로그인Sirius Vane stepped out of the executive elevator into the basement parking garage, holding a cold ice pack against his forehead. His head was throbbing with a brutal headache. He had spent the last two hours screaming at his subordinates, kicking furniture, and trying to figure out how his carefully built plan had shattered in a single afternoon.As he walked toward his sleek silver Maybach, a shadow stepped out from behind one of the concrete pillars."Well, well. Look at my defeated nephew," a mocking, raspy voice echoed through the dim garage.Sirius stopped in his tracks, his jaw clenching tight. Walking toward him was Antony Vane, his father’s half brother, a distant uncle who held a minor, lazy seat on the board of directors. Antony was smoking a cheap cigar, a sharp, cruel sneer plastered across his wrinkled face."Get out of my way, Antony," Sirius growled, pushing past him toward his car. "I am not in the mood for your nonsense today.""You never are, Sirius," Antony chuckl
Inside Darius Manchester’s mansion, the afternoon was dead silent.Emily sat on the edge of the plush bed in the guest room, her foot tapping nervously against the polished hardwood floor. She had spent the last two hours quietly going through every single drawer, desk, and bookshelf in the unlocked areas of the second floor.She was looking for anything, a ledger, a contract, a police report, or even a casual note about the Sterling family. But there was nothing. Darius was far too meticulous to leave sensitive documents sitting around in an open room."Useful for nothing," Emily muttered to herself, running a hand through her messy hair in sheer frustration. "He brings me here under the excuse of protection, but he's just keeping me locked up so I can't write my story."She walked over to the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the rear of the property. Below lay a massive, sprawling estate garden filled with manicured hedges, stone pathways, and a towering iron gate at the far edg
Thea sat at the reading table, surrounded by a few old cardboard boxes. These were the belongings she had retrieved from the Sterling mansion when she went with Elias to check on it. Inside were dusty photo albums, a few hand-drawn sketches from her childhood, and a small silver music box that she once used often.She picked up a faded photograph of herself as a little girl standing in the gardens of the old Sterling estate. She traced the edge of the frame, her mind wandering back to the quiet, lonely days she spent. She was trying to piece together her own fractured past, trying to understand why Arthur Sterling had adopted her, and why every trail leading to her birth led to a dead end.A quiet knock at the library door shattered the silence.The lead security guard stepped into the room, looking visibly uncomfortable. "Mrs. Vane... you have a visitor at the front gate."Thea set the photograph down, her eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "A visitor? Who is it?""It’s Mr. Da
Sirius stared at Elias with absolute hatred. The muscle in his jaw twitched as he fought the urge to leap across the desk and strike the younger man. Elias remained completely still, his face an unreadable, cold mask, his dark eyes looking down at his cousin with quiet disdain."Grasping at straws?" Sirius spat out, letting out a harsh, bitter laugh. "You really think I'm just playing games, don't you? You sit up there on the top floor wearing grandfather's custom suits, acting like you built this company with your own hands when it got handed over to you like dog requesting treats.""Whether I was given the company easily doesn’t matter, grandfather understood I could run this company because I am capable, Sirius," Elias said smoothly, his tone remarkably calm compared to the rage radiating from across the desk. "He chose me because you were too busy using the Vane name to cover up your illegal gambling dens. Like he said, you lack discipline."Sirius leaned forward, slamming his pa
ELIAS’s POV I walked down the quiet executive hallway toward the main conference room, my father following closely behind me. Through the clear glass walls, I could see the entire board of directors sitting around the massive mahogany table. At the far end stood my cousin, Sirius Vane, gesturing wildly with his hands as he tried to look deeply concerned."I am telling you, I’m well informed in matters like this and you should be taking it serious, we cannot risk the company's reputation!" Sirius was shouting as I pushed the heavy glass doors open. "The permits are unstable, and my private sources indicate a massive security breach! Postponing the banquet by just one week is the only responsible move!"The room fell dead silent the moment I stepped inside. Every board member turned to look at me.I didn't rush. I walked slowly to the head of the table, setting my leather folder down with a quiet thud. I looked at Sirius, whose pale face twitched slightly when our eyes met.“Who’s sta
Elias’s POV I stood by the large table near the front entrance, fixing my watch strap. Outside, the morning sun was bright, shining through the large glass doors of our estate.I turned around to see Thea walking toward me. She was wearing a simple, comfortable dress, her soft eyes looking straight at me. She looked much better than she did last night, rested, calm, and completely focused."Are you leaving now?" she asked softly, stopping a few feet away."Yes," I said, stepping closer to her. I reached out and gently smoothed down the collar of her dress. "I would like for you to stay home today, Thea. You don’t need to go to the news office, I’m sure they can work without you for a day. Just stay inside the estate gates. The guards are on high alert, and you'll be safe here."I had assumed she might have argued with me. And that she would launch into a rant of how she had work to do or that she didn't need a team of guards keeping tabs on her movements. But today, she just looked a
THEA’s POV In my first life, that voice would have made me jump. My father had a way of making me feel like I was five years old and failing a test. I used to spend my allowance buying him expensive watches just to get a "thank you" that never came. "Thea!" My mother’s voice joined in, high-pit
ELIAS’s POV Elias felt like he was being trapped. His own parents were turning against him. Serena was standing there like a vulture, waiting for him to fall. "Thea is my wife," Elias said. "Whatever happened in that cabin... there is a reason for it. I trust her so you can stop with the delusion
THEA’s POV “Tell him,” I said.I walked toward the dressing room.The walk-in closet was the size of a small house, filled with rows of suits in muted grays and navy blues, colors Elias liked. I used to dress like a shadow so I wouldn’t offend him.I found a pair of scissors on the mahogany island
THEA’s POV The hospital room was too quiet. I lay there, my body feeling like it was made of lead. I couldn't move my fingers. I couldn't open my eyes. All I had left was my hearing, and the sound of the heart monitor's steady beep... beep... beep... "Is it done yet?" That was Maya’s voice







