The glass tower of Victoria Industries soared into the sky, a brilliant mirror image of Apex Tower, but inside, the foundation was crumbling. Alex stepped through the heavy double doors of the executive boardroom, flanked by the four kids. The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension, filled with suited board members whispering in muted panic.At the head of the long, polished mahogany table sat CEO Victoria. She was stunning in tailored silk and expensive jewelry, the very picture of high-society power and corporate dominance. Yet behind the immaculate styling, her eyes carried a deep, quiet exhaustion. Stacked around her elbows were aggressive, predatory buy-out proposals from the Johnson family, who were eager to strip her empire bare the moment she faltered. She looked up as Alex approached, her sharp gaze landing on the cracked card he held in his own hand."You were late to the Johnson meeting on purpose?" Victoria asked, her voice steady and calm despite the financial sto

Alex stood near the quiet glass front of the coffee shop in the lobby of Apex Tower—the very same iced coffee place where Sarah had once tried to dismiss him before. Outside, the city moved in its usual frantic rhythm, but inside, the air was tense.Sarah walked in, her posture tight, holding a designer bag that seemed heavier than usual. She glanced at Alex, taking in his calm, relaxed demeanor."Alex," Sarah said, her voice missing its former sharp arrogance. "I... I miss the kids. Life has been hard lately, Alex. Really hard."Alex didn't argue. He didn't point out the past or engage in her attempt to pull at his sympathy. He simply looked at her with a steady, unbothered expression."If you want to see how they're doing," Alex replied smoothly, "come to Victoria’s mansion tomorrow. You can see all six of them. Besides, Victoria is not my type of woman. She's so cold and is not romantic."Sarah’s eyes flickered with surprise. Seeing his passive attitude, she assumed his guard was d

The annual Victoria Industries Charity Gala had always been the pinnacle of high-society prestige, held in the grand marble ballroom situated directly beneath the executive wings of Johnson Tower. Tonight, however, the glittering crystal chandeliers cast a harsh, unforgiving glare over the crowd. Alex stepped into the room wearing a tailored dark suit, holding hands with Lily and Ben, while Victoria walked beside him with Grace, Emma, and Tom. All five children were impeccably dressed in evening clothes from the mansion, a unified front against the room's mounting tension.The temporary court injunction from the previous day had crippled their momentum. With their marriage legally blocked for ninety days, their respective cashback multipliers had been slashed from 300x and 200x down to a meager 50x. Bank accounts were frozen, old corporate debt notices were surfacing, and the system override sat dormant, waiting for a catalyst that remained out of reach.Johnson Sr. had ensured that t

Morning brought a sharp frost over the glass exterior of the State Genetics Laboratory. Inside the main processing wing, the lead doctor held a secure terminal, his expression grim as he dialed Victoria’s private line."They tried it," the doctor said the moment Victoria answered. "Johnson family operatives offered triple our annual state research funding to delay the report. When we turned them down, one of our night technicians was caught attempting to substitute Davis’s reference vial for Alex’s."Victoria stood in the study of her mansion, wearing a tailored charcoal silk suit, her executive tone entirely unbothered. "Did they breach the physical seals?""No," the lead doctor replied, glancing at the locked vault behind him. "Every sample was logged into the state database with tamper-evident digital encryption during yesterday's clinic session. The moment the technician tried to override the vial code, the automated containment system locked down the station and flagged the corru

The morning sun cast a cold, sharp light through the soaring arched windows of the State Genetics Chamber. The upper limestone hall of the court building, defined by its towering marble pillars and independent judicial bench, was packed to absolute capacity.At the front table, Alex sat beside Victoria, who wore a tailored charcoal silk suit. Arranged beside them were the six children—Lily, Grace, Emma, Chloe, Tom, and Ben—sitting close together on the long bench, their fingers intertwined in an unbroken ring. Across the central aisle sat Davis, pale and sweating beneath his suit, backed by Johnson family bail funds. Beside him, Sarah wept quietly into a silk handkerchief, her face drained of color. In the back row, Johnson Sr., Mark and Johnson Jr. sat with their arms folded tight, watching intently for the legal trap to snap shut and dismantle Alex’s circle forever.The presiding state judge took her position at the high marble bench, accompanied by three senior state panelists. Bef