That night, Val picked up her phone and dialed Lucien. I watched her from the bed, noting the careful way she held herself even in private—the balance of control and worry in her posture.
"Lucien," she said firmly, but her voice carried that soft undertone I knew ant she was concerned.
"Kai already told you, didn't he?" Lucien's voice was tense, hesitant.
Val's eyes narrowed slightly, but her tone stayed even. "Yes… but I need to hear it from you. I need to know you're okay. And I need to know how far Dad pushed you to do sothing this… reckless."
There was a pause on the line. I could see her waiting, breathing asured, letting him take the ti to answer.
Lucien sighed. "I… I ssed up, Cel. I didn't think he'd—" He hesitated, and I knew exactly what he ant.
Val's voice cut through softly but firmly. "Tomorrow morning. I'll co to your office at eight. We go to Dad together, figure this out before it gets worse."
"So soon? I an…" Lucien's hesitation betrayed him.
"The longer you wait," Val said, quick and certain, "the bigger the problem becos. We handle it now, not later. Do you understand?"
"Yeah... you're right, Celestia. And… thank you, Kai. I know you can hear ."
I shifted slightly on the bed. "Goodnight, Lucien," I said quietly.
"Thank you too, Celestia," he replied.
"Don't thank yet," Val said firmly before ending the call.
She set the phone down and turned to face . The tension in her shoulders eased slightly, but her expression remained resolute. I reached over and squeezed her hand. "We'll get through this," I said. She returned the squeeze firmly, her grip steady, reassuring.
The next morning, I woke to the sound of soft footsteps and a little hum coming from the edge of the bed. Blinking the sleep from my eyes, I saw Val already up, fully dressed in her crisp office attire. Her hair was pinned neatly, and there was a small glint of mischief in her eyes that made my chest tighten in a good way.
"Good morning, husband," she said, voice low and playful, leaning on the bedfra with a grin that was almost too cute to handle this early.
I rubbed at my eyes and tried to stretch without losing my balance. "Good morning," I murmured, still half in dreamland. "You're up… early."
"Yeah… I need to et Lucien first, then we'll go see Dad," she said simply.
I nodded, "right."
I watched her finish adjusting her jacket and shoes, quietly noting the determination in her movents. She glanced at mid-step and added softly, "You're gonna be okay today, right?"
Her exhale was audible, like a small release of tension. "Yeah. Probably," she said, letting a small smile touch her lips.
She leaned down and pressed a kiss to my lips. It was quick, tender, and grounding all at once. My hand automatically went to her waist, feeling the warmth of her.
Pulling back slightly, she added, "Make sure you eat before leaving."
"Of course," I said, the words firm but my thoughts still swirling with the news I had to tell her later.
A softer tone followed, almost hesitant. "Drive safe," I said.
"You too," she replied, with just the smallest tilt of her head and a look that said she knew the day would be heavy, but she also knew I trusted her to handle it.
I watched her gather her briefcase and keys, then pause at the door for a heartbeat. She glanced back, one last smile, not a teasing one this ti, but genuine and steady. Then she was gone, leaving the quiet echo of her footsteps behind her.
I remained in bed for a few monts longer, letting the reality settle in. She was already on her way to Moreau Dynamics, about to face what might be the biggest storm yet, and I wouldn't be there. All I could do is hope it goes well.
---
Val took a deep breath as she walked down the familiar hallways of Moreau Dynamics. Even though she'd been here countless tis before, today felt different. The weight of responsibility, of urgency, pressed against her chest in a way it hadn't before. She reached the door to the office of the Executive Vice President of Global Operations, Lucien's office. A knock was barely necessary—Lucien, as usual, had already spotted her approaching.
"You ready?" she asked softly, pausing in the doorway.
Lucien ran a hand over his face and shook his head. "Not really," he admitted, the tension in his shoulders making him look younger than he should. His normally confident deanor cracked, his eyes darting toward the papers scattered on his desk.
