The afternoon following the tense boardroom showdown left a clear atmosphere of frustration at the Zenith Records headquarters. Jax paced the length of his private studio, a room full of state-of-the-art production gear. The soundproof walls could contain the loudest music, but they couldn't contain the energy of a corporate crisis.
Silas, the manager, sat hunched over his laptop, his face lit by the screen, already deep into his investigative contacts. Damian Reed, the CEO, stood by the window, hands in his pockets, his posture signaling the heavy weight of his corporate responsibility. Kellan and Rhys were at the main console, quietly reviewing the week's creative schedule.
"Nothing," Silas finally announced, slamming the laptop shut in defeat. Vance Global is a fortress, Jax. It's a fifty-year-old family holding company. Clean as a whistle. Elias Vance is the definition of corporate perfection. Every asset, every deal, every offshore account is legally pristine. There is no financial dirt to leverage.
"And Aria?" Jax asked, stopping his pacing.
Silas rubbed his temples. She doesn't exist, not really. The story of her return after the kidnapping is the only public record. Before that, she was in private, overseas boarding schools, paid for by the Thorne estate. It's a completely blank slate. She's not connected to the military, not connected to any known corporate espionage groups. She is an unbreakable shell.
Kellan looked up from the console. She doesn't have a social media footprint, either. None of the vanity accounts, no old pictures, nothing a typical wealthy young woman would leave behind.
Rhys frowned. It's like she erased her past life on purpose. That's more suspicious than having dirt, Jax.
Damian turned from the window, his expression serious. She had done exactly what Elias Vance wanted. She's made herself impossible to read. Jax, we have to assume the Zenith acquisition is legitimate. You cannot fight a corporate war with zero leverage. It will just expose us to legal risk.
Jax stared at the large mixing board, running a hand through his hair. She's playing a longer game than an acquisition, Damian. The way she handled my provocation… that wasn't a CEO. That was someone trained to resist pressure and redirect focus.
Meanwhile, Nick was already executing his mission, Operation Charming Informant.
He traded his designer clothes for a simple, expensive, casual outfit and drove an unmarked car to the wealthy, quiet neighborhood where the Thorne mansion stood. He couldn't go near the main gate; that would instantly attract attention. Instead, he found a small, old nursery a few blocks away that supplied rare orchids to the Thorne estate.
Nick, charming and handsome, walked in and immediately began asking the elderly owner, Mr. Peterson, about garden restoration and rare plants.
"I'm looking for ideas for my own place," Nick explained, his famous smile turned up to maximum charm. I heard the Thorne estate has the most incredible old garden. I'm fascinated by old homes.
The old gardener, proud of his work, began to talk. Nick listened patiently, occasionally bringing up a name.
You know, I met Mr. Thorne recently. He seemed like a very serious man, Nick observed. Does he still keep the same staff? I remember hearing his family was very private.
Mr. Peterson lowered his voice. Oh, the house staff changes constantly. Except for the house manager, Mrs. Chavez. She's been there forever. She saw everything. Especially when the real Thorne daughter came back.
Nick leaned in slightly, his handsome face showing the perfect amount of gentle curiosity. Aria? I heard she had a rough time after the… you know, the kidnapping. She seems very cold now.
"Cold, yes," Mr. Peterson muttered, shaking his head. The girl was sunshine when she first arrived. But she was a ghost in that big house. The parents were never around, always fighting. And Mrs. Victoria… she was a terror to that poor child. She had her own daughter, Chloe, and those two made that girl's life a hell. They treated her like an unwanted shadow.
"And Mr. Thorne?" Nick asked quietly.
"Mr. Charles? The old man sighed. He wasn't a monster, just a coward. He walked around with the guilt of the world on his shoulders, never looking the girl in the eye. He didn't see the bullying. He only saw the ghost of the woman he loved. His distance was the worst thing of all. He just let them break her down.
