جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 13

Clara Montgomery POVThe morning sun hit the glass towers of the city with a sharp, blinding glare. I stood in front of the full-length mirror in the guest room, smoothing down the lapels of the charcoal-gray blazer Marco had provided. The fabric was heavy, structured, and felt like a shield. I tied my hair back into a low, tight bun. I needed to look completely untouchable today.When I walked out into the living area, Alexander was already waiting. He was dressed in a dark three-piece suit, looking over some documents on his tablet while sipping his coffee. He didn't say good morning. He just looked me up and down, giving a single, approving nod."The car is downstairs," he said, setting his mug on the counter. "My security team already swept the Montgomery boardroom. Marco is waiting at the entrance with two of our senior corporate attorneys.""Good," I replied, taking a deep breath to steady my racing pulse. "Let’s get this over with."The drive to the Montgomery Headquarters took

Clara Montgomery POVThe rest of the afternoon passed in a blur of incoming emails and official notifications. By five o'clock, my phone lit up with a formal confirmation from my legal team. The temporary lock on my mother’s trust fund was gone. Seeing the digital statement showing the fully restored balance under my sole name felt surreal. For months, my father had used that money as a leash to keep me compliant. Now, the leash was snapped, and the freedom felt heavy, almost frightening.Alexander was working late in his private study, the door firmly shut. I stayed in the living room, sitting on the massive velvet sofa with my laptop, looking through the details of the trust assets. My mother hadn't just left me cash; she had left shares in a boutique logistics firm called Astra Shipping. It was small compared to Montgomery Holdings, but it was entirely independent.My phone rang, cutting through the quiet hum of the penthouse. The screen showed an unsav