Midnight silence settled over the lakeside villa where Sebastian Qiao had evacuated Zora Su and their son. Water lapped gently against the dock outside, a lullaby in contrast to the turmoil of the past hours. Inside the warmly lit living room, Zora sat wrapped in a thick wool blanket, her son asleep in her arms. Sebastian paced near the hearth, tension etched into the lines of his face.
He paused to gaze at the muted television, where a rolling news ticker crawled beneath the chyron: **“Qiao Group Shares Plunge After Security Breach."**
Zora's voice box was silent, but she placed a gentle hand on Sebastian's arm, pulling him to her side. He crouched beside her, cradling her hands in his. Her eyes, rimmed with exhaustion, asked questions without words: *What now?*
He drew a slow breath.
