Side Chick Era... Over

Still, it was understandable–some matters inevitably touched on trade secrets.

Setting the company history aside, Sharon began reviewing Kalen Group’s current operations and investments.

Just then, a soft knock sounded at the door.

When she opened it, she found Richard standing outside.

Though Sharon had her share of clashes and disagreements with her three older brothers, they had never truly fallen out–and Richard was the reason why. 1

Even when he doubted her, he never voiced his suspicions too harshly, nor pushed things to an irreparable point. He always left a way back, a fragile bridge of civility still standing between them.

Sharon invited him in and poured a glass of water. “Dad, is something the matter?”

Richard smiled. “Theo mentioned you’ve been studying business lately, so I thought I’d come take a look. If there’s anything you don’t understand, you can always ask me.”

Kalen Group, no one understood the company better than

after your disappearance back then, the Kalen Group fell into chaos and nearly went bankrupt. I want to know–how

the question, a flicker of

your mother invested in,” he said. “It turned out to be a massive success–far beyond anyone’s expectations. That one investment temporarily stabilized the Kalen Group. Later, she made several more each yielding remarkable returns. Eventually,

tech companies that Kalen Group now controls–many of them were investments she made back then. At the time, no one

regaining control of the

was sentiment–he’d wanted to preserve something of Shayla after her

those very projects Shayla had invested in had exploded into prominence. Within just a few years, they’d grown at a staggering pace, becoming leaders in their fields–companies

the Kalen Group. Yet when she signed the contracts, she had granted the founders wide freedom to operate, intervening only in life- or–death

Normally, for that kind of capital injection, Kalen Group would send personnel into the partner company to supervise operations. But Shayla insisted

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even tried to remove her from her position. Tha moment Kalen