Chapter 1: The Cold Reality of Sunrise
The sun didn't bring warmth to the Cross estate; it brought the sound of frantic phone calls.
At 6:00 AM, Damian was jolted awake by the shrill, persistent ringing of his private line. He reached for it, expecting a call from a project manager, but his stomach dropped as he heard the frantic voice of his Chief Financial Officer.
"Damian, we’re locked out. Everything. The corporate accounts, the operating capital, even the personal escrow—the banks are flagging us for a total audit. They’re saying we’re insolvent."
Damian sat up, the room spinning. "That’s impossible. We’re in the black by millions."
"Not anymore, sir. At 2:00 AM, a blanket freeze was placed on the entire Cross portfolio. The request came from Montrose Global."
Damian felt the blood drain from his face. He scrambled out of bed, his mind racing. He looked over at Vanessa, who was scrolling through her phone, her expression shifting from sleepy indifference to pure, unadulterated terror.
"Damian," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Check the news. You’re trending. And... look at the house."
He rushed to the floor-to-ceiling windows. The driveway was no longer empty. It was swarming with federal auditors, debt collectors, and—worst of all—the press. His mother, Evelyn, stood in the hallway, clutching a silk robe to her chest, her face pale as a sheet.
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"What did you do?" she hissed at him. "What did you do to that girl?"
Damian didn’t answer. He couldn't. He finally understood the weight of the silence Isabella had left behind.
