The authentication countdown had been ticking for eighteen hours when Olivia finally surfaced.
Not in some underground bunker or foreign safe house, as Rex had imagined. She appeared on every screen in the GDI tower at 6:47 AM, broadcasting from what looked like Isabella's old studio flat—the one she'd kept as a refuge from the corporate world, filled with plants and analog clocks and books with actual pages.
"Board members and shareholders of GDI," Olivia began, her voice carrying the weight of someone who had made a decision that would reshape everything. "My name is Olivia Blanchard. I was COO of GDI, Sebastian Grant's business partner, and—as of seventy-two hours ago—the executor of his estate."
Rex watched from the GDI command center, coffee growing cold in his hands. Around him, financial analysts hunched over keyboards, trying to trace the signal's origin. Lizzy stood rigid at the center of it all, her jaw clenched so tight he could hear her teeth grinding.
"I'm speaking to you now because you deserve to know the truth about what's happening to your company," Olivia continued. "About the woman who has seized control of the systems that govern our operations."
The camera stayed focused on Olivia's face—calm, deliberate, devastating. Rex had always thought of her as Isabella's quiet shadow, the one who handled the boring stuff while Isabella dreamed in code and developed Crystalsight. Now he realized that had been exactly what she'd wanted them to think.
"Lizzy Grant—was not Sebastian Grant's chosen successor. She was not appointed by the board. She was not elected by shareholders. She took control through a combination of emotional manipulation, and what can only be described as a hostile takeover of her own sister's legacy."
"Turn it off," Lizzy ordered.
"We can't," a technician replied, fingers flying across his keyboard. "She's broadcasting through GDI's own internal communication system. Administrative override is locked behind founder-level authentication."
Olivia's voice continued, measured and precise: "Isabella built GDI to innovate, not to control. And Anna Grant believed technology should create value, not extract it. She would be horrified to see what her sister has done with her life's work."
Rex felt the atmosphere in the room shift. The analysts weren't just following orders anymore—they were listening. Some were even nodding.
"The Inheritance Legitimacy Protocol you're experiencing isn't a glitch," Olivia explained. "It's Anna's final gift to all of us. She knew that power corrupts, even family. Especially family. So she built a safeguard—a way to ensure that whoever inherited her creation would have to prove they deserved it."
The camera pulled back slightly, revealing that Olivia wasn't alone. Rex recognized the faces: Dr. Sarah, the former CTO who'd been pushed out of the company two years ago. David Park, the former head of security who'd resigned after questioning Lizzy's capability. Maya Rodriguez, the product manager who'd quit when her efficiency-focused features were repeatedly killed.
Isabella's original inner circle. The ones who'd been cast out as the company pivoted toward aggressive growth.
"We are not saboteurs," Olivia said, her voice gaining strength. "We are not criminals. We are the people who helped Sebastian build this company, and we are here to ensure his vision survives his death."
Rex's phone buzzed. Text messages flooding in from contacts throughout the industry—journalists, investors, analysts. The ones who'd been waiting to see how this would play out.
"Rex, call me. Need to discuss transition planning." —Schroders
"Urgent: Board meeting requested. Legitimacy questions must be addressed." —Barclays
"Interview request: insider perspective on GDI succession crisis." —Financial Times
The rats were abandoning the ship. Or maybe they were just hedging their bets.
"The board of directors has a choice," Olivia continued. "They can stand with Lizzy, who has turned GDI into a financial house of cards, or they can stand with Anna's vision of sustainable technology innovation."
Rex glanced at Lizzy. Her face had gone pale, but her eyes burned with something dangerous.
"We call on the board to exercise their fiduciary duty and remove Lizzy from her position as CEO," Olivia declared. "GDI deserves leadership that honors Anna's memory, not someone who would use her sister's death to build a corporate empire she doesn't understand."
The broadcast cut to black.
The command center fell silent except for the hum of servers and the soft tick of the countdown clock.
AUTHENTICATION WINDOW REMAINING: 16:17:43
Lizzy turned slowly, her gaze sweeping across the room. Rex saw analysts avoid eye contact, suddenly finding their screens fascinating.
"Get me the board," she said quietly.
"Ma'am," an analyst ventured, "most of them are—"
"I said get me the board." Her voice could have flash-frozen helium.
Rex's phone rang.
"Rex," Nicholas's voice was carefully neutral. "I assume you saw the broadcast."
"I did."
"We need to talk. Emergency board meeting. One hour. And Rex? Bring the Q3 financials. All of them."
Rex looked at Lizzy, who was listening to every word. "I'll need to check with—"
"This isn't a request, Rex. The board has questions about the current financial position. Questions that need answers."
The line went dead.
Around the room, other phones were ringing. The remaining analysts fielded calls from institutional investors, the Financial Conduct Authority, international partners. Each conversation more urgent than the last.
"Ma'am," someone called out, "we're getting reports of trading halt requests from the London Stock Exchange."
Rex moved to the window. In the parking lots, news vans were gathering. Financial reporters, corporate lawyers, FCA investigators. The vultures were circling.
"The board meeting," Lizzy said, her voice cutting through the chaos. "Rex, you're coming with me."
"Lizzy, maybe we should review the numbers first—"
"I said you're coming with me." She moved closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You wanted to be on the winning side, right? Well, this is what winning looks like. We fight."
Rex nodded, but his mind was already calculating. The board meeting would be a bloodbath. Lizzy would walk in expecting loyalty and find a financial inquisition. The question was: would he be standing next to her when the numbers started talking?