Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Aliana arrived at the pavilion. The door shut behind her, but the tension from her encounter with Andrian and Bianca still lingered thickly in the air.
She had just stepped into the main room when the phone in her pocket began to vibrate.
An incoming call.
Aliana glanced at the name on the screen before answering.
“Rafe. What is it?” she asked directly, skipping any pleasantries.
“Miss Aliana,” came Rafe’s deep voice on the other end, his tone grave. “I found him.”
Aliana immediately stood straighter, every sense on high alert. “Julian Crane?”
“Yes, Miss. I tracked him down. He’s not far from the city you’re in. Specifically, he’s hiding out in an old house that used to be a retreat for a wealthy businessman. It’s abandoned now, almost uninhabited, but there’s suspicious activity inside.”
Aliana closed her eyes for a moment, her breath catching. This was the breakthrough she’d been waiting for. Her hand clenched slowly into a fist.
“You’re certain it’s him?”
རྒྱ་དྲུད་པ་གནད་བད་པར་དང་ནང་
“One hundred percent. I’ve verified the visuals and biometric data. It’s him. That’s our target.”
Aliana’s mind raced. Julian was the key to uncovering the truth behind Alicia’s death.
“Do you want me to apprehend him now and bring him to you?” Rafe asked cautiously.
Aliana didn’t answer immediately. Capturing Julian alone was risky; if someone had hired him, they might eliminate him before he could talk. She needed full control.
“Come to the city,” Aliana said firmly. “Meet me as soon as possible. We’ll take him down together.”
There was a brief pause. “Understood, Miss. I’ll be there in two hours.”
The call ended.
Aliana lowered her phone and turned around. Elena had just entered, carrying a tray of hot tea. She paused, puzzled by the serious look on Aliana’s face. There was a subtle tension in her features, though Elena kept her curiosity to herself.
“The tea is still hot, Miss.” Elena said softly, placing the tray on the table.
Aliana nodded briefly and walked over to the sofa. “Thank you, Elena.”
She sat down and took the teacup, inhaling its aroma before sipping gently.
Silence
Aliana stared blankly out the window, but her mind was moving fast–analyzing Rafe’s digital trail, calculating her next move, assessing nisks.
Elena hesitated before speaking “Forgive me, Miss, but.. is something wrong?”
Aliana glanced at her briefly and gave a short reply. “No”
Elena didn’t buy it. She gathered her courage and asked again.
“Did your meeting with Mr. Andrian not go well?TM
Aliana’s motion to sip her tea paused for a split second
“I don’t want to talk about it,” she replied finnly, then took another sip
Elena understood and said nothing more. She stood quietly by Aliana’s side.
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Chapter 17
“I’ll be going out this afternoon,” Aliana suddenly said.
Elena looked at her curiously. “You’re going out?”
“Yes, I have something to take care of.”
“Then I’ll ask the driver to prepare the car.”
“No need,” Aliana cut in sharply. “I’ll go alone.”
“Alone?” Elena was startled, her face showing immediate concern.
“I don’t need an escort, Elena.”
Elena pressed her lips together, trying to find a way
“Then
let me drive. Please, let me go with you.”
Aliana looked at her. Their eyes locked for several seconds in a silent exchange. Finally, Aliana spoke in a calm but resolute tone.
“I’m going to capture Julian Crane.”
Elena’s face went pale. Her eyes widened, barely able to believe what she’d heard.
Julian Crane. The man responsible for Alicia’s devastation. Elena instantly recalled the horrifying photos Aliana had found in the red envelope.
“Isn’t… isn’t he dangerous? You shouldn’t go alone.”
“Precisely because it’s dangerous, I have
Elena didn’t back down.
to
go alone. I can’t risk anyone else, not even you.”
“I’m still coming with you, Miss!” she insisted. “I won’t let you face that man alone.”
Aliana sighed. She looked at Elena for a long moment, gauging her worry. Her expression softened slightly.
“I won’t be alone, Elena. Rafe will be with me. So stay here.”
“Rafe?”
Elena looked confused, frowning slightly. She didn’t recognize the name.
“Who is Rafe, Miss?”
“He’s my personal bodyguard. A trusted man of the Corvo family,” Aliana replied, her attention shifting back to the tea she sipped again.
Elena fell silent. She knew about Aliana’s adoptive family background–the Corvo family, a mafia dynasty.
