She didn't sleep that night.
Layla sat on the floor of the living room of the small rental house they had just moved into. The walls were thin, the fan was whirring, and the dim lights were flickering as if they were about to go out. But she didn't care about any of that. In her hand — a black USB, cold, hard, like a sign from another world.
She reread her late father's letter — one sentence, twice, three times.
"Don't trust Kamal. Start with this file. Don't let anyone know."
She already knew Kamal didn't just 'take over' the company. But why? And why didn't Dad say anything when he was alive?
The files on the USB were heavy. Not physically — but their contents. Just one folder. A strange name: EXORDIUM.
Inside? PDF files, a video, and a text file with the title: "If you found this, I failed."
Layla read them one by one.
Apparently, Dad's company — FarisTech — had something that outsiders didn't know about. It wasn't just a technological invention. But something that Dad was hiding from the world. There was a project name: "RAVEN", and in Dad's notes, the project "could change the corporate system forever."
Layla didn't fully understand. But one thing was clear — Kamal knew. And he snatched it all away before Dad could do anything.
The video on the USB made her shiver.
The video display was dark. The sound was rustling. And her father's voice—weak, but clear.
"If you're looking at this, Layla, that means I didn't have time. The RAVEN project isn't complete yet... but Kamal... he's not who you think. He doesn't just want money. He wants power that can control information, the future, and maybe more."
Layla closed the laptop.
She took a deep breath.
Her eyes hurt. But she still didn't cry. The emotions had turned to dust — dry and hard in her chest.
In the kitchen, her mother coughed softly. The sound of boiling hot water. The world was still moving.
But in Layla's head, there was only one thing.
"I won't let him erase all traces of Dad."
---
That afternoon, she took the LRT to the city center. It was hot, sweat was sticky on the back of her shirt. She was clutching her crossbody bag tightly — the USB was still inside. Everyone who pushed her shoulder at the station felt like a threat.
She arrived at an old building — the only place Dad had ever called a "fallback zone" in case of a crisis. Not an office. Not a house. But an old document storage unit — Arka 27.
Layla punched in the code Dad had taught her when they were kids, when they played conspiracy puzzles.
2-7-1-1-9
Click. Green light.
The door opened slowly. The smell of old dust, plastic, and... old paper greeted her.
Inside, file shelves, metal boxes, and a small safe.
Layla opened the safe. Inside was just one ID card. Her father's name. An old picture. And behind it, a QR code with a small note:
"Trust only those who have this code. Anyone else is a fraud."
She clutched the card.
Suddenly — the sound of footsteps outside. Not an ordinary visitor. Fast steps. Full of intent.
Layla immediately turned off the lights.
She held her breath.
The outside door rang. "Check the area," said a male voice. "He might have the file."
Layla stiffened.
In the darkness, she realized — this wasn't about property. It wasn't about stocks. It wasn't about a big house that had been confiscated.
This was about Dad's true inheritance.
And she wasn't just a lost daughter anymore.
She was now the secret heir who might change everything.