Semua Bab The Billionaire's Hidden Tech Queen : Bab 11 - Bab 20

The Vance estate’s grand living room gleamed beneath crystal chandeliers. Garrison Vance stood by the window, a glass of scotch in his hand. Tomorrow was his birthday gala, but his thoughts kept returning to the woman he had invited. Behind him, Alex sprawled across a velvet sofa, scrolling through his phone. After listening to his father discuss the gala for nearly twenty minutes, he finally tossed the phone onto the coffee table. “Can we skip this whole gathering tomorrow, Dad?” Garrison turned toward him. “You’ll attend, Alexander. And you’ll behave yourself.” Alex groaned. “You invite the same business people every year. Half of them are boring, and the other half spend the night agreeing with everything you say. It’s exhausting.” A faint smile crossed Garrison’s face. “Besides, this year is different.” “Because it’s your birthday?” “Because we’re celebrating someone who has done more for this company in four months than some executives have managed in four years.”

The speaker crackled with static before a flat, bored voice filtered through. "State your business." "I’m Mirage," Cathy said, her voice tight, forcing the words past a throat that felt lined with sand. Beside her, her mother squeezed her hand. "I have an appointment with Mr. Garrison Vance." Inside the security lodge, the guard froze at the name. Knowing the absolute priority Mr. Vance had placed on his anonymous savior, the guard didn't just rely on a logbook. He instantly reached for his secure desk phone, dialing the private direct line to the master study. "Sir," the guard spoke into the receiver in a hushed, urgent tone. "There is a young lady at the front gate. She claims to be Mirage." A sharp intake of breath echoed through the phone line on the other end, followed by Garrison's immediate, commanding voice: "Open the gates and give her immediate clearance to the main entrance!" The call clicked shut. The guard stepped out of his lodge and pushed the massive iron ga

The second row by the window was empty. Alex stared at that scarred stretch of wood. No scuffed leather bag hooked to the leg. No stiff, quiet posture trying to blend into the shadows. The desk just sat there, bare and silent, casting a cold shadow over the rest of the classroom. When class let out, Alex stood alone in the hallway between periods, staring blankly out the tall glass windows. His father's footsteps approached from behind, measured and deliberate. Garrison Vance didn't look angry. Instead, a slow, calculated smile touched the corners of his mouth. "Don't worry about her skipping out," Garrison said smoothly, adjusting his gold cufflinks. "She's rattled. Give it a few days. The end of the month is hitting right now, and her regular escrow disbursement window is up for its manual executive sign-off. Since she hasn't requested the wire release yet, I have the leverage. She needs the money, I'll make sure she comes straight to the house." Alex watched his father walk

The gates of the Vance estate opened with a smooth mechanical hum. Cathy pulled her gray cloth mask higher over her nose and stepped through. Two security guards stood near the gatehouse, watching her approach. Neither stopped her. She kept walking. Her father’s condition was all she could think about. The four-thousand-dollar deposit had to be paid by Monday morning, and Garrison Vance was still holding the money she had earned. She couldn't leave without getting it. Cathy climbed the polished stone steps and entered the estate. Inside the east-wing sitting room, Garrison Vance sat in a high-backed leather chair, a glass of wine resting on the table beside him. He looked up when the doors opened. “Sir,” the head of security announced from the intercom, “Mirage has arrived.” “Let her in.” A butler stepped aside, allowing Cathy into the room. Garrison rose. “Welcome, Mirage. Please, have a seat.” Cathy gave him a brief nod and shook his hand. “Thank you, sir.” She remained st

The moment Cathy stepped through the gates of Elite Academy, she noticed something was different. Students were gathered in small groups around the courtyard, talking more loudly than usual.Cathy kept walking. She had spent most of the night worrying about her father. The doctor's words kept returning to her: A transplant. Another bill. Another amount of money she didn't have. The last thing she wanted was to become the center of another school discussion. When she entered the main building, the whispers continued around her, but she ignored them, reaching her classroom and heading straight for her seat.A few seconds later, Alex walked in. The room quieted, and several students watched him. Usually, Alex entered the classroom surrounded by his friends, laughing loudly and making enough noise to draw everyone's attention.Not today.He walked straight to his desk. No jokes. No insults. No careless comments.The students exchanged confused looks. One of the boys near the window leaned