Val exhaled slowly, a grounding presence for the brother she loved. "Hey, take a breath. You're not alone in this. We'll figure it out together."
He gave a half-hearted nod, his panic slightly easing under her calm. "Yeah… thanks."
Val allowed a small smile, but didn't linger. Then they moved through the hallways in near silence, and entered the elevator.
When they reached the top floor, Val's grip on her brother's sleeve tightened just enough to remind him that she was there, that they had each other's back. The doors slid open, revealing the familiar, imposing office of their father, Charlie George Moreau.
Charlie didn't speak imdiately. His eyes swept over them, taking in the tense set of Lucien's shoulders, the composed posture of Val. For a heartbeat, the room was silent, the kind of silence that demanded attention and honesty.
Lucien swallowed. "Dad… I… I ssed up." His voice shook despite his efforts to sound steady. "I… I accidentally sold my shares of Moreau Dynamics. To… Vanguard Ark Investnts. I—I didn't an to. I thought… I thought he was bringing support to the company. I didn't realize…" His words tumbled out in a rush, stuttering as he tried to explain, to make sense of the irreversible mistake. "From how… how he spoke, I… I now see I was played from the very start."
Charlie's gaze sharpened, the kind that could slice through walls of excuses. "You never fail to surprise , Lucien," he said flatly.
Val stepped forward, her voice firm yet steady. "That isn't what's necessary right now. What matters is finding a solution." She locked eyes with her father, letting him know that while she acknowledged the gravity of the mistake, panic wouldn't solve anything.
Charlie paused, considering her words. Finally, he spoke. "I'll call for a board eting with the directors. I strongly suspect Otavio didn't stop at just acquiring your shares, Lucien." His gaze sharpened montarily on his son before shifting back to Val. "You'll need to gather everything—docunts, communications, anything related to the whatever Lucien signed. I want full transparency."
Val exhaled, a mix of relief and continued anxiety. "Of course, Dad. I will."
Charlie gave a asured nod. "That will be all."
Val and Lucien turned to leave his office, stepping carefully past the long, polished mahogany desk.
Once they were out of earshot, Lucien let out a small, almost sheepish sigh. "Sorry for dragging you into my ss," he murmured, as if confessing a personal failing to the one person who had always had his back.
Val's lips curved into a small, warm smile. "That's what family is for, isn't it?" She paused, letting the words sink in, letting him feel steady. "Apology accepted."
Lucien shifted, visibly releasing so of the tension that had gripped him since the mont he realized the error. "I… I really am sorry for everything," he admitted softly, his voice carrying both guilt and the recognition that Val had never been his competition.
She exhaled, letting the tightness in her chest ease slightly. "Can you send every copy of the docunts tied to the Protheus Acquisition Index you have with you?" she asked, voice steady.
Lucien didn't hesitate. "Of course. I'll send everything."
Val nodded, satisfied for the mont, then added, softer now, "And if Mr. Otavio contacts you again, let know, okay?"
Lucien gave a small nod, a quiet acknowledgnt of her leadership. "Right. Sorry again for… everything," he murmured, a quieter echo this ti.
Val's smile returned, just slightly, gentle but commanding respect. "Apology accepted. Now, let's focus on the solution. I've got work to do. We'll regroup after everything's in place."
She turned and walked toward the elevator, steady and purposeful. Lucien watched her go, still uneasy but grateful. For the first ti, he realized Val had never been against him—she had only been there, ready to help when he stumbled.
As the elevator doors closed, the focus returned. Val thought about the steps she needed to take: securing the shares, protecting the company, and making sure nothing else went wrong. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she also knew she would handle it.
She didn't know exactly how I was doing, and I wasn't here to share the victory or the calm with her.
But in that mont, her focus was entirely on the path ahead, on the responsibility she bore as a Moreau, as a leader, as the sister who would protect her family. The storm was coming, but Val was ready to et it head-on.
---
To be continued...
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