"It's just a shame he can't give the authorities any more answers," Claire murmured.
"He was definitely silenced, wasn't he?"
Padgett's strategic mind clicked into place as he cooled down.
"Absolutely silenced," Claire agreed.
Vane's assassination proved there was an extensive network of operatives still hiding in Solenia.
Otherwise, how could they have pinpointed his classified black site so quickly? Silas Carl's team was undoubtedly tearing the city apart following this exact lead.
It wouldn't be long before they flushed out a massive nest of rats.
"Since the operation has escalated to this level, it's officially above our paygrade," Padgett warned.
He had decades of survival experience over Claire, and he firmly instructed her not to dig for updates.
"The more you know, the larger the target on your back. I suspect your parents have been kept off the grid for this exact reason."
"The government hid their existence to prevent these hidden operatives from weaponizing their identities and drawing out..."
His analysis was perfectly logical.
Claire nodded. "That's exactly what my grandmother said. You two are totally on the same wavelength."
"Don't worry, Padgett. I know my limits. Just knowing they're alive is enough—we'll see them eventually."
"Maybe they're close to finishing their project and coming home."
Working in classified research often meant long, grueling years trapped in hidden labs.
Some scientists spent their entire lives ghosting the outside world, completely erased from their hometowns.
Claire prayed her parents wouldn't share that fate. She wanted them to come home the second their mission was complete!
Their family had spent decades waiting for them.
With a shared understanding, the two silently agreed to drop all talk of Agassi and Melissa.
Later that afternoon, Owen practically dragged Claire to the Luminate headquarters.
Following the new year, the brand's latest product line had launched to explosive
success.
Owen's phone was ringing off the hook with trust-fund buddies begging to buy in.
Owen was ruthless in business.
Luminate was a certified cash
and he mercilessly rejected the famet
dead
weight trying to leach off it.
However, he understood the value of strategic alliances and shared wealth.
He had handpicked a few elite candidates.
He was just waiting for Claire to return to host a dinner, wanting her to give them the final stamp of approval.
If she didn't like someone, they were out immediately.
"I'm not a dictator," Owen joked. "The guys I picked are rock solid."
"We give up a small slice of the pie now, but their connections will clear every hurdle in our path."
Even with the massive Churchill dynasty backing him, Owen preferred building his own empire.
After weighing the pros and cons, he brought Claire along to integrate her into his web.
She was a genius. Elite heirs had
more than just money-they
undeniable power and made and mutare
support was
the key to fongevity
Claire understood Owen's meticulous planning.
She despised corporate mixers, but his logic was bulletproof.
"Since you already set it up, let's do it," she agreed.
Owen let out a breath of relief at her compliance.
He wanted her to build an untouchable network so she'd never have to compromise with Dane.
The Churchills could protect her, but legacy families came with suffocating restrictions.
True power had to be earned. He was helping her build connections so she wouldn't be financially
crippled in the future Contovel?
.net>
Would her career stagnate once she officially married Dane?
Or would she be forced to abandon it entirely to become the silent trophy wife behind him?
Owen knew damn well that Claire was far too ambitious to ever settle for being a housewife.