Chapter 24 · The Heir Walks In

The boardroom door slams open before I can answer him.

Ivy walks in like she owns the place. Red suit. Hair pulled back so tight it could snap. She's got three board members trailing behind her like dogs on leashes.

"Sorry to interrupt," she says. Not sorry at all. Her smile is all teeth. "But we have a situation."

Lin doesn't move from where he's standing. Still holding those documents. Still looking at me like I'm the only person in the room.

"What situation?" I keep my voice flat. My hand's shaking so I shove it in my pocket.

Ivy sets her laptop on the table. Opens it. "This situation."

The screen lights up. Security footage. Our office building. Timestamp says last Tuesday.

There I am on camera. Walking into the finance department after hours. Sitting at a computer that isn't mine. Downloading files onto a USB drive.

My stomach drops.

"That's not—" I start.

Ivy talks over me. "Stella Su. Caught on camera stealing proprietary financial data. Client lists. Acquisition targets. Merger details worth forty million."

One of the board members—old guy, gray suit, never liked me—leans forward. "Is this true?"

"No." I look at Lin.