The silence in the grand foyer was so absolute that the single drop of red wine spilling from the stepmother’s fingers sounded like a gunshot. Clink. The crystal stemware slipped from Elena’s manicured hand, shattering against the imported Italian marble tiles, staining the pristine white stone the color of fresh blood.

The international trade meeting concluded with a resounding victory for Vance International, securing a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure contract across three continents. Yet, as the delegates filed out of the boardroom, Chloe’s mind was entirely consumed by the Aegis Holdings file.

Retreating to her private residence that evening, she bypassed the grand foyer—ignoring the spot on the marble where she had once been forced to kneel—and headed straight for her father’s private study.

Arthur was sitting by the fireplace reading a financial journal. He looked up as his daughter walked in, noting the cold, analytical intensity in her eyes.

"You found it, didn't you?" Arthur asked quietly, setting his book down on the mahogany table.

Chloe stopped three feet away from him, pulling the flash drive from her pocket and placing it squarely on the center of the desk. "Aegis Holdings. You knew about them when Mom died, didn't you, Dad? You let Victor and Elena tear our family apart from the inside because you were trying to flush out a much bigger ghost."

Arthur sighed, closing his eyes for a long moment as the weight of decades caught up with him. "I did it to protect you, Chloe. Aegis isn't just a corporate syndicate. They are the architects who control the global financial chessboard. If they knew you inherited your mother's decryption keys, they would stop at nothing to eliminate you."