Chapter 56 Return to the Velvet Room
"Victor Chen has kept things steady for years, but sometimes he's just too careful. Lately, he backs down too quickly instead of stepping up and taking charge," Grant said.
"So you are saying someone's challenging his leadership?" Adrian asked.
"People in the Consortium are starting to question his decisions. For now, it's just a disagreement," Grant said, his smile fading. "But things could get worse quickly."
"Can you tell us who?" Eva demanded. "Who sent us that photograph?"
"I'm not sure about that. But if I had to guess..." Grant paused, choosing his words carefully.
"There's a woman. She goes by the name Architect. Even in our group, hardly anyone has met her in person," he said, lowering his voice.
Grant paused before continuing. She gets other people to do her work. She's been gaining power in the Consortium for a while, and she has always made it clear she thinks Victor is too weak.
"So, it's an open rivalry," Eva commented.
You could say that. Last year, someone who challenged her vanished overnight, along with his whole family. The only thing left was a blueprint on his office wall marked with red lines. That's the kind of warning she gives. People still talk about it.
Eva felt her stomach knot, a cold prickle running along her arms.
She tried to calm her breathing, but the image of a vanished family and a blueprint marked with red lines stayed with her.
For a moment, she couldn't tell if she felt more scared or angry. Either way, the Architect's presence felt heavy and real.
"The Architect." Adrian's voice was flat. "What do we actually know about her? Do you know anything personal?"
"Very little. The Architect is very careful, maybe the most careful person I've ever met."
Adrian raised an eyebrow. Even people in the Consortium didn't know anything about her?
"She never uses her real name, and we don't have a clear picture of her. Even her past has been wiped clean, Grant said, spreading his hands.
"So, you basically know nothing about her."
"What I do know is she sees the Consortium as a way to gain power, not just to make money. She wants full control over everything and everyone she can reach."
Eva felt a chill. "So she wants to control everything. And she's interested in us?"
"You could say that. You're well-known in the group now. After you exposed Helena Park's theft scheme and outsmarted Reena Park, people started seeing you differently. Then you made a deal with Victor Chen, and your connection to the Cavanaugh empire gives you influence and resources others don't have. These things have caught her attention," Grant said almost kindly.
"Seriously?"
Grant pressed his lips together. "The Architect doesn't like people who stand out. She wants everyone to stay in their place."
"And she sent the photograph to remind us of ours."
"Maybe. Or maybe she wants to test if Victor will keep his promise to you. If he fails to protect you, it makes him look even weaker."
Eva stood up quickly and walked to the window. Her mind raced as she tried to figure out what this meant for her family.
The Consortium wasn't just a single enemy. It was a group of people, each with their own plans and ways of doing things. Victor Chen might have stayed away, but the Architect clearly wanted something different.
Eva stared out the window, her voice shaking.
For a moment, fear froze her. The thought of someone powerful and hidden watching her children, threatening the family she had built, made her stomach twist.
Was she really strong enough to keep them safe? Doubt came quickly and sharply before she pushed it away.
"How do we stop her? If she knows where my children are and can reach us here, what will stop her from taking everything I love? I need to know how far she'll go because I won't let her destroy my family," Eva said.
Eva turned to Adrian. "We need to fight back, not just respond. Let's make a real plan. We should watch the Architect's movements, improve our security, and contact every ally we have."
Eva paced the room, already thinking ahead. "I'll ask the shelters to watch for new people and tell Uncle Leonard to quietly spread the word. No one gets close without my approval."
"Eva…" Adrian reached out to her, but Eva slipped past him.
"If the Architect is watching us, she'll see we're not helpless. I won't let her decide my children's future or our family's. I promise she'll regret ever thinking we were easy targets."
"You don't," Grant said plainly. "The Architect has money, connections, and patience. If she's after you, you can hide, fight, or negotiate, but you can't stop her. Still," he hesitated, looking at their faces.
"There has to be something."
"There's one thing." Grant paused. "You should show her that you are more valuable alive than dead. That you matter to the Architect in some way."
"You are suggesting that we work for her?"
"Don't get me wrong. I just want you to live. How you do it is up to you."
Eva turned to face him, her expression hard. "I will never work for people who threaten my children. Never."
Grant shrugged. "Then you'd better hope Victor Chen can get things under control. If the Architect takes over the Consortium..." He didn't say more, but the warning was clear.
Adrian stood and placed himself beside Eva. "Thank you for the information, Grant. We'll be in touch."
"I'm sure you will." Grant's friendly smile came back. "And Mrs. Fransis, a piece of advice: The Architect values intelligence, strategy, and the ability to think several steps ahead. If you have to fight her, don't do it with emotion. Do it carefully. After a proper plan."
Eva met his eyes steadily. "Thank you, Grant. I'll keep that in mind."
They left the Velvet Room with more questions than answers, and a new enemy lurking in the shadows.
The drive back to the estate was silent.
Eva stared out the window, watching the city pass by, her mind racing with everything they'd learned. The mysterious Architect was after them, a fight for power had begun in the Consortium, and her family was stuck in the middle of things they hardly understood.
Eva pressed her forehead to the cool glass and allowed herself, just for a moment, to wonder if she had brought this danger home by trying to do the right thing.
Eva thought of her children—of their laughter earlier that morning.
Fear clawed at her when she imagined them being dragged into threats they were too young to even think of.
Still, beneath the fear, there was a hope in Eva's heart that she could keep them safe, that her determination to protect might be enough to shield them from the storm coming closer.
Every regret and every promise she had ever made circled in her mind, tangled with worry and stubborn resolve.
She promised herself a silent vow: Whatever happened next, she would not let the darkness steal her family's future.
"We should postpone the wedding."