Chapter 5

Julian’s fun was interrupted again.

He opened the door, his face a mask of fury, clearly annoyed.

The person opposite him was extremely anxious, speaking without preamble.

"I just called you, but you didn't answer. Mr. Thorne said there was trouble at the company."

"What kind of trouble?"

"Corporate secrets were stolen. Mr. Thorne is furious."

I lay stunned on the bed, my heart leaping to my throat.

Had they found out about my hacking?

Would Julian still let me leave?

I secretly pondered my options. Julian, I realized, had quietly walked over to my side.

To escape and avoid detection, I deliberately tried to seduce him.

I peeled back the sheets, exposing my leg:

"What, weren't you going to teach me how to be pathetic?"

Julian frowned deeply. He yanked the blanket back over me.

He pulled his discarded suit pants back on, then narrowed his eyes, giving me a chilling warning.

"Skylar, I’m warning you, don’t do pathetic things like that, and don’t provoke me."

???

Excuse me?

Who was provoking whom?

After Julian finished speaking, he pushed open the door and walked out.

It seemed he hadn’t discovered anything. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Back home, I copied the contents of the USB drive onto my computer.

Sure enough, I found a significant clue.

It turned out that while Thorne Industries was cooperating with us, they were also secretly colluding with other corporations.

This was likely the fundamental reason for my company's bankruptcy.

And the direct catalyst for my parents' deaths.

I would uncover the truth step by step, and take my revenge step by step.

But to uncover it, I needed an entry point.

Since it involved Thorne Industries…

That entry point could only be *that* person.