Chapter 22
Chapter 22
Titan Group – Headquarters
The Titan Group board meeting had just ended, but tension still lingered in the executive floor corridor. The board members exited one by one, speaking little, some clearly showing signs of discontent.
Andrian came out last, his face expressionless, but his steps were heavy. His gray suit remained immaculate, but his tie was loosened, and his jaw had been clenched for the last fifteen minutes of the meeting.
The eco–friendly infrastructure project—a major initiative he proposed to lead Titan Group into the sustainable energy sector—had once again been rejected by majority vote. This project was meant to be a bold leap positioning Titan Group as a global green energy leader.
Worse yet, the rejection this time gained traction after news of Aliana’s dinner with Charlotte Delacroix reached the ears of the directors.
Charlotte, a long–time opponent of Andrian’s project, now appeared to signal that Zavier Corporation would not support the initiative. And with Aliana’s known status as an heiress of the Zavier family, that perception evolved into a belief strong enough to sway board \votes.
For Andrian, the meeting wasn’t just a business defeat–it was a double blow. One from the boardroom that rejected his vision, and another from a dinner table that should never have dragged Titan Group into his wife’s personal dealings.
In the hallway, Victor approached with a hesitant expression, clearly reluctant to deliver what he knew would be an unwelcome message. He already sensed his boss was in no mood.
“Sir… Mr. Ethan Zavier is in your office. He’s been waiting almost ten minutes,” he reported without preamble, bowing slightly.
Andrian stopped. His jaw tightened. “My father–in–law?”
“Yes, Sir. He said there’s something important to discuss with you.”
Andrian only gave a short nod and walked toward his office without a word. Upon entering, he found Ethan seated calmly on the guest sofa, his right hand resting on his knee, wearing his usual expression: calm, but sharp.
Andrian took a moment to inhale before closing the door. He strode firmly toward the sofa, stopping directly in front of Ethan.
“Good afternoon, Mr. Ethan. I heard you had something you wanted to discuss?”
Ethan didn’t rise. He nodded slightly.
“I came to clarify something–about Aliana’s dinner with Charlotte Delacroix. I don’t want you to misunderstand. That dinner did not represent our family. It wasn’t a political maneuver, nor was it sanctioned by Zavier Corporation.”
Andrian remained standing, face cold.
“But the effect was undeniable. Other directors interpreted it differently. Today, Ms. Charlotte spoke as if she already had your full support.”
“Aliana is still too naive. She knows nothing about corporate politics.” Ethan looked directly at Andrian.
“As you know, she didn’t grow up within the Zavier household. She was raised by distant relatives. Aliana doesn’t recognize these kinds of games. So when Charlotte invited her, she went. It was that simple. I hope you won’t blame her.”
“Blame?” Andrian let out a short, bitter laugh. “You know the kind of world we live in? Every step is watched. There is no such thing as ‘simple‘ when it comes to business and power.”
Ethan exhaled. “That’s exactly why I came to explain. And to apologize if her actions have complicated your position.”
“They have,” Andrian cut in coldly. “That dinner cost me two key votes this morning. You know who they are.”
“And I assure you, it wasn’t our doing,” Ethan said firmly. “Charlotte knew Aliana was unseasoned. She took advantage of that.”
Andrian moved to his desk, opened a folder, then shut it again–distracted.
“The problem,” he said slowly but firmly, “is now everyone thinks my wife isn’t neutral. And that alone was enough to shake support for
1/5
O
3:46 PM P
Chapter 22
my project.”
Ethan leaned back slightly.
“The green energy project you’ve been pushing–we didn’t oppose it because we distrust the vision. But because it’s premature. The market’s not ready. The financial risk is high, and you know that.”
Andrian didn’t respond. He simply stared at Ethan, then slowly took a seat.
“You’re forcing Titan Group to lead an industrial transition before regulatory foundations are in place,” Ethan continued. “We’re still dependent on conventional energy. You speak of innovation, but shareholders speak of stability. That includes us.”
Andrian clasped his hands, keeping his tone neutral.
“That’s exactly why Titan Group should go first. If we wait for everyone to be ready, we’ll lose. What I’m proposing isn’t just a project- it’s a revolution.”
Ethan raised an eyebrow. “Revolutions are expensive.”
“But necessary,” Andrian countered firmly. “And if Zavier Corporation wants to stay moving now. Not later.”
Ethan shook his head slowly.
“We can’t enter that fight. Not yet.”
Andrian stared directly at him.
relevant ten years
10
from now, you need to start
NAད་ པ་ ར་ ་་་་་་་། ་ད་ན་ད་ཆ་་་དེ་ག་ཡོད་འདེ་་ཁྱད་དེw=n
བོད་ ོད་ད་ལ་ང་ལ་གནས་པ་ན་་་ད་ན་པ་དང་་ད་ཡོད་ཚད་
E
“Then stand beside me. But don’t get in the way. I won’t
”
A moment of silence followed. Tension hung thinly between the two men–r
Ethan stood up.
www.presenting two generations of power.
The
“I’m not here to argue your decisions. I just want you to know one thing–Aliana is not a threat to you. But if you keep treating her like a tool, she will rebel.”
Andrian turned away, his voice low but firm. “Maybe it’s already too late.”
Ethan didn’t respond. He simply looked at his son–in–law for a second, then walked toward the door.
Just before exiting, he said, “Don’t blame Aliana for something she doesn’t understand.”
The door closed. Andrian stayed where he was. Silent. The room felt even quieter. In his head, pressure began to pile up–one after another.
