Chapter 259

By the last few words, his voice had faded to almost nothing.

Cody looked at his grandson's defeated posture and was silent for a long time.

Finally, he sighed and reached out, patting Cedric's shoulder.

"Get up. Stop kneeling."

Cedric rose. His gaze stayed low.

"Cedric."

Cody leaned back in his wheelchair, eyes drifting to the window, his voice turning distant.

"You treat Katniss the same way you treat this company—control, management, risk mitigation. But she's not one of your employees. She's your wife."

Cedric stiffened. His throat bobbed.

"If you still want a future with her, you need to learn how to lower yourself a little."

Cody waved his hand. "Alright. Take me home. I'm tired."

As soon as they left the building, Cody had the housekeeper call Katniss—said he missed her, asked her to come for dinner.

---

When Katniss arrived, Cody was sitting in the rattan chair in the living room, basking in the sun.

Afternoon light poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, gilding his white hair with gold.

His eyes were half-closed—he looked asleep. But the moment he heard footsteps, they opened.

"Katniss."

"Grandpa."

She walked over and sat in the chair beside him.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better. A few more days and I'll be on my feet."

Cody smiled warmly, then turned to the housekeeper. "Go check if the soup's ready."

The housekeeper took the hint and left.

Just the two of them now.

Cody's smile faded. He looked at Katniss, his gaze turning serious. "Sweetheart, be honest with me. Are you in some kind of trouble?"

Katniss's fingers curled slightly, but her expression didn't change. "What makes you ask that, Grandpa?"

"Don't deflect."

Cody waved his hand.

"That grandson of mine might be a fool, but he's not wrong about one thing—whatever you're doing, we need to make sure you're safe."

Katniss lowered her head, staring at her hands on her knees, silent for a long time.

She was torn.

She didn't want Cody to worry—his health had only just stabilized. But if Leon really was involved, Cody might be the only person who truly understood the man.

She looked up, meeting those clouded but still sharp eyes, and made her decision.

"Grandpa, I need to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Leon. How well do you know him?"

Cody's expression froze for an instant.

The moment was fleeting—if Katniss hadn't been watching his face closely, she would have missed it.

But his eyes betrayed him.

Not surprise. A heaviness that said he'd been expecting this.

"Why are you asking about him?"

Cody's voice dropped low.

Katniss bit her lip, then told him everything Lillian had said. Every detail, nothing held back.

When she finished, Cody fell into a rare silence. His weathered face was grave.

Katniss didn't push. She waited.

"That man."

After what felt like an eternity, Cody finally spoke, his voice faraway.

"When we were building this company together, he was the friend I trusted most."

Katniss listened quietly.

"We suffered together. Survived the hardest days together. He's twenty years younger than me. I treated him like family."

"And he was capable. The York Group wouldn't be what it is without him."

Cody paused, his tone growing complicated. "But later... he changed."

Katniss didn't interrupt.

Cody closed his eyes, as if reaching back through decades of memory.

"He started keeping score. Who had more shares. Who held the higher title. Those things consumed him."

"Once, I promoted someone else to CEO instead of him. After that, he never said a word about it. But I could feel it—the resentment."

"I thought he'd mellow with age. He'd reached the position he deserved. He'd fought his battles. It was time to let go."

Cody opened his eyes and looked at Katniss, his gaze heavy with regret.

"I never imagined... he still hasn't."

Katniss's heart sank.

"Grandpa, is it possible he has secret accounts overseas?"

Cody looked at her, was silent for a few seconds, then slowly nodded.

"Yes."

Katniss's breath caught.

"I stumbled across it years ago."

Cody's voice was very low.

"The company had an issue with an overseas deal. I had someone audit the books, and that account surfaced."

"I didn't make it public. I just hinted at it once. He said it was a personal investment account. I didn't push."

"Is that account still active?"

"I don't know."

Cody shook his head.

"But I can tell you this—if he really is behind all of it, that account is the key."

Katniss committed every detail to memory, then took Cody's hand and said softly, "Thank you for telling me, Grandpa."

Cody gripped her hand back—surprisingly hard. He looked her in the eye and spoke deliberately.

"Sweetheart, promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Whatever you're going to do, stay safe."

Cody's voice trembled.

"I'm old. I can't bear losing anyone else."

Katniss's eyes burned. She nodded firmly.

"I promise."

---

That afternoon, Katniss returned to the office as usual. But the moment she stepped through her door, her assistant came rushing up behind her, nearly out of breath.

Hearing the hurried footsteps, Katniss turned instinctively, surprised. "Why are you running? What happened?"

"Ms. Astor." The assistant caught her breath. "The board called an emergency meeting. They need you there immediately."

Katniss's step faltered.

An emergency board meeting. No advance notice. No pre-circulated agenda.

At this particular moment, called in this particular way—she already had a feeling about what was coming.

She turned, her mind racing through contingencies, and nodded at her assistant. "Got it. I'm heading there now."

She walked out.

The assistant followed, her lowered voice still carrying an edge of anxiety. "Ms. Astor, I heard the meeting agenda involves you."

Katniss didn't slow down or look back. "Who told you that?"

"It's all over the office. Mr. Peterson's secretary printed out some kind of email screenshot and made several copies."