The First Defense
The next morning began with a question Sofia had learned to hate: how much of her father’s life had been hidden from her. She had spent years believing Mateo’s death and the collapse of his workshop were tragedies without a larger pattern, but the evidence surrounding Project Sovereign had turned grief into an investigation. Every new clue connected her family to Vantari, and every answer seemed to lead deeper into the Chevalier dynasty. Lucien understood the danger of that pattern, which was why he insisted that Sofia travel with security while he arranged access to the Milan facility.
The paddock became hostile before they could leave Monaco. A prominent journalist published a story accusing Mateo of stealing Vantari technology and suggesting that Sofia had entered Lu
