LOGINALYANA POV
I didn't realize I was holding my breath until Julian's office door closed behind us.
The hallway suddenly felt quieter.
Not because there were fewer people.
Because everything inside me had gone still.
I looked at Julian as we walked side by side toward the executive elevators. His expression hadn't changed since Marcus confirmed someone had tried to use Elena's revoked credent
ALYANA POVI didn't realize I was holding my breath until Julian's office door closed behind us.The hallway suddenly felt quieter.Not because there were fewer people.Because everything inside me had gone still.I looked at Julian as we walked side by side toward the executive elevators. His expression hadn't changed since Marcus confirmed someone had tried to use Elena's revoked credentials.He looked calm.Too calm.I'd seen that look before.The first time we met, I thought it meant he didn't care.Now I knew better.It meant he was already thinking five steps ahead.The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside.Neither of us pressed the button immediately.Marcus stayed outside to coo
JULIAN POVThe security room was already crowded by the time I walked in.Four monitors covered one wall. Access logs filled another screen. Two members of the IT department stood beside the head of security, both looking like they hadn't blinked in several minutes."Show me."No one wasted time asking questions.The lead technician enlarged the log."There."A single entry flashed across the screen.Executive Credential: Elena CrawfordAccess Request: Restricted ArchiveStatus: DeniedTime: 2:17 PMI studied the timestamp."Her credentials were revoked this morning.""Yes, sir.""So how did the system even recognize them?"The technician swallowed.
ALYANA POVI looked at Mia, then at Julian."Say that again."Mia swallowed before answering."The system detected an access attempt using Miss Crawford's executive credentials."Julian's voice stayed calm."Her access was revoked.""It was," Mia replied. "That's why Security flagged it immediately."The room became quiet.Dad looked between us, clearly trying to understand what was happening."So someone is pretending to be her?" he asked.Julian didn't answer right away."They're using her credentials," he finally said. "Whether it's Elena herself or someone who copied her access is another question."I crossed my arms, trying to slow my breathing."They're after the archives."Julian nodded once."They're looking for something."Dad frowned."I thought this whole thing was already over.""So did I," I admitted."But whoever did this doesn't think so."Julian picked up his phone."Lock down the archive floor."His voice was cold and direct."No one enters or leaves without my approv
ALYANA POV My father? For a second, I just stared at Julian. "I'm sorry... what did you say?" His expression stayed serious. "Your father is downstairs." A strange knot formed in my stomach. "Dad?" Julian gave a small nod. "He arrived a few minutes ago." I frowned immediately. "That's impossible." He didn't argue. "He asked to see you." My pulse started climbing. Dad hated corporate buildings. He hated cameras even more. If he had come here on his own... Something had pushed him. Without another word, I hurried toward the elevator. "Slow down," Julian said behind me. I didn't. The elevator doors opened almost instantly, and I stepped inside. Julian followed. Neither of us spoke while the doors closed. The silence wasn't awkward. It was tense. I kept staring at the changing floor numbers. Dad never called unless something was wrong. He certainly wouldn't walk into Vance Holdings unless he had no other choice. "What happened?" I asked quietly. "We don't kno
ALYANA POVThe room went completely silent.Nobody moved.Nobody spoke.Every pair of eyes turned toward the older board member standing near the end of the table.I recognized him immediately.Mr. Harrington.One of the longest-serving members of the board.The kind of man who rarely spoke unless he had something important to say.Which was exactly why the room felt so tense now.Elena was the first to recover."What are you talking about?"Her voice sounded calm.Too calm.The kind of calm people used when they were trying very hard not to panic.Mr. Harrington looked at her.Then he adjusted his glasses."I'm talking about the leak."The chairman shifted uncomfortably."Perhaps this isn't the place—""It is exactly the place."Mr. Harrington's interruption surprised everyone.Including me.The chairman immediately fell quiet.Julian remained standing beside me.Watching.Listening.Waiting.I glanced at him briefly.His expression hadn't changed.But something told me he already kn
ALYANA POVFor a second, I thought I heard him wrong."They want to remove me?"Julian's expression didn't change."That's the proposal."A cold laugh escaped me before I could stop it."That's ridiculous.""I agree.""Then why are we even talking about it?"Because deep down, I already knew the answer.Corporate boards didn't call emergency meetings for fun.They called them when they believed they had enough support to make something happen.Julian looked at me for a moment."They think you're a liability."There it was.The word I had been expecting.Liability.Not employee.Not executive.Not person.Just a problem that needed to be removed.I folded my arms across my chest and looked away.For some reason, that bothered me more than the leaked contract.Maybe because scandal
ALYANA POV The next morning felt strangely normal. I woke up just after sunrise, the pale light already filtering through the tall windows of the east wing. For a few seconds I stayed still, listening to the quiet hum of the mansion waking up somewhere beyond my room. Yesterday kept replaying in
ALYANA POV The conference room felt colder than the rest of the mansion. Maybe it was the glass walls or the polished steel table that stretched almost the entire length of the room. Everything looked sharp and expensive, like it was designed to remind people they were sitting inside a powerful c
ALYANA POV I barely slept. The message from Leo stayed in my mind long after I turned off the lights. I must have read it at least twenty times before finally placing my phone on the bedside table and forcing myself to close my eyes. Tomorrow night. Service entrance. Midnight. It sounded simple
ALYANA POVThe mansion felt unusually quiet when we stepped inside.Most nights the staff moved around the halls like shadows—soft footsteps, distant voices, the faint sound of dishes somewhere in the kitchen. Tonight everything felt still, like the entire house had decided to sleep early.Julian h







