LAST WORDS

In the towering expanse of the city, where glass and steel stretched toward the heavens, CEO Richard Hartman presided over his corporate kingdom. The air in his corner office reeked of power, a scent he had grown accustomed to through years of ruthless decisions and calculated moves. Yet, as the evening shadows lengthened, an ominous twist of fate unfurled.

As the sun dipped below the skyline, casting long shadows across the polished floor, a subtle chill crept into the room. The usual hum of the city below felt distant, drowned out by an unsettling silence. Hartman, engrossed in the glow of his computer screen, was oblivious to the impending storm that would shatter his world.

Unbeknownst to him, a clandestine group, fueled by grievances buried deep within the corporate machinery, had orchestrated a deadly plot. The once loyal subordinates, betrayed by Hartman's ruthless climb to power, had conspired to end his reign. Shadows slithered through the office corridors, inching closer to the inevitable confrontation.

The door creaked open, and a figure emerged from the darkness, clad in shadows. The CEO looked up, sensing an unfamiliar tension in the air. Before he could react, the assassin struck, leaving the room painted in a macabre ballet of chaos.

In his final moments, Hartman's eyes mirrored the betrayal he had sown in the hearts of those who once served him. As the last words echoed in the empty office, a legacy of power crumbled, and the once mighty CEO met his untimely demise.

The city outside continued its indifferent pulse, unaware of the seismic shift that had just occurred within the confines of the corporate citadel. The chapter closed with the chilling certainty that the echoes of "last words" would reverberate far beyond the boundaries of that fateful office.