The public exposure of Cassius Marlowe’s embezzlement sent a financial earthquake through Marlowe Industries. The stock plummeted, forcing Magnus to spend the night in emergency damage control, facing furious demands from the board. He had sacrificed his son to save the company’s immediate reputation, but the wound was deep and festering. The external narrative was now clear: the Marlowes were corrupt, incompetent, and vulnerable.
In the early morning, Magnus summoned Seraphina to the boardroom. The room felt sterile and tense. Cassius was gone, confined to his home, his fate sealed by the wire transfer confirmation. Elias Vance stood silently by the window, observing.
Magnus did not look at Seraphina with affection or even pity. He looke
