THE HEIRESS IN OVERALLS のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 81 - チャプター 90

Chapter 82: The Sovereign Counter-StrikeThe big ballroom screens flashed with a blue light as Leo's secret data link took over the hotel's network. Thousands of lines of codes appeared on the walls lighting up the faces of the surprised guests. The Panama account numbers, hidden transaction times and frozen transfer orders were all shown to the logistics executives.Victoria Thorne didn't look up at the screens. She kept staring at Avery. For the first time a small crack appeared in her tough exterior. Her elegant fingers, resting on her midnight pearls, tightened until her fine silk glove began to strain."Do you think a digital freeze on a small transit account changes the basic structure of the Thorne family trust Silas?" Victoria said, her voice dropping to a whisper that cut through the murmuring crowd. She slowly turned her eyes to her son, her expression hardening into a look of corporate anger. "I spent thirty years building the walls that protect your inheritance. You can't

Chapter 84: The Morning AfterThe bright lights and quiet whispers of the Belvedere ballroom were replaced at dawn by the sharp wind of the Hudson highlands.Avery stood on the stone terrace of Silas's private estate looking down at the winding river below. She was no longer wearing the gold dress; instead she had on a pair of fresh canvas work pants and a thick dark flannel shirt. Her leather work boots remained the same. Scuffed, heavy and firmly planted against the dew-covered stone. She held a steaming mug of coffee between her palms watching the first light of day catch the white wakes of three big Thorne-Sterling tugs guiding a line of steel barges northward.The legal battle was over and the arrests were finalized. The machinery of an empire never stopped moving."The wind is coming from the north-northwest, " Avery said softly, her voice carrying a mathematical tone. She didn't turn around as the heavy glass doors behind her slid open. "The barge captains are going to hit a th

Chapter 86: The Great Lakes MatrixThe humid air of the Montreal rail yard gave way to the windy Port of Buffalo in less than twenty-four hours.Avery stood at the edge of the concrete pier at Terminal 1. Her canvas work pants were covered in a layer of lake salt. Her flannel shirt was unbuttoned to catch the breeze from Lake Erie. Her leather work boots dug into the concrete. This was the piece of land her grandfather had lost to the Thorne family trust fifteen years ago.Now looking at the high-frequency radar array on her tablet she wasn't looking at a foreclosure notice. She was looking at the master control grid for the Great Lakes shipping lane."The high-frequency transponder array on the Buffalo lighthouse is officially synchronized, " Avery said. Her voice dropped into that calm calculated tone of a master engineer who had finally reclaimed her home turf. She swiped her thumb across the screen locking in the baseline parameters."The old Atlantic Exchange network used to lose

Chapter 88: The Toledo JunctionThe city of Detroit was fading into the distance. The flat horizon of the Toledo rail yard was coming into view. The air was thick with the smell of iron and creosote. A summer storm was. The air was electric with it.Avery was standing on the metal deck of the switching tower, her hands on the iron railing. She had changed into a dark tank top. Her work pants were covered in rust dust from checking the old gears. Her boots were digging into the floor as she looked out at the yard below. There were dozens of heavy rail cars being sorted by automated switches."The switching time on the rail line is now zero, " Avery said, her voice clear and strong. She did not look back as the steel door of the tower opened and a cool wind came in. "The old operators were using controls that took twenty minutes per car. With Leo's system we can sort eighty cars in under sixty seconds."Silas stepped onto the deck, his frame blocking out the wind. He was wearing a charc

Chapter 90: The Skyline ConquestThe heavy mahogany doors of the room locked behind them with a quiet click. The noise from the press pool stopped. The bright camera lights still shone in Avery's eyes. Inside the executive suite it was very quiet.Avery leaned back against the door. Let out a slow breath. She had been holding it since she stepped onto the stage. Her ivory silk power suit looked great in the light of the private lounge. For a moment she just stood there enjoying the quiet.Then Silas chuckled, a rumbling sound.He stood by the big glass windows looking out over the Manhattan skyline. He took off his charcoal suit jacket. Threw it over a leather armchair. His white shirt glowed against the city view. He turned to face her his tie his gray eyes burning with a strong raw heat."A show dog, Avery?" Silas said with a smile. His deep voice sounded warm and amused. He walked across the room, his big frame quickly covering the distance between them. "I think the editor of the