Nick thanked the man, paid for an expensive pot of flowers he didn't need, and left. He had found no spy connection, no corporate conspiracy, but he had found something far more important: a story of profound, deep neglect. Aria Vance wasn't a spy; she was a victim who had become her own weapon.
Later that evening, the Aether members were back in their main rehearsal studio, preparing for their upcoming tour. This was their true world, a place of sweat, creativity, and intense discipline, far from the cold world of corporate boardrooms.
They began running through the choreography for a new single. The practice was grueling, requiring immense physical stamina. Nick moved with fluid, electric energy, pushing his body to master the complex, fast-paced dance routine. Kellan sang the lead vocals, his voice powerful and raw, his focus absolute. Rhys added the secondary rap components, his confident stage presence shining through even in the empty rehearsal room.
Jax was at the center, the musical director and producer, running the movements, the tempo, and the energy. He was physically fit and commanding, maintaining control over the entire artistic vision.
After an hour of non-stop work, they collapsed onto the floor, breathing heavily.
"My lungs are burning, Jax," Kellan gasped, wiping sweat from his reserved, handsome face. Why is the new bridge so fast? I need more water.
"Because the fans want energy, Kellan," Jax replied, taking a long drink. We give them energy. We have to be the best. We have to keep creating.
Silas walked in, his phone pressed to his ear, his face tight. He hung up and approached Jax.
Bad news, Jax. The Thorne company is making a move, Silas said. Elias Vance just filed a motion to force an emergency shareholders' vote to restructure the board. They're isolating Victoria Thorne. They're not waiting for the Zenith deal to close; they're moving directly onto the Thorne estate's internal structure.
Damian, who had joined them to review the tour budget, immediately reacted. That's aggressive tactical play. It means the Zenith acquisition was just a diversion to keep our focus busy. Their real target is the Thorne Company itself.
Jax straightened up, his eyes now sharp and fully engaged. This confirms it. Aria's attack was purely personal. She isn't here for the music; she's here to take her father's company away from Victoria and Chloe.
Nick, who had recovered from the dance practice, pulled Jax aside and delivered his findings from the gardener.
"Jax, she's not a spy," Nick whispered, his voice uncharacteristically serious. She's a ghost seeking revenge. The house staff saw it all. Victoria and Chloe bullied her mercilessly, and her father, Charles Thorne, let it happen out of guilt and cowardice. That girl was left alone to break. The kidnapping was the final act.
A profound look crossed Jax's face. He finally understood. The coldness, the perfect mask, the strategic mind it wasn't the training of a spy, but the necessary armor of a survivor. Aria Vance wasn't a corporate thief; she was a deeply scarred daughter returning to destroy the people who had destroyed her life.
"She's not a problem for Zenith, then," Damian concluded, looking relieved. Her fight is internal to the Thorne family. We are safe.
Jax shook his head slowly. No, we're not. If she's fighting a personal war of revenge, she's ten times more dangerous than any spy. She has nothing to lose. And now, she has dragged Vance Global into her personal fight.
"So what's the move, Jax?" Rhys asked, his face reflecting the seriousness of the situation.
Jax looked at his team, his corporate shield returning. We won't interfere with the Thorne board fight. That's her battle. But we don't let the drama affect our company. Silas, pull all non-essential Zenith assets out of any Thorne investment immediately. Damian, ensure all our legal ties to the Thorne Company are cut clean as soon as the Zenith contract closes.
"And me?" Nick asked.
Jax looked at him. Keep an eye on the mansion, Nick. Not for corporate secrets, but for personal movement. I want to know when she meets her father. I want to know when Charles Thorne finally faces the girl he failed.
"Got it," Nick said, his eyes serious. "The personal war is just getting started."
Jax knew he could no longer treat Aria Vance as a corporate threat. She was a deeply personal one, a challenge to his intuition, and a woman who had built her entire existence around a cold, dangerous secret. He was still focused on the music business, but he couldn't stop thinking about the beautiful, silent ghost fighting for her life in a world of wealth and betrayal.