Damian's POV
The moment we step into Blackwood HQ, I notice Aria's countenance.
It was different like she had a lot on her mind.
The security guard and employees seem different today. I wonder why they all have their eyes on us.
My phone buzz again: Meeting at the boardroom
A meeting I didn't authorize?
We walked into the conference room and to my greatest surprise, all board members are already seated.
I stood, my eyes on each and every one of them then I noticed my chair had been pulled out.
More like someone sat on it a while ago.
Strange .
Someone is definitely bold to come after me.
"This meeting… I wasn't informed, Who authorized it?"
No one dares speak
"Who amongst you all… challenges my authority?" I ask again
Then a man speaks
"We got a memo from a legit source, it carried your mother's signature." he says
" Interesting "
"You now take orders from a dead woman?"
Still no response, everyone seats on their chair like it's been glued all along and Aria— she's never seen me in this state.
"Fine , what's this meeting about ?" I ask
"Mr Blackwood" one of them called
I turn to his direction
"That's the anonymous file we received" he says pointing at the file on the table.
I picked it up, flipping it open slowly. Inside were spreadsheets, financial statements, and internal reports—meticulously edited to appear legitimate. Then I saw it. The layout, the phrasing, the signature style.
My mother's old files.
Someone with access to my mother's records—the people who had blocked her decades ago—were behind this. Someone inside my own board.
The accusations hit hard. I was supposedly hiding critical information from shareholders. Worse, Aria was accused of manipulating corporate decisions for personal gain. I glanced at her.
She froze, eyes wide. I recognized her shock—and anger—but I also saw fear in her eyes.
I closed the folder taking authority in the room. "This meeting is canceled, " I continue "All discussion of this report is suspended until I verify the source."
A few of them started to protest but then I raised my hand to silence them.
"Anyone continuing to spread unverified claims will answer to me directly " I added.
I knew someone in the room was coming for me but I don't know who he is.
They all felt the threat and left without opposition.
This definitely is betrayal.
I turn my gaze to Aria. She didn't speak but her countenance showed determination like she understood .
Later, Aria slipped to one of the sub servers I let her explore. She tapped on a few keys trying to find out erased files and logs I didn't have time to go through.
Then she froze, her eyes widened.
"What is it?" I ask and moved a few steps closer only to see a message on the laptop screen.
They are rewriting the past to control your future. He died because he knew the truth.
"The U-COW" I say
"Whats that?" Aria asked
"U-COW is a shadowy organization .They're hackers or corporate saboteurs, manipulators, insiders, erasers of history."
"Oh— I have heard of them but I never imagined them to go by this name." She says
They were using Aria's father's death as a weapon, exploiting my mother's blocked career, and now, they were inside Blackwood.
I felt a mix of fury and fear . Fear of what they could do next, fury at the audacity of anyone who thought they could outmaneuver me.
I stepped closer to Aria, I could feel the frustration rising inside me. " We can't act without proof" I said but Aria—
She didn't take this lightly. She becomes angry. "Patience ? The more we try to gather evidence, the more they strike. You don't understand— this is bigger than either of us. They're using my father's death and your mothers history to manipulate us." She said
What I feel at this moment is fear, fear of loosing her or letting this conspiracy succeed.
"I know ," I admitted Which is why we have to be careful and not act reckless otherwise …
"Otherwise what?" She cut in before I could finish my sentence. She continues " I get it now— you don't trust me."
"Ari," I continue with a soft voice "I trust you with my life but I'm scared of loosing you. If you shut me out now ,you'll loose everything we've been fighting for."
My eyes met hers and I could feel an emotional connection but in my mind —
this wasn't the time to be emotional but the fact I even felt it was a vulnerability they could exploit.
Just then, my phone buzzed
A message from an unknown number ;
Your mother was never meant to lead Blackwood. You were never meant to inherit it. Time to correct the mistake."
I freeze
Aria notices and leaned forward to see the message.
"Isn't this from U—COW " Aria asked
"Yes it is" I continue " Someone inside Blackwood Corp is working for U-COW."
Finally we decided to check on what Aria was earlier accused of doing and there it was
Her access card had been used to access restricted area but Aria never went there.
Someone is coming for us and it feels too personal.
Someone who isn't scared of ruining us.
I wish there was a way out of all this but the road seems rather blurry.