Chapter 40

The morning sun painted golden streaks across Alexander's office atop Pierce International. Sixty stories above Manhattan, the city stretched beneath him, a vast, glittering chessboard where every piece moved according to unseen plans. From this height,everything seemed distant, almost insignificant,except for the battles being fought in silence, the wars waged behind closed doors, and the people who thought they controlled their own fates.

Alexander sat back in his leather chair, adjusting his posture as he waited for his secretary's daily briefing.The chair creaked softly under his weight, the only sound in the vast office aside from the faint hum of the city below.

A precise knock on the door announced Sarah's arrival. She was never late. She stepped in,her heels clicking against the polished marble floor, holding her tablet in one hand.

"Good morning, sir," she greeted professionally,stopping a few feet from his desk.

Alexander nodded, wordlessly gesturing for her to begin.

Sarah had worked for him long enough to understand his moods. Some days, he wanted every detail; other days, he only wanted the highlights. Today, she could tell from his quiet, watchful expression that something occupied his mind, but that didn't change her job.

She cleared her throat and glanced at her notes."Rodriguez Shipping's board meeting just ended."Her voice was calm, but there was a slight pause before she continued. "Stefan received an unexpected reprieve. His father intervened before the final vote to remove him as CEO."

Alexander's fingers tapped a slow rhythm against his armrest. His gaze didn't waver, but his mindwas already calculating the consequences. "Details."

Sarah swiped on her tablet. "Eduardo Rodriguez used the family's controlling shares to force a compromise.The board wanted Stefan out, but Eduardo gave him a final chance. He has one month to fix the company's problems, or he will be removed permanently."

Alexander let out a soft, knowing hum. "And the board agreed?"

"They weren't happy, but no one argues with Eduardo Rodriguez," Sarah replied. "Stefan's position is weak.If he fails in the next thirty days, even his father won't be able to protect him."

Alexander leaned back slightly, contemplating the situation.Stefan was drowning, barely holding on, and the vultures were circling. Victoria Kane wouldn't let this opportunity go to waste.

"And Camille Kane's next move?"

Sarah's lips curved slightly, almost in admiration. "Our sources say she's planning another attack on their stock. Analysts predict she will target their Asian shipping routes. If she succeeds, Rodriguez Shipping will lose a major market share, and their stock will crash even further."

It was an elegant move, brutal, effective, and perfectly timed. Camille had no intention of giving Stefan a chance to recover. She was determined to crush him completely.

Alexander nodded slowly, the pieces falling into place.He had no personal interest in Stefan Rodriguez,but Camille, Victoria Kane's so-called adopted daughter,was different. She was the only reason he was paying attention.

He had seen something in her eyes that Victoria had missed. Revenge could destroy a person from the inside out. "Have our team assist Kane Industries with their next market move," Alexander said at last. "Quietly. Make sure no connection can be traced back to us."

Sarah looked up, clearly surprised. In five years working for him, she had never heard him suggest helping Kane Industries.

"Sir?" She hesitated. "We've never involved ourselves in their operations before."

"Times change," he said simply.

He reached for his desk drawer and pulled out a small velvet box. It was old but well cared for, the edges slightly worn from years of handling. Inside lay a delicate silver necklace with a rose-shaped pendant.As the morning light touched it, the silver glowed softly.

Sarah's eyes flickered with curiosity. She had seen Alexander handle many rare, priceless items over the years,but this, this was different. There was something personal about it.

"Keep this between us," Alexander said, his voice quieter now. "No paper trail. No electronic records."

"Of course, sir." Sarah hesitated, then asked cautiously,"May I ask why we're helping Victoria Kane? She has always been one of our strongest rivals." Alexander didn't answer immediately. Instead, he lifted the necklace, letting the pendant spin slightly between his fingers, catching the light.

"We're not helping Victoria," he finally said. His gaze remained fixed on the pendant. "We're helping someone else."

Sarah was sharp, one of the reasons he trusted her.She put the pieces together quickly. "Ms. Kane's daughter?" she asked softly. "The one who appeared so suddenly?"

Alexander didn't reply. His mind was already elsewhere,six years in the past, in a hospital room filled with the scent of antiseptic and the low hum of machines.

Pain. Darkness. Isolation.

He had been on the edge of death, abandoned by his family,left to rot. But then....

A soft voice. A gentle touch. Someone carefully changing his bandages, reading to him when the pain made sleep impossible.

She had never told him her real name.

She had paid for his medical bills when no one else cared. And then, she disappeared.

Now, she had returned, wearing a different name and face, Camille Kane. She burned with the need for vengeance,completely unaware that the man she had once saved was watching over her from the shadows.

"Send our best analysts to support Kane Industries next move," Alexander instructed. He carefully returned the necklace to its box. "Whatever resources they need. Just ensure our involvement remains invisible."

"Yes, sir." Sarah typed a final note before pausing at the door. "Anything else?"

"That's all."

She nodded and turned to leave, but before she stepped out, Alexander added, "And Sarah?"

She glanced back.

"If anyone asks why we're suddenly interested in Rodriguez Shipping's troubles..."

"I'll remind them that we never discuss your personal projects." A faint smile touched her lips. "Don't worry,sir. Your secret is safe."

The door closed behind her, leaving Alexander alone with the morning light and his memories.

Slowly, he removed the necklace from the box again,holding it up to the light. The rose pendant spun gently,reflecting fractured sunlight across his desk.

Six years.He had carried it for

Six years, waiting for the moment to return it to its rightful owner.

Waiting for the chance to repay a debt that went far beyond money.

Now,she was Camille Kane, cold and ruthless, chasing revenge against those who had wronged her.

But beneath that anger, beneath the walls she had built, he still saw traces of the gentle soul who had once sat beside his hospital bed.

The girl who had saved him when he had no one else.

The girl who had unknowingly become a piece of his past that he could never let go.

"Little Camille," he murmured, watching the sunlight dance through the silver curves.

His voice was barely a whisper, lost in the vast office.

"| hope this path doesn't consume you."