For a long moment, no one speaks. The boardroom is nearly empty now. The chaos from earlier has faded, leaving only the quiet hum of the city outside the windows and the weight of what sits on Adrian’s tablet. My eyes remain fixed on the line that refuses to make sense. Beneficiary: Marcus Dela Torre. Five hundred million dollars. My heartbeat pounds in my ears. “That can’t be right,” I whisper. Marcus exhales slowly beside me. “Well,” he mutters, rubbing the back of his neck, “this is officially the worst surprise I’ve received all year.” Adrian doesn’t look at him. His attention is still on the document, studying it the way a surgeon studies an X-ray before making the first cut. “You’re telling me,” Marcus continues carefully, “that if Alessa had died in that crash…” He gestures toward the screen. “…I would have inherited half a billion dollars?” Adrian finally lifts his gaze. “Yes.” Marcus lets out a low whistle. “That’s… a hell of a retirement package.” I turn toward
Last Updated : 2026-04-17 Read more