External pressure from the board of directors and the repeated rejection of his project.
Internal pressure from suspicion, frustration, and growing uncertainty toward the people around him—including Aliana.
Suddenly, Andrian’s phone rang. The screen displayed a special number–used only by those assigned to report on his covert operations.
He answered instantly
“Sir…. Activity from Nyx just registered. She’s in the northern sector–near the export zone.”
Andrian stood straight
“Location?”
“Already uploaded to the main server. We’re monitoring it. But she’s not alone. It looks like she’s about to launch a mission.”
“Don’t lose her again.” Andrian snapped. “I’m on my way”
Without waiting for a reply, he hung up, grabbed his suit jacket, and strode out of his office,
In the hallway, Viktor was just about to enter to remind Andrian of his lunch meeting with an important investor, but the man’s pace
2/5
3:46 PM
Chapter 22
was too fast.
“Mr. Andrian, wait… are you going somewhere?” Viktor called, running to catch up.
“I have business,” Andrian replied curtly as he headed toward the elevator.
“But your schedule this afternoon-”
“Cancel it. All of it,” Andrian cut in, stepping into the elevator. “I may not return.”
Viktor froze.
Andrian never canceled appointments, let alone unannounced. Today’s schedule even included a high–priority meeting that had been rescheduled from last week.
Moments later, Bianca stepped out of the adjacent elevator, dressed in a crisp white blazer and dark sunglasses.
“What are you doing here? Where’s Andrian?” she asked Viktor as she opened her clutch.
Viktor hesitated.
Mr. Andrian… just left.”
“Left? To where?”
“I wasn’t told, ma’am. He just said to cancel all of today’s appointments.”
Bianca narrowed her eyes.
“He didn’t say anything? Not even about the lunch I arranged today?”
Viktor shook his head. “Apologies, ma’am. He seemed in a hurry. Very unlike himself.”
Bianca turned to stare at the elevator that had already shut. Her expression darkened.
“He never abandons plans without reason. Unless… something’s happening.”
“I have to find out where he went,” she muttered under her breath.
Across the city, far from the busy Titan Group HQ, the northern export zone was a stark contrast–dark, quiet, and nearly deserted.
Aliana moved silently among the shadows of rusted containers and corrugated steel walls. Her eyes scanned, her steps were calculated. She approached the outer wall of the warehouse where Julian Crane had last been detected.
She stopped. Pressed her back against the wall, and activated a small thermal goggle connected to her earpiece. The display highlighted heat signatures–two on the ground floor, one on the second, and a flickering signal near the rear window.
“Rafe, confirm movement pattern on the second floor?” she whispered.
“Stationary. But the timing’s too perfect. Could be a decoy or heat bait,” Rafe replied.
Aliana inhaled, then slipped through a half–open back door.
The hinges were rusted, but she eased it open silently.
Inside, the scent of old metal and machine oil filled the air. Racks of aging logistics crates lined the room. From above, faint footsteps could be heard–someone pacing the second floor.
Aliana moved quickly, blending into the shadows.
She slipped through a narrow corridor and ascended the iron stairs, one step at a time, noiseless.
At the second floor landing, she paused. Through a half–open door, she saw Julian speaking to a masked man. The man’s posture was instantly recognizable–straight, silent, composed Kestrel
Julian’s voice carried low but clear.
“How long are we staying in this place?”
375
3:46 PM P
Chapter 22
Kestrel studied the tablet in his hand.
.
“As long as necessary. External signals are clean, but your activity has drawn attention.”
Julian looked uneasy.
“We should’ve moved already. The longer we stay, the riskier it gets,”
Kestrel didn’t turn.
“You caused the mess. I’m here to clean it up.”
Aliana narrowed her eyes.
That exchange confirmed it–Kestrel wasn’t just Julian’s ally. He was the handler. The shadow strategist.
She drew her blade from her side sheath and activated a small signal jammer to disrupt local communications.
On the count of one, she burst through the door and charged in.
Kestrel
Kestrel reacted instantly. He stepped back and pulled a firearm from under his black jacket.
Julian dove behind the desk for cover.
“NYX,” Kestrel hissed. “At last, you’ve come.”
Aliana didn’t respond. She moved like a phantom, striking Kestrel in a diagonal slash. The steel blade sliced through the air toward his chest–but Kestrel blocked it with a folding blade hidden in his left sleeve.
Clang.
The clash of metal sparked in the dim light. Kestrel stepped back, countering with a sharp kick. Aliana dodged, retaliating with an elbow strike to his ribs.
They exchanged blows in silence—a deadly dance in a confined space.
Julian watched from behind the desk, his face tense, half–cowering behind a chair.
Aliana nearly took Kestrel down when her blade slashed across his right shoulder. But in that instant, two gunshots rang out from the floor below.
“Miss!” Rafe’s voice crackled through the earpiece. “Two people just came in through the back! I’ll send support through the west side.”
Aliana spun around. In the split second of lost focus, Kestrel hurled a small smoke grenade to the floor.
“Foolish of you to come alone,” he whispered.
White smoke burst into the air. Aliana coughed, but stayed steady. She fired a silenced shot toward the wall–not to hit, but to scramble enemy positions.
By the time the haze began to thin, Kestrel was gone.
But Julian hadn’t escaped.
Aliana surged forward, pinning him to the ground. Her blade pressed against his throat.
“Tell me who ordered you to hurt Alicial”
Julian cried out.
“I can’t! They’ll kill me!”
“Faster than I will?” Aliana whispered.
4/5
3:46 PM
.
