The next morning, the fog clung to the hills like a wet shroud. Xavier stood in the kitchen, brewing a pot of strong coffee, his body aching but his mind sharper than ever. He knew that the micro-SD card they had recovered was a ticking time bomb. If they didn't use it today, Silas would find a way to discredit it.
Seraphina walked in, wearing one of Xavier's oversized white dress shirts. She looked radiant, her usual icy composure replaced by a quiet, fierce confidence. "Elena is awake. She's ready to testify, Xavier. But we can't go to the board. Silas owns half of them."
"Then we don't go to the board," Xavier said, handing her a mug. "We go to the public. You're the CEO of a global empire, Seraphina. You have a platform. We're going to hold a live press conference from the lobby of the Vane building. We're going to show the world the footage of your grandfather giving his consent."
"And Silas?"
"Silas will be there," Xavier said, a grim smile touching his lips. "Because I'm going to invite him personally. I'm going to tell him we're ready to sign the 'Emerald Project' over to him. He's greedy enough to show up."
"It's a trap," she said, her eyes widening.
"It's the only way to end this," Xavier replied. He stepped closer, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. "You trust me?"
"With my life," she whispered.
They spent the afternoon preparing. Xavier coordinated with the security team he had personally vetted—men who owed him their lives, not their paychecks. He checked the perimeter of the Vane building, knowing that Silas wouldn't come alone. He was expecting a war, and he was prepared to give it to him.
As they drove toward the city, Seraphina held the micro-SD card in her hand like a talisman. "What if the board doesn't believe us? What if the footage isn't enough?"
"Then we fight," Xavier said, his hand resting over hers on the gearshift. "But look at the views on your Webnovel story, Seraphina. People love a hero. They love a woman who stands up to a tyrant. We have the world on our side."
As they pulled up to the Vane building, the sidewalk was already swarming with reporters. The "Ice Queen" stepped out of the car, her head held high, her hand locked in Xavier's. They looked like royalty, and the cameras couldn't get enough.