All Chapters of Silent Flame: Chapter 51 - Chapter 60

The boardroom was unusually silent even after everyone had cast their votes. The final decision was unanimous: an internal investigation would proceed immediately, targeting all misconduct connected to the house fire, the recent data breaches, and the unauthorized access to corporate archives. Claudia remained seated the entire time, her face expressionless, her chin lifted just enough to project defiance without speaking.Evelyn stayed on her feet, her knuckles pale against the back of her chair. She felt Celeste’s steady presence beside her, an anchor in the quiet storm. Alexander said nothing, but his hand brushed hers beneath the polished wood of the conference table, the only comfort he could give with so many eyes watching.The Chairwoman’s gavel came down once.“Effective immediately, a special review committee will be formed, overseen by third-party auditors and internal compliance,” Celeste declared. “Any interference will be

The morning sun over Seoul cast a weak glow through the glass of the top floor conference room. It was a deceptive light, thin and cold, doing nothing to ease the heaviness in the air. Inside, the legal advisory team for Drake Industries sat in a tight semicircle around a large monitor, their eyes fixed on the grainy surveillance footage looping on the screen.No one spoke until the man in the video turned his head toward the hidden camera.“Ludwig Fischer,” murmured one of the senior partners, his voice sharp with recognition. “That man should not be anywhere near a Drake property.”“He is not,” Alexander replied, his tone clipped. “But Claudia was.”Evelyn stepped forward and placed a printed timeline on the table. “The meeting happened during the Zurich conference that Claudia claimed she missed due to illness. Hotel records show she never checked in. But Fischer’s private jet landed in Zurich

The advisory board reconvened the following morning, the mood sharper than before. The leaked photo had changed the atmosphere; every person in the room was more guarded, more deliberate in what they said aloud. Claudia had not arrived yet, but her shadow already lingered across the table.Evelyn took her seat beside Alexander, her folder of notes closed for now. She wanted the board to speak first. Silence, she had learned, could be more revealing than any opening statement.Jun began the session. “As of last night, the injunction on legacy amendments has been implemented. Any attempted changes to the charter or bloodline registry will trigger a security alert to this panel. We have also frozen access to archival succession files, pending review.”Alexander nodded once. “Good. That ensures the original charter cannot be altered without oversight.”One of the older members, Madam Choi, leaned forward. “And yet the press has a

The board gathered again three days later. The air felt denser, as if the walls themselves anticipated conflict. Celeste sat at the head of the table with her cane resting against her chair, an image of control that was not to be mistaken for weakness.Claudia entered with deliberate poise, a folder tucked under her arm. Behind her, Isadora followed, her expression unreadable. Evelyn’s chest tightened. She had not been able to speak to Isadora since the test results were confirmed.The session began with Jun stating the agenda: ongoing strategic projects, preliminary quarterly figures, and finally the “matter of succession optics” as he called it.Claudia wasted no time. “Before we address figures, I would like to introduce Ms Isadora Langley, whose confirmed lineage has become a matter of public record. In the interest of unity and transparency, I believe the board should hear directly from her.”She turned to Isadora with a

Celeste’s private office was a place of quiet dominance, a chamber that seemed to exist outside the clamor of the city beyond its walls. Heavy drapes hung thick across the tall windows, shutting out the faint glow of streetlamps and muffling the world outside. The air itself carried a subtle perfume of sandalwood, a scent that clung to the carved wood and velvet chairs, pressing down with a weight of tradition and authority.Evelyn had been summoned without preamble, and she entered alongside Alexander, Noah, and Jun. The gravity of the summons left no room for speculation—it was clear something of consequence was to unfold. Claudia was already inside, her figure tense and commanding as she stood near the desk with her arms folded tightly across her chest, a defiant shadow in the dim light.“This was entrapment,” Claudia declared sharply, dispensing with any pleasantries. Her voice was low, but edged like a blade. “A calculated attempt to smear me, nothing more.”Celeste, seated behin