Chapter 7

Zia

The adoption papers. That was the first thing to do. Jason said he could get them by tomorrow night. That was fast. Faster than I thought, and it showed how much power the Thorne family had, or at least Jason did. I needed to know everything. Who were my real parents? Why was I given away? And why in the world did the Thornes seem to know all about it, playing this cruel game with my life?

I pulled out the new credit card and ID Xander had given me. Zia Thorne. I scoffed at it, the name felt strange, hard to even think. It was a fake name afterall, a temporary cover, but it was also a sign of this marriage I didn’t want. The ID had a new address too, something about a Thorne Group apartment building in the city. Another temporary place to live, maybe, but possibly one with a bit more freedom than this big house. I put the card and ID in my wallet. I wouldn’t use them unless I absolutely had to, but they were there, a tool I could use.

I spent hours that night just thinking. My head was full of questions. The twenty million dollars. Being adopted. Xander’s grandfather, Alaric, clearly planning all of this. He wasn't some kind old man trying to just settle a debt. He was the one pulling all the strings, and I was just the newest piece in his game. But I wasn't going to be controlled. I was going to cut those strings.

Sleep didn't come easy. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Martha’s fake tears, heard Ally’s happy voice, Richard’s laughter. Not really our child. Adopted for the money. Those words were burned into my mind. They didn't just leave me; they used me. They sold me twice. Once when they adopted me, and again when they married me off to Xander Thorne. The thought made my blood go cold. They were going to regret every single second of it. I'd promised them their worst nightmare, and I meant it.

The next morning, I was up early. The house was still quiet, only the soft hum of its systems could be heard. I got some coffee from the kitchen – Gina was already moving around busily, making breakfast – and took it to the small balcony off my room. The cool morning air didn't help clear my head much, but at least I could breathe.

I pulled out my secret phone, the one Xander didn't know about, and immediately called Angie. She answered quickly, sounding awake and ready.

"Hey, are you okay? After yesterday?" she asked, her worry clear even through the phone. Angie knew me better than anyone. She knew when I was pretending.

"I'm fine. Mad as hell, but fine," I told her, no need to pretend for her. "Listen, I'm heading into the office today. I need you to start Project Genesis right away. Use everything we have. Every single thing." Project Genesis was the new secret name. It fit. This was about new beginnings. About finding mine.

"Genesis? This sounds... serious," Angie replied, but I could hear her typing already, opening the secure network. "What's everything involved? You sounded very serious yesterday when you texted me."

"It is serious," I said, walking back and forth on the balcony. "I need every piece of information on the Thornes – especially Alaric and Arthur. Every business deal, every person they know, every secret they've ever hidden. All family members specifically, Isabella Thorne. Arthur’s wife. I need you to find out everything about her. Her past, her family, everything before she married into the Thornes. And do it without anyone noticing. This is super secret, Angie. Like, it could ruin everything if it gets out."

"Isabella?" Angie repeated, pausing a bit. "Okay, that's a surprise. But you got it. And use the usual secret way of doing things for this kind of search?"

"Absolutely. Use the secret way of doing things for everything. And one more thing for Genesis," I added, my voice getting harder. "Find me every adoption place, orphanage, or private adoption in Fairmont City, and any big cities within 200 miles, from twenty-four, twenty-five years ago. I know it's very hard to find, but if anyone can find it, it's us."

"A very hard to find thing with a time limit, got it," Angie said, her tone serious now, fully aware of how important it was. "This proves it, doesn't it? What you heard from your… the Ryans."

"Yeah," I confirmed, the word stuck in my throat. "It's worse than you can imagine, Ang. But we're going to figure it out. Together."

"Always," she said firmly, her voice warm and comforting. "Your office is ready. It's really modern. Everything is locked down with codes. No one gets in without my fingerprint and my keycard. Not even Xander Thorne's team could break into it."

"Good," I simply said. "Because I need it. I'm getting right to work. See you in an hour."

"Drive safe. Don't do anything stupid before I can give you some data," she warned, a hint of her usual teasing tone back.

"Never," I promised, and we hung up. I put on a sharp, dark jacket over a simple top, with high-waisted jeans and high heels. This wasn't just about looking professional; it was about feeling like my true self – Zia Rayan, the one who built Quantum from nothing, the one who saw things others missed. They had no idea who they were dealing with.

I called Jason. "Jason, can you take me to the Quantum offices, please?"

"Yes, Madam," he replied instantly, his voice calm as ever. He seemed to understand without needing long talks, which was a relief. His calm way of working was something I could use.

The drive was quiet. I sat in the back, looking out the window, watching the city wake up. My life had been turned upside down, but in a strange way, it felt like I was finally seeing things clearly. The cloud of being the Ryans' 'bad daughter' was going away, replaced by the sharp, painful truth that I meant nothing to them. And that pain made me feel strong. Stronger than ever.

When we arrived at the Quantum building, I noticed the slight increase in security. Extra cameras hidden well. New faces among the guards. Angie was clearly on top of things. Jason opened the door for me, his presence a quiet shadow. I walked into the sleek lobby, feeling a surge of pride and a strong feeling of owning it. This was mine. This was Quantum.

Angie met me in the lobby, pulling me into a quick, firm hug before letting go. "Ready to mess up some computer systems?" she grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"More than ready," I replied, a serious smile touching my lips.