For the first time, real fear flickered in Marina’s eyes. “You wouldn’t. The scandal alone?—”
“Would damage the company. Yes. I’ve considered that.” She dismissed the display with a gesture. “Which is why I’m offering you an alternative.”
Marina’s expression shifted, wariness replacing fear. “What kind of alternative?”
“Duvain Enterprises maintains a mining subsidiary on Kepler-442b. It’s a small operation—primarily helium-3 extraction and some rare earth minerals. It’s remote, but profitable. The facility has significant potential for expansion.”She paused, letting the words sink in. “I’m transferring you there as operations manager.”
“You’re exiling me to a mining colony?”
“I’m giving you a choice.” She kept her voice level. “You can accept the transfer, maintain a comfortable standard of living, and contribute meaningfully to an operation that could use experienced leadership. Or you can face prosecution for the attempted murder of the Duvain heir. The evidence is conclusive. The outcome would be certain.”
Marina’s composure cracked further, anger bleeding through the polished facade. “You ungrateful little… I raised you. After your mother died, after Alexander fell apart, I was the one who made sure you were cared for?—”
“You managed my trust fund and supervised my household staff. That’s not the same as raising me.” She thought of Tomas—his steady presence, his quiet wisdom, his unwavering loyalty. “And even if it were, it wouldn’t excuse trying to burn me alive.”
“This is absurd.” Marina rose from her chair, her movements sharp with barely contained fury. “You can’t simply banish me to some backwater moon. I have rights. I have connections. The board?—”
“The board just watched me expose Director Harlan’s conflicts of interest. They know I have documentation on every questionable transaction that’s occurred in the last three years.” She remained seated, refusing to be intimidated. “They’ll distance themselves from you so fast you’ll feel the wind of their passing.”
Marina’s hands clenched at her sides, her diamonds catching the light like ice crystals. “And if I refuse? If I take my chanceswith a trial? It would be your word against mine, and I’m very persuasive.”
“Then I’ll release everything. Every document. Every communication. Every piece of evidence I’ve gathered.” She met her aunt’s gaze without flinching. “The company will survive a scandal. It’s weathered storms before. But you won’t survive a murder conviction. Cresca takes a very dim view of assassination attempts, especially when the victim is connected to one of the founding families.”
Something shifted in Marina’s expression—the realization, perhaps, that she’d miscalculated. That the fragile, sheltered niece she’d dismissed as a minor inconvenience had somehow transformed into a genuine threat.
“You’ve changed,” Marina said slowly. “This month in the mountains…”
“Taught me things. About survival. About strength. About what I’m capable of when I stop believing I’m fragile.” She smiled slightly. “You should have killed me properly, Aunt Marina. Leaving loose ends is sloppy.”
Dead silence filled the office. Marina stood frozen, her mind clearly racing through options, searching for leverage that no longer existed.
“I’ll need time,” she said finally, her voice stiff. “To settle my affairs. To make arrangements?—”
“That won’t be necessary.”
She touched the comm panel on the desk. “Tomas? You can come in now.”
The door slid open to reveal the elderly servant, his expression carefully neutral. Behind him, two security officers in Duvain colors waited.
“Your personal effects have been packed and are already aboard the shuttle,” she continued. “Tomas supervised the process himself to ensure nothing of value was overlooked. The shuttle will depart within the hour.”
Marina’s face went white, then red, fury and humiliation warring for dominance. “You planned this. Before the board meeting. Before I even?—”
“I learned from watching you.” She rose from her chair, finally. “Preparation is everything. You taught me that.”
“You sanctimonious little bitch.”
The word cracked through the air like a whip. Marina lunged towards her, her hand raised—whether to strike or grab, she never learned, because Rykan was there between them, his massive frame blocking Marina’s path.
He didn’t speak. He didn’t need to. The golden glow in his eyes said everything:Touch her and I will end you.
Marina stumbled back, real fear replacing her fury. “What—what is that creature?—”
“His name is Rykan.” She moved to stand beside him, her hand resting lightly on his arm. “He’s the one who pulled me from the wreckage of the ship you destroyed. The one who kept me alive when I should have died. And he’s the reason I’m standing here now instead of scattered across the mountains.”
She let that sink in before continuing.
“This is your only chance, Aunt Marina. Take the transfer. Build something meaningful on Kepler. Or stay and face the consequences of what you’ve done.” Her voice softened slightly. “Despite everything, we are family. That’s the only reason I’m offering you this choice at all.”
