CHAPTER 111The room went silent.Complete, suffocating silence that pressed down on everyone like a physical weight.Adrian, who had been buttoning his shirt with mechanical precision, froze mid-motion. His hands stilled, and he turned slowly to face Fabian."I'm sorry," Adrian said, his voice carefully controlled. "What?"His ice-blue eyes locked onto Fabian with an intensity that made the older man take an involuntary step backward."You found someone I can marry," Adrian repeated slowly, as if testing the words to see if they made more sense the second time. "To solve a supernatural problem. By getting married."Rafael raised a hand before Fabian could respond. "Adrian. Just go take your bath. We'll explain everything when it's time.""But—""Now, Adrian," Rafael said, his tone brooking no argument.Adrian opened his mouth to protest, to demand answers, to refuse this insanity...But Rafael was already walking toward the door, his posture radiating authority that made it clear the

CHAPTER 113The elevator doors opened onto the executive floor with a soft ding.Adrian stepped out first, his movements controlled and deliberate, every gesture radiating confidence he didn't entirely feel.The hallway was different today.Gone were the reporters and camera crews that had cluttered the space during the previous bid session.Instead, there was an almost oppressive quiet, just the soft hum of air conditioning and the distant murmur of conversation from behind closed doors.But the security presence had tripled.Armed guards stood at intervals along the corridor, their expressions professionally neutral but their eyes sharp and assessing. These weren't rent-a-cops or standard corporate security.These were military-trained operators. Probably ex-special forces.Someone is taking this very seriously, Adrian thought.As they approached the massive double doors leading to the boardroom, one of Rafael's men, who had arrived earlier, approached quickly."Don Rafael," the man

CHAPTER 115The sleek black SUV pulled up to Camila's sprawling estate just as the sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple that should have been beautiful but felt ominous.Camila sat in the back seat, her jaw clenched so tightly her teeth ached, her hands fisted in her lap.She'd won.Technically, she'd won.Syndicate Group now held the contract for the Golden Heights project, 8.7 billion dollars, unprecedented access to government resources, a development that would define Ottawa for generations.She should be celebrating.Instead, she felt like a puppet who'd just realized someone else was pulling her strings.Adrian Valerio.The name echoed in her mind like a curse.What are you playing at? What do you want?The SUV stopped at the front entrance, and Camila's driver opened her door with a respectful bow.Before Camila could even step out, her butler, Gerald, a distinguished man in his sixties who had served the Reyes family for over thirty years, appeared

CHAPTER 117Rafael's eyes widened. "What?""Tomorrow," Adrian continued, his smile growing, "Camila Reyes is going to discover that the mysterious 'Mr. V' the owner of Syndicate Group, the man she's worked for over a decade without ever meeting, is actually me."Crash.Miguel had knocked over a lamp in shock. "What?!"Kael straightened from his position against the wall, his expression shifting to genuine surprise for the first time since Adrian had met him.Even Fabian looked stunned.But Rafael...Rafael was staring at Adrian like he'd never seen him before."You... Want to reveal that the Valerio's own Syndicate Group?" Rafael's voice was barely a whisper."I do," Adrian confirmed with a smirk"How is this going to help us?" Rafeal said out loud again "The point is, I've already sent a message to Camila's office. Tomorrow at 7:00 PM, I'm going to meet with her as 'Mr. V' to review the Golden Heights project."Understanding began to dawn on Rafael's face. "And when she realizes tha

CHAPTER 119Camila took a step backward, actually stumbling slightly, something Adrian had never seen her do. Her hand reached out, gripping the back of a chair for support."This is a joke," Camila said, but her voice lacked conviction. "Some kind of elaborate prank. You're not...you can't possibly..."Adrian reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a leather document folder. He set it on the table, sliding it across to Camila."Corporate ownership documents," Adrian said. "Showing the complete chain of holding companies, trusts, and shell corporations that connect Syndicate Group to the Valerio estate. All legally binding. All verifiable."Camila's hands trembled as she opened the folder, her eyes scanning the documents with the practiced speed of someone who reviewed contracts professionally.Adrian watched as the color drained from her face.As understanding, terrible, crushing understanding, settled over her features."The Valerio family has owned Syndicate Group since its f