Her heart eased a little, knowing Aliana would be accompanied by a trained and loyal guard. Elena trusted that this man, at least, would protect Aliana.
“Then I’ll prepare what you need,” Elena said, no longer insisting
Aliana didn’t respond. She quietly finished her tea. The silence returned. No one spoke,
Suddenly, Aliana’s phone vibrated on the table.
A private number.
She stared at the screen for several seconds, immediately on alert.
Bena, noticing the suspicious call, watched intently, not blinking once
“A private number?” Elena asked
Aliatia gave a small nod, then swiped to answer.
“Aliana Zavier?”
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Chapter 17
The woman’s voice on the other end was elegant, with a trained intonation like that of an old aristocrat.
Aliana frowned. She recognized that voice from old interview recordings during her research into the Velor family.
“Madam Charlotte Delacroix,” Aliana said quietly.
“I’m impressed–you recognized my voice right away,” Charlotte replied smoothly. “We haven’t had the chance to meet face–to–face yet, and I believe it’s about time we do. How about we meet, to get to know each other better?”
Aliana leaned back in her seat, her tone remaining calm. “I didn’t expect you’d want to meet with me. I heard that during the board meeting, I was referred to as a negotiation tool for the Zavier family. So I’m quite surprised you suddenly want a personal encounter.”
Charlotte chuckled softly. “Ah, boardroom rhetoric. You know how people love to exaggerate their influence. But I don’t judge people by labels or rumors–I look at their actions and the power they wield.”
Aliana sharpened her focus. She knew that wasn’t just small talk.
“I’d like to invite you to dinner tonight,” Charlotte continued. “Private. Just the two of us. There are important things that are best discussed face to face.”
Aliana was quiet for a moment. “Is this about Andrian?”
Charlotte gave a small laugh. “About many things. The future of Titan Group and Zavier Corporation, perhaps. Or about how you—and your family–can remain relevant within that future.”
Aliana’s breath slowed. She knew such invitations were never neutral.
“I hope you don’t mind setting aside one evening from your busy schedule,” Charlotte added, her tone sugar–laced but firm. “L’Ange Noir. Table 12. Eight o’clock sharp.”
Without waiting for a response, Charlotte’s voice returned, lower and sharper.
“And Aliana… come alone.”
Click.
The line went dead.
Aliana stared at her phone, unmoving. Even the steam rising from the teacup in front of her seemed to freeze in the heavy atmosphere.
Elena stepped forward hesitantly. “Who was that, Miss?”
Aliana set her phone down on the table, her eyes distant. “Charlotte Delacroix.”
Elena’s mouth fell open, “The older sister of Mr. Lucian Velor’s first wife?”
“And one of the most cunning players in Titan Group’s internal politics,” Aliana murmured.
Elena shifted uneasily. “What does she want?”
Aliana raised an eyebrow. “Dinner. Tonight.”
“Are you going to go?” Elena asked quickly.
Aliana gave a faint smile, though her expression remained cold. “Of course. I’d never pass up the chance to look a threat in the eye.”
Elena still looked unconvinced. “But what if it’s a trap? What if-
“Charlotte doesn’t trap people the crude way,” Aliana replied quietly. “She prefers to strike openly–with words and wine, not from the shadows”
Elena bit her lip. “I don’t like this, Miss.”
“Neither do 1,” Aliana said. “But I like being blind to an enemy’s move even less.”
She stood and headed upstairs to her room. Opening her wardrobe, she began choosing a dress—not something too flashy, but nothing timid either. Her choice a black evening gown with a subtle V neckline and a sleek silhouette that fit her perfectly.
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As she prepared herself, Aliana spoke in a low voice, almost as if to herself.
“If Charlotte is inviting me, it means she’s starting to acknowledge my presence. That’s a good sign.”
Elena could only watch her with growing worry. She knew tonight would be dangerous—not because of weapons, but because every word Aliana uttered might become a landmine that could explode in her face.
Aliana would have to tread carefully.
Evening.
L’Ange Noir stood grand and classical in the heart of the city. Aliana stepped into the main hall in a sleek black gown with an elegant neckline. She looked like a shadow given form–quiet, sharp, and unreadable.
