THE HEIR'S AGONY TRIAL BY FIRE

THE SYSTEM TOLL

The Cross boardroom was a war zone of sharp suits, sharper tongues, and veiled threats. Aidan sat at the head of the long, gleaming table, flanked by Dante and Lydia. His chest heaved slightly, but he forced himself to appear calm, even as the System pulsed relentlessly within him, sending waves of pain through his body.

“Mr. Harper,” one board member said, his voice dripping with skepticism, “are you even paying attention? This debacle with the new Westbridge project has cost the company millions. What do you have to say for yourself?”

Aidan straightened, gripping the table for support. “The Westbridge project was sabotaged. I’ll find out who’s responsible.”

Another board member scoffed. “Sabotage? Convenient excuse for incompetence.”

Lydia’s voice cut through the room like a blade. “Enough. We’re here to assess solutions, not point fingers without evidence.”

The tension in the room was palpable, but Aidan’s focus was slipping. His vision blurred, and the System’s relentless hum grew louder in his ears.

As the meeting continued, Dante leaned toward Aidan, his voice low but firm. “You’re not okay. Call a recess before you collapse.”

“I’m fine,” Aidan hissed back, though his pale complexion and trembling hands betrayed him.

Maddie, who had slipped into the room unnoticed, whispered from behind him, “Aidan, listen to Dante. You can’t keep doing this.”

Aidan shot her a glare. “I said I’m fine.”

Dante leaned closer. “Fine? You’re about to keel over in front of a room full of sharks. If you want to protect your legacy, start by protecting yourself.”

Before Aidan could respond, Victor Sinclair strode into the room unannounced, his presence a calculated power play.

“Apologies for the interruption,” Victor said smoothly, though his smirk betrayed a lack of remorse. “I thought it prudent to join this discussion, given the gravity of the situation.”

Aidan’s jaw tightened. “You have no authority to be here.”

Victor chuckled. “Oh, but I do. As a major stakeholder in the Cross empire, I’m well within my rights to attend.”

He slid a folder across the table. “And speaking of rights, you might want to take a look at this.”

Dante grabbed the folder, flipping through its contents. His face darkened. “This is a report blaming Aidan for the Westbridge failure. Care to explain where you got this, Victor?”

Victor feigned innocence. “I merely provided the facts. The project was under Aidan’s management, was it not?”

Aidan’s voice was cold. “You know damn well I had nothing to do with this.”

“Do I?” Victor countered. “Perhaps the System is affecting your judgment. It wouldn’t be the first time technology failed its user.”

Lydia stood abruptly. “This is absurd. We all know Victor has more to gain from this sabotage than anyone else.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “Careful, Lydia. Accusations without evidence can be dangerous.”

Lydia’s gaze didn’t waver. “Neither do veiled threats.”

The board members exchanged uneasy glances. The power struggle between Victor and Lydia was no secret, but seeing it play out so openly was another matter entirely.

After the meeting adjourned in chaos, Dante cornered Aidan in the hallway.

“This has to stop,” Dante said, his tone brooking no argument. “The System is killing you.”

“I don’t have a choice,” Aidan snapped. “Victor’s trying to destroy everything. If I don’t fight back, he wins.”

Maddie joined them, her expression pained. “We’ll find another way, Aidan. Please.”

“There is no other way,” Aidan said, his voice breaking. “I won’t let him win.”

Meanwhile, Elliot worked furiously in his hidden tech hub, poring over encrypted files related to Westbridge. He connected with Aidan via a secure channel.

“Aidan, I’ve found something,” Elliot said, his voice urgent. “Victor’s been using a proxy to funnel resources away from the project. It’s all here.”

“Can you prove it?” Aidan asked, hope flickering in his voice.

“Not yet,” Elliot admitted. “I need more time to crack the encryption.”

“Time isn’t something we have,” Aidan said. “Keep digging.”

The next day, Aidan faced another board meeting, this time armed with a trump card: Lydia.

Before the meeting started, Lydia pulled him aside. “I have something that might help you.”

Aidan’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“Because Victor’s a bigger threat to me than you are,” Lydia said bluntly. “Don’t make me regret this.”

She handed him a flash drive.

During the meeting, Victor’s smug demeanor faltered as Aidan presented evidence from the flash drive, exposing Victor’s sabotage.

“This is preposterous,” Victor said, but his usual confidence was shaken.

The board murmured among themselves, and for the first time, Aidan felt the tide turning in his favor.

Later, in the privacy of his quarters, Aidan confronted Lydia.

“You saved me today,” he said cautiously.

“Don’t read too much into it,” Lydia replied. “This was about self-preservation.”

“Maybe,” Aidan said. “But thank you.”

Lydia didn’t respond, but the faintest hint of a smile crossed her lips before she walked away.

That night, as Aidan tried to rest, the System flared to life, sending searing pain through his body. He doubled over, gasping for air.

Dante rushed in, alarmed. “Aidan! What’s happening?”

“I don’t know,” Aidan managed to say between gritted teeth. “The System… it’s changing.”

Dante’s expression darkened. “We need to shut it down, now.”

“No,” Aidan said, his voice firm despite the pain. “I need it.”

“You’re going to kill yourself,” Dante said.

Aidan’s eyes burned with determination. “Better me than everyone else.”

As Dante and Maddie exchanged worried glances, the System’s hum grew louder, echoing ominously in the quiet room.