense. Three men waited in the main room. One of them—middle-aged, nervous—kept wiping sweat from his forehead.
Julian gestured for Ife to sit beside him.
"This," Julian said calmly, "is Kunle Adebayo. He's been moving money without my approval."
The man shook his head frantically. "Sir, I swear—"
Julian raised a hand. Silence fell instantly.
Julian turned to Ife. "What do you think should happen to him?"
Her heart slammed violently.
"I—" She swallowed. "I don't understand."
Julian smiled faintly. "I'm asking for your judgment."
She looked at Kunle. His eyes were wide with fear. Human. Terrified.
She forced herself to breathe.
"If he betrayed you," she said carefully, "then cutting him loose is enough."
Julian tilted his head. "Loose… how?"
"Strip him of access," she replied. "Let him live knowing what he lost."
Julian studied her face, searching.
"And if mercy encourages others?" he asked quietly.
She met his gaze. "Fear already rules them. You don't need blood to prove power."
The room went still.
Kunle looked at her like she was a miracle.
Julian stood slowly.
For a long moment, Ife thought she'd failed.
Then Julian smiled.
"Interesting answer," he said. "Idealistic."
Her chest tightened.
Julian turned suddenly and shot Kunle point-blank.
The sound was deafening.
Blood splattered the floor.
Ife screamed before she could stop herself, stumbling backward as Kunle collapsed, lifeless eyes staring at nothing.
Her knees hit the floor.
Julian lowered the gun calmly. "That," he said, "is what mercy looks like in my world."
She shook violently, hands covering her mouth to keep from vomiting.
Julian crouched in front of her. "Now tell me," he said softly, "does that change your advice?"
She looked up at him, tears streaming, rage burning beneath the fear.
"No," she whispered. "It confirms it."
Julian's eyes narrowed—then softened with something like admiration.
"Good," he said. "You didn't lie."
That night, Ife didn't sleep.
She scrubbed her hands until her skin burned, but the blood felt permanent.
She sat on the bathroom floor, shaking.
This was the price.
Across the city, Arden felt it the moment the news reached him.
Victor burst into the room. "Kunle Adebayo is dead."
Arden stiffened. "Julian killed him?"
Victor nodded. "Publicly. As a message."
Arden's jaw clenched. "He's testing her."
Victor's voice dropped. "And she passed."
Arden closed his eyes briefly. "No. She survived."
Victor hesitated. "There's a difference."
Arden opened his eyes, fury cold and controlled. "Then we end this now."
Julian wasn't done either.
Two days later, he summoned Ife again.
"You handled yourself well," he said, pouring wine. "Not many can look death in the face and remain steady."
She didn't touch the glass. "You murdered him."
Julian shrugged. "He stole from me."
She laughed bitterly. "You wanted to see if I'd flinch."
"And you did," Julian replied calmly. "But you didn't fold."
He stepped closer. "That's loyalty."
Her voice trembled. "That's trauma."
Julian smiled. "Same thing, eventually."
He studied her carefully. "One more test."
Her heart skipped. "What kind?"
"Choose," Julian said. "Arden… or influence."
Her breath caught.
"If you want influence," Julian continued, "you stay here. Learn. Rise."
"And if I choose Arden?"
Julian's eyes darkened. "Then he dies."
Silence fell heavy between them.
Ife stared at the floor, mind racing, heart screaming.
She thought of Arden's laugh. His stubbornness. His promise.
I trust you.
She lifted her head slowly.
"I choose—"
Arden moved that same night.
Not with guns.
With truth.
Documents were released. Names exposed. Deals traced.
Julian's empire began to bleed credibility.
Victor watched screens light up across continents. "You just declared open war."
Arden's voice was ice. "No."
He looked up, eyes burning.
"I just made it impossible for him to kill her quietly."
Back at the house, Ife finished her sentence.
"I choose influence."
Julian exhaled, satisfied. "Wise."
She met his gaze steadily.
Because influence wasn't surrender.
It was access.
And access was how you killed monsters.
Outside, thunder rolled again.
And both sides prepared for the next move—knowing that from this point on, someone wouldn't survive the end of the story.