A server escorted her to Table 12, tucked behind dark blue velvet curtains. There, Charlotte Delacroix was already seated. The elegant woman wore a sapphire gown with her hair in a flawless chignon. Her gaze was sharp as a silver needle.
“Aliana,” Charlotte greeted her with a faint smile. “You’re early.”
“I don’t like making people wait.”
Charlotte motioned for the server to withdraw.
“Let’s get to it,” Aliana said. “We both know this isn’t just dinner.”
Charlotte nodded. “I want to talk about your role within Titan Group’s power structure.”
“My role? I don’t hold any official position.”
“You’re Andrian’s wife now. Naturally, you must have one.”
Aliana took a sip of her mineral water. “You want Zavier Corporation to withdraw its support from Andrian’s latest project?”
Charlotte narrowed her eyes. “You catch on quickly. If that project fails, Andrian falls. And I–we–can reclaim control.”
She set her wine glass down and leaned forward slightly. “Will you help?”
Aliana didn’t answer immediately. She lifted her water again, sipped slowly, then finally replied, her voice calm and flat.
“I have no official ties to Zavier Corporation.”
“But you’re Ethan Zavier’s daughter. And now, you’re Andrian Velor’s wife,” Charlotte responded smoothly. “Your position–unofficial though it may be–is influential enough to sway your family’s strategic decisions.”
Aliana tilted her head slightly, studying Charlotte like an aged fossil under glass. “If your aim is to redirect Zavier Corporation’s support, I suggest you invite my father. Ethan Zavier is the CEO. Not me.”
Charlotte wasn’t offended. She simply smiled wider, though her eyes darkened.
“We both know Ethan’s decisions are strongly influenced by his family. And you… his only daughter… are the one the media can’t stop talking about lately”
Aliana stifled a laugh.
“If you think my father would follow my wishes simply because we share blood, then you don’t know him. And if you think I’ll follow yours just because we’re seated at the same table, then you certainly don’t know me.”
Charlotte smiled again, but thinner this time
“Aliana, you’re smart. That’s why I invited you tonight. You know Titan Group’s new project isn’t just about numbers. It’s about positioning Power. If the project succeeds, Andrian grows stronger. He’ll gain full control over the company, and the board will no longer be able to oppose him.”
Aliana set her glass down.
“And that’s a problem for you?”
“Titan Group has belonged to our family since the first generation, Charlotte replied coldly,
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“My great–grandfather, Lucian, Eleanor, even myself—we gave our lives to this company. And now it’s fallen into the hands of the son of the second wife. A child born of a shameful marriage. And now he’s married the Zavier heiress, making him nearly untouchable.”
Charlotte’s eyes turned sharp.
“But more than that, I’m worried the company will fall into the hands of Bianca Lorrent. Her appointment as deputy CEO already shows how far Andrian is willing to break protocol. Everyone knows how indulgent he is with that woman.”
Aliana said nothing. But internally, she began piecing together the mindset of the power players. They didn’t see Andrian as rational— they saw him as emotionally compromised, a man making major decisions based on love. She filed that insight away.
“I can’t let Titan Group be handed over to someone just because of personal relationships,” Charlotte went on.
“If this project fails, the board’s confidence in Andrian will crumble. That’s when I support, the dominoes start falling.”
Aliana regarded her silently before responding.
“As I said, I don’t make the decisions at Zavier Corporation.”
“But your influence is undeniable,” Charlotte pressed.
“If you express a position, it could shift everything.”
Aliana met her gaze evenly.
can push for restructuring. If Zavier pulls their
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“I’m not interested in interfering just because you’re uncomfortable with who holds power. The business world isn’t driven by grudges or personal preference. It runs on interests and leverage.”
Charlotte narrowed her eyes.
“Then what do you want, Aliana?”
Aliana raised an eyebrow.
“Must I want something just because you invited me to dinner?”
Charlotte gave a flat laugh.
“You know how to play this game well.”
“I learned from people like you,” Aliana replied curtly.
The waiter arrived with the main course. Neither of them touched their plates. The tension hung thick in the air.
Charlotte finally leaned back in her chair.
“You’re tough, Aliana. But you’re still young.”
“And you’re far too old to win this game,” Aliana replied coolly as she began slicing into her steak.
Charlotte gave a small smile, then stood and picked up her handbag.
“If you change your mind, you know how to reach me.”
“I won’t,” Aliana said flatly, without looking up.
