Chapter Sixty Three

Chapter Sixty Three
The London sky was dimming, twilight spilling across the large glass windows of Arion’s office. Outside, the city lights began to flicker on, one by one. Arion stared at his reflection in the window—sharp-eyed yet restless. The world he had inherited from his mother now teetered on the brink of collapse.

There was a double knock on the door.

“Come in,” he said, without turning around.

His personal assistant, Owen, entered carrying a folder. “These are the latest transaction reports from the Southeast Asia division. And… the internal audit file you requested.”

Arion took the thin folder and opened the first page. “Who was the last to access the central financial system?”

Owen hesitated. “Madam Harriet, a few days before you arrived in London.”

Arion slowly closed the folder. “Check all external connections from the past three months. I want to know who’s been helping Harriet from the outside.”

“Yes, Mr. McCallen.”

After Owen left, Arion stood and picked up his phone. He tapped a speed dial and waited.

“Reese,” came the deep voice on the other end.

“I need your help,” Arion said bluntly. “Someone’s betrayed the system. I want to know who—inside and out.”

“Give me two days,” Reese replied. “Send me the activity logs. And Arion… if this is really your father’s inheritance scheme, prepare to face old enemies.”

Arion didn’t answer. He just stared at his laptop screen, which now displayed The McCallen Hotels' organizational structure. Names he once trusted now looked like potential threats.

The next day, Hazel stepped into the private restaurant on the top floor of the Lancaster Hotel—one of McCallen’s flagship properties. She had arranged a meeting with two undecided board members: Margaret Ellison and James Trevors.

They were already seated when she arrived, facing each other across a round table with a glass of wine in front of each of them.

“Miss Hazel,” James greeted diplomatically. “We’re curious why you wanted this meeting without Harriet present.”

Hazel sat gracefully, placing a folder on the table. “Because Harriet isn’t the rightful heir to the McCallen empire. She’s just an interim executive supervisor. And I think both of you are smart enough to see who truly holds the vision for this company’s future.”

Margaret raised an eyebrow. “You mean Arion?”

“Exactly,” Hazel said firmly. “He’s the sole legal heir of Claudia McCallen. And if you want this company to survive the next five years, you know where your allegiance should lie.”

James folded his arms. “And what guarantees do we have that Arion can lead with stability? He’s been absent from the system for a long time. Harriet brought consistency.”

Hazel offered a subtle smile. She slid the report across the table. “Review this. Net profits rose in three foreign branches just one week after Arion returned and issued strategic orders. Meanwhile, Harriet diverted funds to strengthen legal control—non-profitable.”

Margaret skimmed the documents, exchanging glances with James.

Hazel leaned forward. “If you still want your seats on the board when the power shift is over, you’ll stand on the right side. This isn’t just business. This is about principle.”

James sighed. “We need time to think.”

Hazel smiled. “Take your time. But not too much.”

Elsewhere in the city, Harriet stood in her office, dressed in an ivory formal suit. A middle-aged man with an emotionless face stood before her.

“Arion has started moving,” she said without turning. “Hazel switched sides. We need to accelerate.”

The man nodded. “Shall I activate the second plan?”

Harriet nodded slowly. “Leak the documents on Claudia’s failed investments. Let public pressure come down on Arion. Make sure the media doesn’t know the source.”

“And Hazel?”

“Watch her. If she goes too far, we silence her.”

Meanwhile, Arion stood in the main conference room of McCallen Hotels headquarters. He had summoned three key people from finance, HR, and legal. A diagram on the screen outlined suspected data manipulation by Harriet.

“This isn’t just about a transfer of power,” Arion said coldly. “This is a covert takeover. And if we let it happen, this company will become a political tool.”

One of the legal staff, Amelia, asked cautiously, “Do you have concrete proof Harriet orchestrated all this illegally?”

Arion’s gaze was sharp. “Not yet. But we’ll find it.”

Then the door opened. Owen rushed in and handed over an envelope. “From Reese. He found someone directly tied to Harriet. A shadow lawyer named Laurent Deville.”

Arion opened the envelope and skimmed the contents. The report revealed Laurent had appeared in the purchase of minority shares from a French investor. If true, Harriet was building a transnational coalition to bring him down.

“Meet with Reese immediately. I want to know where Laurent is heading next,” Arion ordered.

After everyone left, Arion stood alone in the empty conference room. Only the hum of the AC and the ticking clock broke the silence.

One thing was clear: Harriet wasn’t just after control of the company. She was carving out her own legacy, rewriting the McCallen family history.

And Arion wouldn’t let her win.

Cliffhanger:

That night, on the balcony of his private penthouse, Arion received a call from an unknown number.

“Arion McCallen?” asked a man’s voice with an Eastern European accent.

“Who is this?”

“I knew your mother. Claudia hid something very valuable. And Harriet is looking for it. If you want the truth… come to Prague.”

The call ended.

Arion gripped his phone tightly. What had his mother hidden? And why was someone from Claudia’s past emerging now?

One thing was certain—this game was far bigger than a corporate power struggle.

It was about legacy. And secrets never meant to be revealed.