Chapter Forty-TwoNews of Lina’s thirty-billion-dollar fund and Adrian’s consulting title traveled faster than wildfire, but the rumors only brought out wolves. Before Lina could even process her new contract, the doorbell rang violently.Uncle Andrew’s wealthy older brother, Bob, strode into the living room alongside his wife, Carol, and their son, Benny. Behind them marched a sharp-eyed business associate named Victor, who carried the heavy, menacing aura of an underground debt collector. Victor’s eyes instantly scanned the peeling wallpaper and modest furniture with open contempt."Lina! My precious CEO!" Martha shrieked, instantly running to embrace her daughter. "Your Uncle Bob and Aunt Carol are here! They came to celebrate your incredible success!""Lina, dear," Aunt Carol simpered, smoothing her fake pearls with a tight smile. "We just discussed how incredibly stressful it must be to manage thirty billion dollars all on your own. A young girl from a ruined household shouldn't c

Chapter Forty-FourAfter Uncle Bob and Benny fled, the apartment became silent. It was only broken by the frantic sound of Martha rustling through flour sacks in the kitchen to secure her secret cash.Andrew sat at the table, staring down at the digital files on Adrian’s phone screen. For five long years, he had carried the mental weight of a criminal. Now, the cold truth lay completely bare in the glowing blue light."Adrian," Andrew said, his voice cracking. "What happens now? Even if I know the truth, the Vale Group is a mountain. They won't care about a deleted ledger from a discarded employee. To them, I am still just trash."Adrian tucked the device back into his pocket. "Uncle, the mountain only looks tall because you are standing at the bottom. But the people at the top? They are terrified of the wind. And right now, the wind is blowing in your direction."Lina gripped Adrian’s arm tightly, her eyes wide with panic. "What do you mean? You aren't planning to go to the Vale headq

Chapter Forty-SixAndrew stood in front of the full-length mirror in the hallway, his hands fumbling blindly with his silk tie. He wore a bespoke charcoal suit that Adrian claimed to have found at a clearance sale, but in truth it was actually a ten-thousand-dollar Italian cut from a high-end delivery."I can't do this, Lina," Andrew whispered, his face thoroughly drained of color. "Dominic Vale will be there. The board members who laughed at me will be there. I will just be a target.""Dad, look at yourself," Lina said, stepping forward to adjust his lapel. "You are the General Manager. Adrian says his client has cleared the path. Just walk in with your head held high."Adrian leaned carelessly against the doorframe, sipping his coffee. "Don't worry, Uncle Andrew. In that building, the only people who should be shaking are the ones who owe you an apology."The Vale Logistics Headquarters loomed as a glass-and-steel monolith, a physical symbol of the family's absolute grip on the city'

Chapter Forty-EightDown in the lower part of the valley, the situation turned into a complete disaster. The rain turned into a relentless, torrential downpour, and the exclusive silver-tier trekking path Julian bragged about washed away in a landslide of mud.Julian stood shivering under a leaking tarp, his expensive white sneakers completely ruined. Beside him stood Chloe, her designer tracksuit soaked through to the skin as she trembled violently."Julian! You explicitly said your father was a Silver Member!" Chloe shrieked over the howling wind. "Why are we sitting in a freezing puddle while the storm is raging? Look up there!"She pointed through the heavy mist toward the peak high above them, where the Diamond Villa glowed like a palace built for the gods. Even from this distance, they caught the warm golden light reflecting off the heated infinity pool."That is the Diamond Plateau," Julian hissed, his teeth chattering uncontrollably from the cold. "Even my father has never seen

Chapter FiftyThe black SUV idling at the edge of the camp didn’t belong to Greenhigh College, nor did it bear the markings of the Grand Azure Trust. Its windows were tinted so deeply they looked like midnight, reflecting the morning sun with a cold glint. As the shuttle took Adrian and Lina back to the base camp to pack their things, the SUV followed at a precise distance behind them."Adrian, that car has been behind us since we left the camp," Lina whispered, her grip tightening on her backpack. "Is that more security from the villa?"Adrian glanced in the side mirror. He recognized the license plate prefix. It was a capital registration. The main branch had finally lost their patience. "Don't worry about it, Lina. Probably just some high-end tourists that got lost on their way to the plateau."By the time they returned to the city, the atmosphere at the Andrews' apartment had transformed completely. The humble hallway was lined with massive bouquets of white lilies, and the scent o