The morning sun broke softly through the curtains of Vicente's study, its warmth falling in long golden streaks across the breakfast table. The clink of porcelain and the faint rustle of newspapers filled the otherwise quiet room. Avery sat across from his grandfather, a steaming cup of herbal tea between his fingers, untouched.
Vicente was reading a financial report, glasses perched low on his nose. Avery was scrolling idly through his tablet, eyes glazed until a breaking news alert blinked at the top of the screen.
> INSIDER LEAKS ROCK LUMINEER TECH. CEO UNDER INVESTIGATION.
Avery's blood ran cold. He tapped the alert.
On the screen, headlines exploded with accusations:
Confidential assets leaked to overseas shell companies.
Insider trading dates match Sloane Delaney's ID.
Audit trails trace transactions to encrypted servers.
And worst of all: Digital signatures traced to Sloane Delaney.
Avery sat back in his chair, heart thudding. "No," he whispered.
