My husband’s mistress locked me inside a hospital room, beat me while I was thirty-three weeks pregnant, and tried to force me to surrender my marriage, my company, and my unborn child. She thought my father was a harmless mechanic—until one phone call revealed he was the most powerful anonymous mafia boss in the world. / Chapter 11 / 40

Chapter 11 - The Secret Director|

While Amara arranged for clothes and a specialized medical transport team, I reviewed the board structure of Vance Dynamics on Amara’s tablet.

“There are nine directors on the board,” I explained to my father. “Silas controls four votes. I control three—including my own. That leaves two swing votes.”

“Who are the swing votes?” Marcus asked, leaning over the table.

“Dr. Edwin Kessler,” I said, spitting the name with utter disgust. “Who we now know was hiding in my hospital bathroom during the attack. He will obviously vote with Silas.”

“And the second swing vote?”

“Julian Cross,” I replied. “He’s our independent lead director. He’s an old-school, highly principled investor who supported me when I raised concerns about our software security last year.”

Amara frowned, tapping her tablet screen.

“Julian Cross missed the preliminary board prep call this morning,” Amara noted. “His assistant claims he is suffering from sudden food poisoning at his estate in the Hamptons.”

My father’s eyes narrowed instantly.

“Food poisoning?” Marcus scoffed softly. “A conveniently timed illness right before a multi-billion-dollar corporate coup.”

He turned to his lead commander.

“Send Team Bravo to Julian Cross’s estate in the Hamptons immediately,” Marcus instructed quietly. “Check if he’s actually sick, or if Silas has a gun to his head.”

“Sir,” Amara added, pulling up another confidential file. “There is a reason Silas is moving so aggressively today. It’s not just about covering up the assault on Mara.”

I looked at her, surprised.

“What else is there?”

“Vance Dynamics is set to sign a two-billion-dollar defense communications contract with the Department of Defense at noon today,” Amara revealed. “The contract requires the company to deploy your core encryption suite.”

My blood ran cold.

“That encryption suite isn't ready for military deployment!” I gasped. “I halted the testing phase two months ago because I discovered a massive back-door vulnerability in the code! If deployed, any foreign entity with the back-door key could hijack military communications!”

Amara met my eyes with a chillingly calm expression.

“And who do you think created that back-door vulnerability, Mrs. Vance?”

I sank back against my pillows as the entire, terrifying tapestry finally unveiled itself.

Silas hadn't just stolen my company and tried to take my baby.

He had deliberately sabotaged my military encryption software to sell a back-door entrance to an international syndicate—a treasonous crime worth billions.