جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 10

The cheap motel room smelled like old carpets that had been abandoned for a long time.A single lightbulb hung from the ceiling. It kept flickering, making the room look even darker.Avery sat on the edge of the old bed.She was still wearing her wet denim jacket, and her body shook from the cold.She had only twenty dollars left.It was enough to pay for one night in the cheap motel.After that, she had nothing.Nina did not cry.The seven-year-old stood in front of the small bathroom mirror. She carefully pulled the wet pink dress away from her skin.The dress was ruined.Nina wrapped herself in an old motel blanket that was much too big for her.She looked tiny inside it.But she tried to be brave."Mommy?"Nina walked over to the bed.She climbed beside Avery and wrapped her little arms around her mother's neck.Her warm cheek touched Avery's cold face."Don't think about that place anymore," Nina whispered."We have each other."She paused."I can get a job. I can wash dishes."A

The Vance Group's boardroom was filled with tension.Jasper Vance stood at the head of the long table.His tie was loose, and his usually perfect hair was messy.The calm billionaire everyone had seen on television the night before was gone."What do you mean you can't find them?"Jasper slammed both hands on the table.A group of cybersecurity experts jumped.They kept their eyes on their laptops.On the huge screens behind them, the red X from the night before was still flashing."Mr. Vance," the head technician said nervously.He wiped sweat from his forehead."Xenon's security is extremely strong.""Every time we try to find the hacker's location, the signal moves through several different satellites."He swallowed."It's like trying to catch a ghost."Jasper's face became darker."What are you saying?"The technician took a deep breath."Xenon didn't just break into Aegis 2.0.""The hacker created the hidden entrance that was used to build it."Jasper stared at him."Silence!"Vi

The Vance Group offices looked like a war zone.Employees rushed around, putting their personal things into boxes. Lawyers walked quickly through the halls with serious faces. Phones kept ringing, but no one answered them.In less than two days, the empire Jasper Vance had spent his whole life building was gone.Jasper stood alone in his empty office. He stared through the window at the Wright International building across the street.He held a glass of scotch in one hand. His eyes were red, and dark circles showed under them.His suit jacket was gone. His shirt sleeves were rolled up.But there was nothing left for him to do.One hour ago, the board had removed him as CEO.The door suddenly opened.Victoria Vance rushed inside. Her silver hair was messy, and she wasn't wearing her usual diamonds.Her hands shook as she held a legal document."Jasper! The federal investigators just froze our bank accounts!" Victoria cried. "They say our money is connected to the theft of Project Artem

The private medical room on the 98th floor of Wright International was completely quiet.The only sound was the steady beep of the heart monitor.The room was filled with advanced medical equipment. It looked more like a luxury hotel room than a hospital.Leo lay in the middle of a large bed.Several warm blankets covered his small body.A warm IV was connected to his hand to help bring his body temperature back to normal.His face was no longer blue from the cold.But he still looked very small and weak under the white sheets.Avery stood near the glass wall.She had changed out of her ruined cream dress and was now wearing a simple black sweater.Her arms were crossed.She kept looking at Leo.But her face was not soft.She was not ready to forgive him.She was watching him carefully, like a computer expert checking a damaged program.The door opened with a soft sound.Ethan Wright walked in with a digital folder.He had changed into a fresh dark suit.He stood beside Avery and look

The elevator ride to the 98th floor was completely quiet.Nina stood close to Avery.Her tiny hand held her mother's fingers tightly.She was still wearing her soft white bathrobe.For two days, Nina had enjoyed having her mother all to herself.She had felt safe.She didn't have to hear the cruel words from the Vance family anymore.But now, her twin brother is here.Avery squeezed Nina's hand."It's going to be okay, sweetheart."She smiled at her daughter."Remember what Mommy promised you. Nobody will ever hurt us like that again."She paused."Not your father. Not your grandmother. And not Leo."The elevator made a soft sound.The doors opened.Ethan Wright was waiting outside the medical room.His hands were in his pockets.His tall body filled the hallway.When he saw Nina, his cold expression became softer."The doctors have stepped out," Ethan told Avery."Leo is fully awake."He paused."He also watched the broadcast from his hospital bed. He knows what you did to Victoria."