The screen didn't lie.
Helena stared at it, her pulse roaring in her ears as the image sharpened—clear, undeniable.
Adrian Voss stood in the center of the main lobby.
Calm.
Composed.
Untouchable.
Security surrounded him, but they weren't restraining him. They weren't even questioning him.
They were listening.
Like he was still in charge.
"Impossible," Helena whispered.
Marcus said nothing.
But the air around him shifted—dangerous, controlled fury tightening every line of his body.
"He walked in like he owns the place," Helena added, her voice lower now.
Marcus's gaze didn't leave the screen.
"He thinks he does."
A beat passed.
Then he turned, already moving.
"Stay here."
"No," Helena said instantly.
Marcus stopped. Slowly, he looked back at her.
"This isn't a request."
"And I'm not asking for permission," she shot back.
Their eyes locked.
Tension snapped between them—sharp, unyielding.
"He's targeting me too," she continued, stepping closer. "If this is happening now, I need to be there."
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"That's exactly why you shouldn't."
Helena shook her head. "You said it yourself—we don't run anymore."
A pause.
Then, quieter—
"We face it."
Something in his expression shifted.
Not agreement.
But acceptance.
Dangerous acceptance.
"Stay close to me," he said.
Helena didn't hesitate. "Always."
The elevator ride down felt endless.
Every second stretched, thick with anticipation.
Marcus stood at the front, silent, his reflection sharp in the mirrored walls. Helena stood just behind him, her hands clenched at her sides, trying to steady the storm building inside her.
Ding.
The doors opened.
And everything changed.
The lobby was too quiet.
Too still.
Employees stood scattered around, pretending to work—but their attention was fixed on one place.
The center.
Adrian.
He stood there like he belonged. Like nothing had changed. Like he hadn't just shattered everything Marcus had built.
And when his eyes lifted—They locked directly onto Helena.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"There you are."
Helena's breath caught.
Marcus stepped forward instantly, placing himself between them.
"Enjoying the show?" Adrian asked casually, his gaze flicking to Marcus now.
Marcus's voice was ice. "You shouldn't be here."
Adrian raised an eyebrow. "That's an interesting thing to say to your own executive director."
"You lost that position the moment you betrayed me."
A soft chuckle.
"Betrayed?" Adrian repeated. "Such a dramatic word."
Helena stepped slightly to the side, enough to see him clearly again. Her heart pounded—but she refused to look away.
"You threatened my family," she said.
Adrian's gaze shifted to her, amused.
"And yet," he replied, "they're still alive. I'd say that makes me generous."
Marcus moved before she could respond.
Fast.
Dangerously fast.
In a second, he was inches from Adrian, his presence overwhelming, his voice low and lethal.
"You don't get to speak to her."
The entire lobby froze.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Adrian didn't step back.
Didn't flinch.
Instead, his smile deepened slightly.
"There it is," he said softly. "That's the reaction I was waiting for."
Marcus's eyes darkened. "You think this is a game?"
"I think," Adrian replied calmly, "that you're finally starting to understand."
A pause.
Then—
"This isn't business anymore."
Helena felt the shift instantly.
The weight of his words.
The truth behind them.
Marcus didn't respond.
But the silence between them said everything.
Adrian stepped slightly to the side, circling just enough to bring Helena back into his direct line of sight.
"You were never supposed to come back into this," he said to her.
Helena lifted her chin. "And yet, here I am."
His gaze sharpened.
"Yes," he said quietly. "And now you're a complication."
Marcus stepped in front of her again.
"She's not your concern."
Adrian's expression changed—just slightly.
Not anger.
Not frustration.
Something colder.
"Everything is my concern now."
The words hung in the air like a warning.
Helena's pulse spiked.
Because she could feel it—This wasn't just a confrontation.
This was positioning.
Power.
Control.
Adrian glanced around the lobby briefly, then back at Marcus.
"You should be careful," he said. "Your people are watching."
Marcus didn't look away. "Let them."
Adrian smiled faintly.
"Good," he said. "Then they'll see exactly what happens next."
Helena's stomach tightened.
"What are you planning?" she asked.
Adrian's gaze slid to her again.
"Something inevitable."
A beat.
Then—His phone buzzed.
He glanced at it briefly… and smiled.
That smile—It sent a chill straight through Helena.
"Perfect timing," he murmured.
Marcus's voice sharpened. "What did you do?"
Adrian looked up.
Right at him.
And said—
"Check your stocks."
The words hit like a bomb.
Marcus's expression didn't change—but Helena saw it. The instant calculation behind his eyes.
He pulled out his phone, tapping quickly.
Helena stepped closer, looking at the screen.
And her breath caught.
"No…"
The numbers were dropping.
Fast.
Too fast.
Stocks crashing.
Millions—no, billions—evaporating in seconds.
"It's an attack," she whispered.
Marcus's jaw tightened.
"Coordinated," he said.
Adrian watched them calmly, completely unfazed.
"This," he said, spreading his arms slightly, "is what real power looks like."
Helena's heart pounded violently.
"You're destroying everything," she said.
Adrian tilted his head.
"No," he corrected softly.
"I'm taking it."
Silence fell again.
Heavy.
Shocking.
Because in that moment—Helena realized the truth.
This wasn't just revenge anymore.
This was a takeover.
And Adrian Voss—Had just made his first public move.