The morning after the announcement to reopen the old case, the business world was shaken.
The media initially thought Adrian would deny the accusations against Sophia. But the step he took instead reversed the narrative entirely.
Not defensive.
Not a clarification.
But a formal reinvestigation.
Headlines changed.
"Adrian Challenges Scandal Issue with Total Transparency."
Yet for Sophia, this wasn't about reputation.
It was about her mother.
About the night she received news of death that felt too quick, too neat, too quiet.
The archive room of the law firm felt cold.
Sophia sat in front of two senior lawyers. Old files were opened one by one. Yellowed physical documents, patent contracts, audit reports, lawsuits that had once surfaced then suddenly disappeared from the news.
Adrian stood behind her, his hands resting on Sophia's chair.
"We found some irregularities," one of the lawyers said.
"What do you mean?" Sophia asked.
