The Billionaire's Prodigy Heirs

Chapter Two

The sharp, happy shout of "Mommy!" bounced off the penthouse suite's tall glass windows.

Sheela turned, her cold demeanor melting away in a single second. She knelt on the soft rug just as two small girls ran into her arms, nearly knocking her over.

Ten-year-old Marvy and Enny stood side by side, stepping back just enough for Sheela to look at their identical, breathtaking faces. They were living mirrors of each other, and of Sheela.

Both girls had large, bright dark eyes full of sharp intelligence. They had pale, flawless skin and long, silky dark hair tied back in matching ponytails.

They were incredibly pretty, with sweet, perfect faces that made people stop and stare. But behind those beautiful smiles, a fierce, clever spark warned people never to underestimate them.

"You are late by exactly fourteen minutes, Mommy," Marvy said. She crossed her arms over her neat blouse. Her eyes shone with a clever, confident smirk that looked exactly like Sheela. "Don't tell me another boring businessman kept you in a meeting all night."

Sheela laughed, a genuine and bright sound. She pressed a soft kiss to Marvy's forehead, then turned to Enny.

"I was just finishing a very long meeting, my love," Sheela murmured, smoothing down Enny's collar.

Enny did not speak right away. Instead, the younger twin leaned in close. Her sweet, innocent face tilted as she studied Sheela's eyes. Enny always looked soft, but her brain worked like a human lie detector.

"Your heart is beating faster than normal," Enny said sweetly, watching her mother. "And you are holding your bag very tightly. Someone annoyed you today. Was it the man who tried to take credit for your hard work last week?"

Sheela blinked. She was always amazed by her younger daughter's deep understanding of feelings. Enny could read adult secrets with just a sweet smile and a quiet look.

"Nobody took anything from me, sweetheart," Sheela smiled gently, standing up and taking their small hands. "Come on. Let's get out of these formal clothes. Who wants hot chocolate?"

"Only if we can drink it while watching Jim's company lose money," Marvy said brightly. Her eyes flashed with excitement as she ran toward the home office at the back of the room.

Minutes later, the dark office glowed with the blue light of two large computer screens. Enny sat on the leather sofa, slowly drinking her hot cocoa.

Meanwhile, Marvy's small fingers flew across the keyboard with blazing speed.

"Look at this, Mommy," Marvy called out with a big, proud grin. "Jim’s company is trying to win a massive city contract tomorrow morning. Their computer security is completely out of date. It is like a wooden gate guarding a bank vault."

Sheela walked over and leaned against the desk. She watched, quietly proud, as her ten-year-old daughter broke through three levels of corporate security in under forty seconds.

"Are we leaving a trail?" Sheela asked calmly, though a proud smile touched her lips.

"Not a chance," Marvy laughed softly, pressing one last key. "I just quietly moved a small chunk of their emergency money straight into our hidden company account.

I also left a tiny bug in their main system. By sunrise tomorrow, Jim's money manager is going to panic trying to find where the cash went."

Enny smiled sweetly from the sofa and took another sip of her chocolate. "Daddy Jim is going to throw a massive temper tantrum tomorrow morning. I can almost hear him screaming from here."

Sheela looked at her brilliant, beautiful daughters. A fierce wave of love and protection washed over her. Eight years ago, she ran into the freezing rain with nothing. Now, her daughters were using their giant brains to silently destroy the empire of the man who threw them away.

"Alright, master hackers," Sheela said, closing Marvy's laptop with a gentle click. "Time for bed. We have a very big charity party to attend tomorrow night. It is time to show the city how an Ashford makes an entrance."

Twenty-four hours later, the Meridian Grand Hotel's grand ballroom sparkled under massive crystal chandeliers.

Waiters in crisp white coats moved through a sea of rich, glittering guests, carrying trays of expensive drinks. Soft music played under the loud chatter of high-society gossip.

Sheela stepped through the double doors, looking breathtaking in a sleek, midnight-blue gown that hugged her graceful body. She looked powerful and untouchable. Every head in the room turned to watch as she walked across the marble floor like a queen. People whispered as she passed, stunned by her beauty and confidence.

Jim and Clara were nowhere to be found, but Sheela did not care. She was not here for them tonight. She was here to make her presence known.

Wanting a brief moment of quiet away from the loud crowd and flashing cameras, Sheela slipped down a private, softly lit hallway leading toward the VIP lounge.

Suddenly, a panicked young worker hurried around the corner. He tripped over his own feet, spilling a full glass of dark red wine right down the front of his own expensive suit. The glass shattered loudly against the hard floor.

Before the young man could even apologize, a deep, heavy voice cut through the quiet hallway.

"Pathetic."

The single word was spoken calmly, but it hit the air like a physical blow. It was cold, deep, and utterly controlled.

Sheela froze. Her breath caught in her throat.

From the lounge's dark shadows, Ronald Black stepped out. He was devastatingly handsome. He stood incredibly tall, his powerful, broad-shouldered body wrapped in a flawless midnight-black tuxedo.

The dark suit fit him perfectly, making him look both elegant and highly dangerous.

His dark hair was neatly styled, framing a face with sharp, striking features—a straight nose, high cheekbones, and a strong, firm jaw. But his eyes stole all the air from the room. They were a sharp, piercing silver.

His presence was massive. Without doing anything, he completely commanded the space. A heavy silver ring caught the dim light on his finger as he smoothly fixed his sleeve. A sharp, rich smell of smoked cedarwood cologne drifted across the air, wrapping around Sheela's senses.

Ronald did not shout. He looked down at the shaking worker on the floor.

"Leave," Ronald said, his voice dangerously low. "Now."

The worker scrambled away in pure terror and ran down the hall.

Ronald did not even watch him go. Instead, he lifted his head. His magnetic, silver gaze shifted forward—and locked directly onto Sheela.

For a second, the whole world stopped.

As their eyes met in the quiet, dim hallway, a massive, electric jolt shot straight up Sheela's spine, making her heart hammer wildly in her chest.