The Second They Had Time to Think
Once they were safely away, hiding behind an old bus station, they finally had a moment to process everything.
And the realization hit hard.
Sterling Enterprises wasn't just facing external threats.
It was being attacked from the inside.
Someone high-ranking—someone trusted by their father—was feeding information to outsiders.
Which meant—Jonathan Sterling might not know who his real enemies were.
Step 1: Breaking Down the Clues (Overthinking Begins)
Zephyr listed out every detail they had seen.
1. The secret facility wasn't a normal warehouse—it was an intelligence hub.
2. The stolen documents were related to Sterling Enterprises' most valuable assets.
3. The people exchanging information weren't just random criminals—they were professionals.
"This isn't just corporate sabotage," Zephyr muttered. "This is something bigger."
Solene narrowed her eyes. "Like what?"
Zephyr hesitated, then said the one thing none of them wanted to hear.
"A complete takeover."
And suddenly?
Their father's empire wasn't just under attack.
It was being stolen piece by piece.
Step 2: The Question No One Wanted to Ask
For several seconds, none of them spoke.
Then, Solene finally asked the one question they'd all been avoiding.
"What if our father already knows?"
Zephyr froze.
Caspian blinked.
"What if this is WHY he sent us away?" Solene continued. "What if this wasn't just about teaching us a lesson?"
Suddenly—their exile felt like something completely different.
Their father hadn't just removed them from his world for punishment.
He had hidden them away.
Because something worse was coming.
And now?
They had just walked straight back into it.