"Look at you," Marlene said coldly. "So arrogant, so blind to your place in this world. Now, you haven't just offended the important people. You've offended me too."

"So what!" Nikolaus snapped. "You have to return every contract with the Krugers, or we'll sue."

"What if I don't?" Marlene asked, calm and dangerous.

"Then you'll watch the Eden Group get torn apart by the Krugers." Nikolaus's pride flared; he refused to look small in front of Annabella.

Marlene smiled like a razor. "Fine. You go your way. I'll go mine. Let's see which one of us ends up destroyed today."

Annabella exploded. "Who do you think you are, bitch? The Krugers built Eden up do you forget that? You want to kick them out now? Let's see who falls because of that. Nikolaus, sue her. Make them pay for breaching the contract. Let them go bankrupt!"

Nikolaus pressed his bracelet, voice cold. "You'd better change your mind before it's too late."

"I'll warn you the same," Marlene said, fingers on her own bracelet. "If you sue us, you make an enemy of Eden Group. We'll see who survives."

"Nikolaus, this woman's insufferable-let's punish her!" Annabella cried.

"You leave me no choice." Nikolaus tapped his bracelet and dialed. "I want to file an official complaint with the government business ethics board. Eden Group is unilaterally cutting ties with the Krugers. That's going to cause massive material loss. I want to pursue litigation."

Marlene snorted, palm flat against her bracelet. "Olivia-announce it now. Eden Group severs all ties with the Krugers. Notify every partner: anyone still connected to the Krugers after twenty-four hours is barred from working with us. Cancel their contracts on sight. From this moment on, they're our enemy."

Annabella curled her lip. "You think that intimidates Nikolaus? You don't understand how big the Kruger family is. Nikolaus-sue them for a billion. Let's

bury them. We will burn this Eden Group to the ground."

Nikolaus went white. "You-Eden Group—this is impossible. Just wait until I sue. I swear you'll come crawling back, begging me to drop it."

"Keep dreaming," Marlene said, ice in her voice.

"You'll regret this! You don't know what my fiancé capable of," Annabella spat,

venomous.

At that moment Nikolaus's bracelet chimed. He fumbled for it. "Here come the results. You're dead, Eden Group!" he crowed before the screen even loaded.

The projected report blinked into life on the holo-crisp, official, merciless. "You are unable to sue Eden Group for terminating the collaboration. Per the renewal clause signed last year, Eden may unilaterally end the partnership without penalty."

barked. "This-this can't be. We would never sign

scanned copy of your contract, including the clause and its fine print. It

the clause glared back at him in microprint. His mouth moved but no sound

such a clause through during renewal, while both parties were

learned to write contracts in a way that left no room for loss, not

into armor. She wasn't just a negotiator. She

flat. "Eden Group has declared the Kruger family persona non grata. Remove him and his-companion. They don't

efficient, unhesitating. One stepped forward, seized Nikolaus's wrist and wrenched it back

He tried to pull free; the android tightened, clinical and

androids seized Annabella before she could take

who I am?" she screamed, voice

cold, mechanical precision, it slammed her to the floor when she tried to resist. Her scream echoed through the marble hall, sharp and desperate, as the machines dragged both her and Nikolaus toward the

glass doors hissed open, spilling sunlight and humiliation on them.

back and delivered the verdict in

hissed shut behind them as they

by

Nikolaus's bracelet suddenly vibrated.

holo-screen blinked

of a middle-aged man. His

you do? Eden Group just terminated every single project with us! Who did you

Nikolaus's face twisted in

No, Dad, I didn't

only came to

even saw her, she accused me of offending someone and canceled the contract on the

me

You had the nerve to sue them, and because of that, our partners are abandoning us one by one! The banks are breathing down our necks, we're drowning in debt-bankruptcy is right at our door! And it's all

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not my fault," Nikolaus stammered,

words left his mouth,

had insulted since

spun toward Annabella. "Annabella... this is about your cousin-in-law,

a half-slave-how could he possibly have any connection with Eden Group? He

He thought of his father's fury and the ruined contracts. "I

appeared, striding toward them in the crisp gray uniform of Eden Group. A polished name tag caught the light on his chest

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