The newspaper stayed on Adrian's desk.
Neither of us touched it.
Because some stories change everything the moment you start reading.
I looked at the headline again.
Then back at Adrian.
"Who started the investigation?"
Adrian didn't answer immediately.
Which was answer enough.
"You know."
Not a question.
A statement.
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"Maybe."
I hated that smile.
"Adrian."
For once—
I wasn't asking.
The smile disappeared.
And suddenly the room felt serious again.
"His name is Victor Kane."
The name meant nothing to me.
But Adrian's expression told a different story.
"He used to work with your girlfriend's father."
That got my attention instantly.
"What happened?"
Adrian walked toward the window.
Looking out over the city.
"Ten years ago they built companies together."
A pause.
"Then they stopped."
"Why?"
Adrian laughed quietly.
Not because it was funny.
Because it wasn't.
"Depends who you ask."
Another pause.
"Officially?"
He turned toward me.
"Business disagreements."
"And unofficially?"
Silence.
Then—
"Betrayal."
The word landed heavily.
Adrian folded his arms.
"Victor lost almost everything."
A pause.
"Your future father-in-law gained almost everything."
The pieces started fitting together.
"Victor thinks he was robbed."
"He knows he was robbed."
Adrian corrected immediately.
The certainty in his voice surprised me.
"Can he prove it?"
"That's exactly what he's trying to do."
The room became quiet again.
Because suddenly—
This wasn't just an investigation.
It was revenge.
Ten years of revenge.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
Again.
My pulse immediately quickened.
Her.
I opened the message.
Only three words.
"They're scared now."
I stared at the screen.
Then smiled slightly.
Because she understood exactly what was happening too.
Her father wasn't attacking anymore.
He was defending.
And there was a huge difference between those two things.
Adrian noticed my expression.
"Her?"
I nodded.
For some reason—
That made him smile.
"Good."
A pause.
"She's smarter than most people give her credit for."
I looked down at the message again.
Reading it twice.
They're scared now.
Maybe she was right.
Because powerful people only panic when they realize something dangerous.
Control isn't permanent.
Suddenly the office door opened.
Without knocking.
Without warning.
A woman stepped inside.
Confident.
Sharp-eyed.
Professional.
Adrian immediately frowned.
Which told me this wasn't expected.
"You're late."
She ignored him completely.
Instead—
Her attention locked onto me.
And for some reason—
That instantly made me uncomfortable.
"That's him?"
She asked.
Adrian sighed.
"Unfortunately."
The woman rolled her eyes.
Then extended a hand toward me.
"My name is Elena Kane."
I froze.
Kane.
As in Victor Kane.
The man investigating the Ashford empire.
She noticed my reaction immediately.
"Good."
A slight smile appeared.
"At least you know who my father is."
Something told me this meeting wasn't an accident.
And something else told me—
The war against the Ashfords was about to get much bigger.