Dark Lord Seduction System: Taming Wives, Daughters, Aunts, and CEOs novel Chapter 847

Chapter 847: Aurelia the Antagonist

"That’s... interesting. According to our research, after the arrest of Vincent Castellano, Dmitri Volkov, and Antonio Rivera—the so-called ’three vultures’—the federal government seized multiple assets. Five companies were auctioned off: Meridian Logistics Corporation, Apex Manufacturing Solutions, Cloudstone Infrastructure, Genway Research Labs, and Hartfield Investment Group."

The lobby watched in frozen silence.

Sunlight caught her silhouette—cold gold outlining a figure that looked less like a woman ascending and more like something inevitable rising to claim what was already hers.

Tall, razor-slim, coat hugging every curve like it had been poured on—narrow waist cinched tight, hips swaying with lethal precision, breasts high and firm beneath the blouse that left just enough to the imagination to make underlings sweat.

"I remember reading about that," the head of strategy interjected, voice cautious. "Those once promising companies became nothing after the vultures took them over, until they were worth over a billion dollars combined before the vultures were destroyed. The government sold them for—what was it?—two billion to some private buyer?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"Quantum Tech," the assistant said quietly. "Through a holding company. They purchased all five companies for two billion dollars total."

Aurelia’s expression didn’t change, but everyone in the hallway felt the temperature drop another degree—like she’d personally dialed down the thermostat to corpse-cold.

"So, Liberation Holdings owns thirty-three percent of Quantum Tech," she said slowly. "And Quantum Tech now owns five strategic companies across shipping, manufacturing, infrastructure, pharmaceutical research, and financial services through Liberation Holdings. Companies that would’ve been deliberately undervalued at any auction because they’d been sabotaged."

"Yes, ma’am."

"And what is Quantum Tech and Liberation Holdings doing with these companies?"

The assistant hesitated. "That’s... actually strange. According to our sources, nothing. Meridian Logistics is sitting idle. No ships deployed, no new contracts, no operational changes, still under the same management and employees, yet still paid for their doing nothing.

"Same with Apex Manufacturing—the facilities are maintained but not producing anything. Cloudstone’s data centers are running but not taking on new clients. Genway’s research labs are staffed but not pursuing FDA trials. Hartfield’s financial services division is operating at minimal capacity."

"They’re doing nothing with five companies worth over two billion dollars," Aurelia repeated.

"It appears that way. Almost like they’re... waiting for something. Or they acquired them for reasons that aren’t immediately apparent."

Aurelia turned to face the assistant fully. "How many companies did they want to acquire?"

"I’m sorry?"

"You said five companies. How many did they originally intend to acquire of all the companies the vultures had destroyed?"

The assistant’s fingers flew across her tablet. "According to the official documents... seven companies were initially flagged for potential acquisition. Five were purchased. The other two went to different buyers."

"So, they could’ve got all seven. Got five. And now they’re doing nothing with any of them." Aurelia’s smile was knife-thin. "That’s not inaction. That’s patience. They’re building something. A network. An infrastructure. Something that requires all the pieces to be in place before activation."

She pushed open her office door.

"I want to know everything about Liberation Holdings, Liberation Funds, and every company they’ve touched. I want to know who Charlotte Thompson reports to, who funds her operations, who makes the strategic decisions. I want organizational charts, financial flows, communication patterns."

"Ms. Royce, with respect, that level of investigation will require significant resources and—"

"Then allocate them." Aurelia stepped into her office. "Liberation Holdings has thirty-three percent of a trillions dollar company... an eight-hundred-billion-dollar worthy. Liberation Funds is generating impossible returns that suggest either genius or fraud. And Quantum Tech is sitting on five strategic companies worth a billion dollars, doing nothing with them. That’s not a business. That’s a chess position. And I want to know what game they’re playing."

She paused at her desk, fingers resting lightly on the polished surface.

"Schedule a meeting with Charlotte Thompson. Kingsley Private Equity would like to discuss potential investment opportunities with Quantum Tech."

"Should I mention specific—"

"Just the meeting. No details. Make it sound routine. Professional courtesy between two firms in the same city." Aurelia’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. "Charlotte Thompson will accept. She’ll be curious about why I’m reaching out. And curiosity makes people careless."

The twitching assistant made notes. "And if she declines?"

Liberation Holdings.

Liberation Funds.

Quantum Tech.

"Watch them," he’d said. "They’re not like the others. They’re not playing by the rules we know."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify