The morning sun streamed across the sprawling lawns of the Grayson estate, gilding the tall hedges, fountains, and marble statues with a crimson sheen. A day had passed since the grand engagement ceremony, and though the mansion had once swelled with hundreds of guests, it now lay quieter, the echoes of laughter and champagne toasts replaced with silence and the muted bustle of staff.
The Stone family had accepted the Graysons' offer to remain at the estate, partly for convenience and partly to begin formal discussions of the merger. After all, both families knew the engagement wasn't only a matter of love and union, it was business. A business that could determine the next steps that the two powerhouses will use to build up their legacies.
The Grayson mansion could hold them easily. It wasn't merely a house; it was an entire fortress disguised as one. The estate spanned several hundred square feet, its white-brick facade gleaming with sophistication. Inside, every wing was polished to perfection, and every chamber felt vast enough to host a small parade.
It was near midday when Maxwell Grayson summoned his wife to join him in the private conference room reserved for crucial discussions.
---
Victoria, elegant as ever in a flowing lavender gown, walked beside her husband down the gilded corridor. Yet her steps carried an uncharacteristic weight. Her mind wasn't on the meeting, but rather on her daughter, Elena.
She broke the silence first, her voice soft but strained. "Maxwell… I find it strange. I haven't spoken to Elena since yesterday."
Maxwell, dressed sharply in a deep blue suit that proclaimed power, gave her a brief, dismissive glance. "She's with Alex, Victoria. You know how it is. They deserve privacy."
Victoria's lips pressed into a thin line. "I tried calling her. Again and again. Her phone kept on going to voicemail. Elena never ignored me for this long."
Her tone was laced with unease, the kind only a mother could feel when something in her soul whispered that something was wrong.
Maxwell, in contrast, exhaled slowly, the voice of logic against her heart. "Perhaps she's just exhausted and needs some peaceful time. Yesterday was overwhelming for her. Hundreds of guests, speeches, the spotlight. And she's a young woman in love, Victoria. She deserves time alone with Alex. Don't overthink it."
But Victoria's frown lingered as they entered the conference room.
---
The conference room was as opulent as any throne room in a palace. A long mahogany table gleamed under the light of a crystal chandelier. Velvet drapes framed towering windows that overlooked the vast gardens outside. The air smelled faintly of polished wood and aged wine, a room made for kings and moguls.
Moments later, a knock broke the silence.
Maxwell straightened. "Come in."
The doors opened, and Dennis and Linda Stone stepped inside, both clad in perfectly tailored suits. They radiated elegance and authority, as though they'd just stepped out of the boardroom of an empire.
"Ah, Dennis, Linda," Maxwell greeted warmly, rising to shake Dennis's hand. "I trust your stay was comfortable?"
Dennis gave a courteous smile. "As comfortable as it could get. Your hospitality is unrivaled, Maxwell. The estate is magnificent."
Linda's smile was polite, though reserved. "Your staff are impeccable as well."
The four took their seats, and conversation flowed easily at first.
---
"I want to thank you all for being present here today, even after the inconveniences we all faced during the ceremony." Maxwell Grayson started.
"Ohh it was quite a glorious one. I myself am quite surprised that Mia Curts managed to control herself today… we all know that she is also in love with Alex "
Dennis leaned forward, his tone deliberate. "Enough talk about the past, my friend. The way I see it, with this merger, we can extend our influence further across the country. The corporations that currently answer to us in fragments… will bend entirely. Every large-scale contract, every international investor,they will want our names attached."
Maxwell nodded, his dark eyes sharp. "Indeed. Consolidation is the key. Our families stand at the top, but together? We can build an empire that outshines all."
Victoria added softly, though her tone still carried distraction, "And with Elena and Alex's union, that empire will be sealed by blood."
Linda raised her glass. "To our legacy, then. May it endure for generations."
At Maxwell's signal, a staff member entered, rolling in a silver cart. Upon it sat an elegant bottle of wine, its glass dusty with age.
"Château Lafite, 1870," the staff member explained with pride.
Dennis's brows arched with appreciation. "A rare choice, Maxwell."
The wine was poured into crystal goblets, deep red gleaming like liquid velvet. The four raised their glasses in a solemn toast.
"To the future," Maxwell declared.
Their glasses clinked softly and with a vibrant smile.
---
As the conversation wore on, Dennis leaned back, his voice steady with decision. "Linda and I have agreed that it's time for us to make preparations about stepping down. After the wedding, Alex will inherit our empire in full. We'll retire, step aside, and let him build upon what we've made. This will be his era."
Linda nodded, pride in her eyes. "He's ready. More ready than we ever were at his age."
Turning to Maxwell, Dennis added, "You should consider doing the same. Let Elena carry your legacy forward alongside Alex. Together, they'll establish the foundation for generations to come. It is the first step toward true permanence."
Maxwell was thoughtful, sipping his wine. Finally, he nodded. "I will definitely put it into consideration."
The meeting began winding down, the air filled with cautious optimism. That was until Victoria spoke.
"Dennis… Linda…" Her voice broke the calm. "Have you spoken to Alex, your son, today?"
Both Stones exchanged a glance before Dennis shook his head. "No. Why?"
Victoria's chest tightened. "Because I haven't spoken to Elena either. Not once since last night."
Maxwell sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Victoria, enough. Let them have their time. They are not children to be monitored every hour. Just let them have their privacy."
But Victoria's unease deepened, like storm clouds gathering, but chose to keep to herself and brush her tension off.
Just then, a sudden knock shattered the atmosphere.
"Come in," Maxwell commanded.
The door opened slowly, revealing a young male staff member. He was clad in crisp corporate attire, yet his appearance was anything but composed. Sweat glistened on his forehead, his eyes wide with dread, and his hands trembling slightly at his sides.
The tension in the room shifted immediately.
Dennis's sharp gaze cut to the staffer. "What is the matter, boy? Speak."
The young man swallowed hard, his voice unsteady. "S-sir… Mr. Stone… your son…"
Linda leaned forward instantly, her face paling. "What about Alex?!"
The staffer's throat bobbed as he forced the words out. "He… he was found in his car. Badly injured. He… he's in a terrible state."
The words fell like a stone in water. Silence rippled across the room, broken only by the sound of Linda's gasp.
"Injured?" Dennis demanded, his voice edged with steel. "How?"
According to the data I got, it appears to be a trauma in the head, like he was hit very hard.
The staffer hesitated, then continued, his tone cracking. "His driver, Duke, was found lying on the pavement…with multiple stab wounds across his body. The scene, sir, appeared to be a planned assassination."
Victoria's breath caught, her hand flying to her lips. Her voice trembled. "Assassination…?"
Maxwell's voice hardened, his authority cutting through the panic. "Where is Alex now?"
The staffer replied quickly, "He was seen by a local heading to work this morning. The man called for an ambulance immediately. Alex is at the hospital receiving urgent care at St. Dominic's."
Dennis pushed back his chair with a scrape, his composure faltering for the first time. Linda clutched his arm, with her face getting more pale as seconds went by.
But amid the chaos, Victoria's sharp instincts noticed something. Something was missing.
Her voice cut across the air, trembling yet fierce. "Wait. You haven't mentioned Elena."
The staffer froze.
Victoria rose to her feet, her eyes blazing with desperation. "What about my daughter? What about Elena? Is she okay? Tell me she's okay!" Her words broke into tears, raw and frantic.
The staffer's gaze faltered. His lips quivered as though the weight of what he carried crushed him, and more volume of sweat trickled down his forehead.
"Elena…" He exhaled shakily. "Elena was found in the car… with a gunshot wound to her chest."
Victoria's knees weakened, her whole body trembling. "No…"
The staffer's final words landed like a death knell.
"Elena is dead, Mrs. Grayson."