Chapter 6 - THE SHADOWS OF THE PAST
The fallout from the Calder-Ellis scandal didn't just reshape our family; it sent shockwaves through the city’s entire financial sector.
With Brett behind bars awaiting trial and the Veritas Group shell corporations completely dismantled by federal investigators, Veyron’s conglomerate absorbed the remaining assets at a fraction of their value. But hidden within the recovered digital archives of Brett’s personal server was something neither of us expected.
It was late Friday night. The penthouse office was dark, save for the amber glow of a desk lamp and the glittering city lights outside.
I scrolled through an encrypted file titled Project Janus.
“Veyron,” I called out, my fingers pausing over the trackpad. “Come look at this.”
Veyron walked over from the seating area, loosening his tie as he leaned over my shoulder. His hand rested lightly on the back of my chair, his warm breath brushing against my neck.
“What is it?”
“It’s not just about my father’s endowment or Tessa’s nonprofit,” I pointed to the screen. “Look at the secondary investors backing Brett’s shell company. These aren't random offshore accounts. These are the holdings of the Sterling Group.”
Veyron’s posture instantly stiffened. The easy warmth in his demeanor vanished, replaced by the lethal stillness of a predator locked on target.
“Julian Sterling,” Veyron muttered, his jaw clenching.
“You know him?”
“He’s my primary rival on the city’s commercial development board,” Veyron said, his eyes narrowing as he read the code strings on the screen. “Sterling has been trying to block our downtown waterfront acquisition for over a year. If he was backing Brett and using your family’s trust as a proxy leverage tool... this goes far beyond personal betrayal. It was an organized corporate hit designed to force me out of the mayoral advisory board.”
I turned my head to look up at him. “They weren't just targeting my inheritance, Veyron. They were targeting you—and they used my engagement as the Trojan horse to get inside your perimeter.”
Veyron reached down, sliding his hand over mine on the mouse pad. His thumb traced my knuckles, his touch both a comfort and a vow of war.
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“They thought you were an easy target,” Veyron said, his voice low and dangerous. “They didn't realize that bringing you into my life wasn't a vulnerability. It was the weapon that was going to destroy them.”
“Then let’s finish it,” I said, meeting his gaze without a trace of hesitation. “What do you need me to do?”
