The sterile calm of the estate shattered. The backdoor wasn't just a vulnerability; it was a direct link, an umbilical cord of betrayal leading back to Laila's blood. The revelation transformed the suite from a stage to a war room.
Xavier was a storm of contained motion, issuing rapid-fire commands into his phone. "Freeze all Jacobs-associated accounts. Intercept any asset transfers. Send a team to that data facility I want physical control in the next hour." He glanced at Laila, his expression unreadable. "You understand what this means."
She did. It meant her family wasn't just naive pawns pressured by Crescent Moon. They were willing architects, maintaining a secret line even after their public secession. The hurt was a cold, dense stone in her chest, heavier than any insult Xavier ha
