Chapter 2
1303words
In the days that followed, dangerous undercurrents surged beneath the family's composed surface.
I was placed under "protection"—or more accurately, isolation. Grandfather didn't summon me right away; he was investigating, weighing his options.
Samuel and Lina were confined to their quarters, but their influence ran deep, especially Samuel's. As the family's presumed heir, his power network was already firmly established.
I knew this apparent calm masked a brewing tempest. They would never accept defeat quietly—they'd be plotting their counterattack already.
I couldn't just sit around waiting for the axe to fall.
The memories from my previous life were my greatest weapon. I knew Samuel's endgame wasn't just inheriting the family business—he wanted absolute control of the Vanden Empire, particularly its obscenely profitable military division with deep government connections: Iron Dome Defense.
And at the heart of Iron Dome Defense was the family's marginalized second son, focused entirely on R&D: Karen Vanden.
In my previous life, Karen had been a tragic figure. Despite his unmatched technical genius, his disdain for power plays made him a target in Samuel's eyes.
Samuel hadn't just orchestrated Karen's mother's death—he'd eventually stolen Karen's research breakthroughs before arranging another convenient "accident."
In this life, Karen would be my key to breaking Samuel's stranglehold.
He had the technical expertise, the military industry connections, and most importantly, his own vendetta against Samuel for his mother's murder. We were natural allies.
Evading Samuel's watchful eyes required careful planning.
I activated contacts I'd cultivated in my previous life—ones Samuel hadn't yet discovered—and slipped away from the main estate to the Iron Dome Defense R&D facility in the industrial district.
Unlike the Vanden mansion's opulent old-world luxury, Iron Dome Defense embraced cold metallic surfaces and cutting-edge tech.
I found Karen deep in his laboratory.
He wore white anti-static coveralls, hunched over a strangely-shaped drone prototype, surrounded by precision instruments and flickering holographic displays.
His brows were furrowed in concentration, his gaze laser-focused, his entire presence radiating a don't-disturb-me intensity.
I didn't interrupt immediately, content to observe him from the doorway.
In my previous life, I'd barely known this "genius recluse" brother beyond his reputation for being unapproachable. Now I could see how his intense focus and genuine competence contrasted sharply with Samuel's shallow charm.
Without turning around—as if sensing my presence—he spoke coldly: "This is a restricted area. No unauthorized personnel."
"I'm hardly unauthorized personnel, Karen." I stepped into the lab, closing the door behind me. "I'm Ella."
His hands froze momentarily before he turned to face me. Unlike Samuel's polished good looks, Karen's features were sharper, more rugged. His blue eyes, cold as a frozen lake, regarded me without emotion.
"I know who you are. Your engagement party drama is all anyone's talking about." His tone remained flat, impossible to read. "What do you want? If it's about family politics, I'm not interested."
As blunt as advertised. I smiled slightly and moved closer, examining his drone prototype. "I'm not here about politics. I'm here to propose an alliance."
"Alliance?" He raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "What could we possibly have to ally over?"
"Taking back what's rightfully yours and stopping Samuel from destroying the Vanden legacy." I met his gaze directly, cutting to the chase. "I bring information, resources, and family connections. You bring technical genius and everything you've built in this lab."
Karen scoffed and turned back to his equipment, his rejection unmistakable. "Like I said, I don't care about family power struggles. Samuel can fight for whatever he wants. I just want to work in peace. Please leave, Miss Ella."
His refusal didn't surprise me. In my previous life, this exact attitude had allowed Samuel to systematically destroy him.
I needed to drop a bombshell powerful enough to crack his armor.
"Work in peace?" I stepped closer, my voice dropping but gaining intensity. "Do you honestly believe Samuel will leave you alone just because you stay out of his way? That he'll respect your mother's legacy?"
Karen's spine went rigid.
I pressed on, delivering the killing blow: "Your mother's 'car accident' wasn't an accident at all. It was a meticulously planned murder orchestrated by Samuel to clear his path to controlling Iron Dome Defense. And now he's coming for those military patents you're about to finalize!"
Karen whirled around, his ice-blue eyes now razor-sharp, a dangerous energy radiating from him. "What did you just say?" His voice was deadly quiet. "Choose your next words very carefully, Ella. Don't throw around accusations like that without proof."
"Evidence?" I was ready for this. I pulled a tiny flash drive from my purse and placed it on the console. "This contains records of offshore shell companies and hidden accounts—all controlled by Samuel. The money trail shows millions siphoned from family assets, particularly Iron Dome Defense projects. Plus internal documents showing Samuel's plans to separate Iron Dome's core business from the group and transfer it to his private holdings. Enough to start building a case against him?"
Karen stared at the flash drive, his breathing visibly quickening.
He understood exactly what this meant: Samuel was gutting the family business from within, enriching himself at everyone's expense.
"Where did you get this information?" he asked, voice rough with suspicion.
"That's not important." I held his gaze unflinchingly. "What matters is that I know Samuel better than you can imagine. I know every scheme, every weakness."
He studied me in silence, clearly weighing my words and motives. The soft hum of lab equipment filled the quiet between us.
I knew I needed one final catalyst.
I slowly removed a necklace from around my neck. The pendant was an antique iris-shaped brooch set with sapphires—old but beautifully preserved.
"This," I held it out to him, "you should recognize."
Karen's eyes fixed on the brooch, his pupils contracting sharply. For the first time, raw emotion broke through his mask—shock, grief, and profound pain. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for it, fingers reverently tracing its patterns.
"This was my mother's…" he whispered, voice rough with emotion. "Her favorite brooch…"
I watched vulnerability crack through his carefully maintained facade.
"I thought it should be returned to its rightful owner," I said softly.
Karen clutched the brooch tightly, as if it might still hold some trace of his mother's warmth. He bowed his head, silent for a long moment.
Finally, he took a deep breath, picked up the flash drive and plugged it into his terminal. As he scanned through the files, his expression darkened further.
After what seemed like an eternity, he looked up at me, his gaze sharp but changed. "Ella, I don't know how you know all this or what your ultimate goal is. But if what you're saying about my mother is true…" His voice carried years of suppressed grief and rage. "Then Samuel must pay."
He paused, visibly making his decision. "I'll agree to… a temporary alliance. We start by investigating my mother's death and documenting Samuel's financial crimes. If your information proves valuable, we can discuss next steps."
Mission accomplished. I felt a weight lift from my shoulders—this was the best first step I could have hoped for.
Unlike his brother, Karen was cautious and skeptical—but once committed, he would be unwavering.
"Deal." I extended my hand. "To a productive partnership, Karen."
He eyed my outstretched hand briefly before taking it in his. His grip was firm, his palm broad with the calluses of someone who built things with his own hands.
"To our partnership, Ella," he said, his eyes now reflecting something I recognized—the same cold fire of vengeance burning in my own heart.
The wheels of fate had begun to turn.
Our alliance would become the blade that finally pierced Samuel and Lina's hearts.
