The launch event was obscene.
Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling of the Wilshire Grand ballroom, casting fractured light over Los Angeles’s elite. Tech investors. Politicians. Media executives. Influencers in couture gowns and men who measured worth in stock percentages instead of souls.
At the center of it all stood Kai Voss.
Untouchable. Immaculate. Smiling like a king who had never once feared a rebellion.
Sylvia adjusted the thin strap of her black satin dress and reminded herself she had come here to burn him down.
Not stare.
The gown clung to her like spilled ink, slit high enough to flash thigh when she walked. Diamonds glittered at her ears—borrowed from the last remnants of her mother’s estate. Her hair fell sleek and straight down her back, a deliberate contrast to the storm inside her chest.
Tonight was the night.
Miles had assured her everything was set. The files she’d extracted—financial discrepancies, internal communications, and most importantly the Bennett Acquisition folder—had been reviewed, “verified,” and prepared for public release.
When Kai stepped onto the stage to announce Voss Biotech’s newest breakthrough, Miles would interrupt. Screens would light up. Evidence would spill. The narrative would fracture.
The empire would bleed.
Sylvia spotted Miles near the bar, his tuxedo sharp, his smile sharper. He lifted his champagne glass in a subtle salute.
Ready?
She gave a single nod.
Her pulse pounded—but it wasn’t fear.
It was anticipation.
Across the room, Kai’s gaze found her.
Of course it did.
His expression didn’t change, but something flickered in his eyes. Not suspicion.
Expectation.
The emcee introduced him. Applause thundered through the ballroom as Kai stepped onto the stage, commanding the room with effortless authority.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began smoothly, “thank you for joining us tonight as we unveil the future.”
Sylvia’s throat tightened.
He looked devastating under the lights. Tailored tuxedo. Black tie. Dark hair immaculate. His voice rolled through the speakers like velvet wrapped around steel.
Monster, she reminded herself.
A monster in couture.
He spoke about innovation. Expansion. Global influence. Every word polished to perfection.
And then—
Miles moved.
He stepped forward from the crowd, clapping slowly.
“How inspiring,” he called out, his voice carrying just enough to slice through the applause.
Murmurs rippled across the room.
Kai paused.
Not startled.
Not confused.
Merely… interested.
“Mr. Carter,” Kai said mildly. “I didn’t realize you’d RSVP’d.”
Miles smiled thinly. “Wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
Sylvia’s heart slammed against her ribs.
This was it.
Miles turned to the audience. “Before we celebrate Voss Biotech’s achievements, perhaps we should discuss how those achievements were acquired.”
A beat of silence.
Then the ballroom screens flickered.
Documents appeared.
Financial transfers. Internal emails. Acquisition contracts.
The Bennett Holdings logo filled the largest screen.
Sylvia’s breath caught.
Her father’s signature glowed under harsh digital light.
Gasps erupted.
Investors leaned forward. Cameras lifted.
Miles’s voice sharpened. “Ladies and gentlemen, these documents suggest that Voss Group manipulated stock values and coerced a hostile takeover that led to the collapse of Bennett Holdings—”
Sylvia stepped forward from the crowd, letting her presence seal the narrative.
“And the death of my parents,” she said clearly.
All eyes turned to her.
Whispers exploded.
Kai remained still on stage.
Watching.
Not panicking.
Watching.
“Mr. Voss,” Miles pressed, “care to explain these irregularities?”
The silence that followed stretched too long.
Too controlled.
Kai adjusted his cufflinks.
Then he smiled.
It wasn’t charming.
It was lethal.
“How dramatic,” he said softly.
The screens flickered again.
The Bennett documents vanished.
Replaced by security footage.
The café.
Sylvia and Miles leaning across the table.
The flash drive sliding between them.
Her blood went cold.
Another clip.
Her in the archive room.
Inserting the drive.
Accessing files.
A timestamp.
Unauthorized access.
A final video.
Her conversation with Miles in his office.
Clear audio.
We move at the product launch next week.
Public exposure.
Financial scandal.
The ballroom fell into stunned silence.
Miles’s face drained of color.
Sylvia couldn’t breathe.
Kai stepped forward, voice amplified and calm.
“Ladies and gentlemen, what you’ve just witnessed is an attempt at corporate sabotage. Ms. Bennett, a junior administrative employee, accessed restricted files using stolen credentials and conspired with Mr. Carter to manipulate proprietary data.”
Her ears rang.
No.