The room erupted into a silence so sharp it could cut.
Daniel.
He stood at the edge of the room, an arrogant smirk twisting his mouth as his hands met in deliberate, mocking applause. "Well, isn't this touching?" he sneered. "Another stray kitten brought into the fold. How noble.
Tell me, Dad—how many more people are you planning to adopt who have no intention of helping this family's empire grow?"
"Daniel, please," Aarya hissed under her breath, her eyes darting nervously around the room. "Not now."
But Daniel was only getting started.
"Sorry, Mother," he said, raising his glass, "but let's not act like we're all thrilled about this revelation. We don't even know if this woman is telling the truth. For all we know, she's just Greg's little pet—his girlfriend playing dress-up in the big house.
And now that Cross Tech is in trouble financially, she's decided to latch onto the bigger fish. Cross Holdings has deeper pockets, after all."
The air shifted—then snapped.
"Enough!"
