Chapter 141: The Invitation

An invitation from CyberFront arrived three days later.

At first, Chris thought it was simply another business proposal.

CyberFront Technologies had already expressed interest in having him and Liliana become global ambassadors for the company. Considering the scale of the corporation and its growing influence in cybersecurity, the invitation itself was not unusual.

What was unusual was that the invitation was not addressed only to Chris.

Matthew St. Claire received one as Chairman of St. Claire Entertainment.

Chris received another personally.

And then, unexpectedly, the Sterling family received one as well.

The news left everyone gathered in the St. Claire Mansion’s private meeting room staring at one another.

Lucia held the invitation tightly in her hands. After twenty years of silence, her adopted son had finally reached out. Arthur Jones wanted to see her.

Victor was the first to break the silence.

"He’s shaken."

Sarah nodded slowly. "I think so, too."

Chris leaned back in his chair, his expression thoughtful.

"Why?"

Victor looked toward him.

"Because Edward and Vanessa’s deaths have resurfaced."

The room became quiet.

"For twenty years, everyone believed it was an accident," Victor continued. "But now the investigation is pointing toward murder. Arthur knows that. He must know that the family is looking into what happened."

Sarah folded her arms.

"Maybe he’s worried someone will connect him to it."

Lucia’s expression changed with those words.

She looked down at the invitation.

"Do you think he contacted me because he wants to know whether I suspect him?"

"Possibly," Matthew answered.

"Or," Chris said calmly, "he wants to make sure none of us suspect him."

Everyone looked at him.

Chris placed both hands on the table.

"Either way, we can’t let him know what we know."

Robin had been standing near the large screen at the end of the room. He tapped his tablet, bringing up a list of names.

"I looked into the guest list."

Matthew immediately stood.

"You already have it?"

Robin smiled faintly.

"CyberFront’s event isn’t exactly private. There are a lot of prominent business leaders attending."

The list appeared on the screen.

Matthew’s expression slowly hardened.

"I know these people."

He stepped closer.

"These were Edward’s business partners."

Robin nodded.

"There are also several people who were friends with Edward."

Matthew continued scanning the names. Then his eyes stopped.

"The shareholders."

Everyone turned toward him.

"Some of the former shareholders of Sterling Corporation are here," Matthew said.

Liliana’s eyes narrowed.

"Why would Arthur invite them?"

"That’s the question," Chris replied.

Matthew remained silent for several seconds.

Then Chris spoke.

"I think I know why."

Everyone turned toward him.

"Arthur wants to show them what he became."

Chris pointed toward the list.

"Twenty years ago, he was Lucia Sterling’s adopted son. He was born from a mistress. Today, he’s one of the most powerful business tycoons in the country. He owns CyberFront, one of the largest technology companies in the industry."

His voice remained calm.

"He may want the Sterling family to see that he no longer needs Edward. That he became successful without him."

Liliana listened carefully.

"But there’s another possibility."

Chris looked at her.

"He’s showing us what happens when someone challenges him."

The room fell silent.

Liliana’s fingers curled around the edge of the table.

Arthur had spent twenty years building an empire. If he had truly been responsible for Edward and Vanessa’s deaths, then perhaps CyberFront wasn’t simply a business.

Perhaps it was part of the life he had built after removing the people who stood between him and success.

Liliana took a deep breath.

"We’re going."

Lucia immediately looked at her.

"Liliana—"

"We’re going," she repeated firmly. "But we have to be careful."

She looked around the room.

"No one can act suspicious."

Matthew nodded.

"Agreed."

Liliana stood.

"We have to pretend that we don’t suspect Arthur."

She turned toward Lucia.

"Grandma, you’re the most important person."

Lucia looked at her seriously.

"What should I do?"

"Act like you missed him."

Lucia’s eyes widened slightly.

"Tell him you’re hurt that he stopped contacting you after Dad and Mom died. Tell him you were sad that he disappeared, but you understood that he was lonely after losing Dad."

She paused.

"Tell him you always wanted him to come home."

Lucia slowly nodded.

"You want him to believe I never stopped loving him."

"Because you didn’t," Liliana replied softly.

Lucia looked away. That part wouldn’t be difficult.

She had spent twenty years wondering whether Arthur was safe, whether he ever thought about the family, and why he had abandoned them so completely.

Liliana turned toward Robert and Gideon.

"You two should behave exactly the way you did twenty years ago."

Robert nodded.

"Don’t overdo it," Liliana warned. "Arthur knew both of you very well. If you suddenly become overly friendly, he’ll notice."

Gideon smiled faintly.

"So we act normal."

"Exactly."

She looked at Nathan and Emily.

"The same goes for you."

Emily nodded.

"We’ll act like nothing has changed."

"Don’t mention the investigation. Don’t mention Dad and Mom’s deaths being classified as murder. Don’t mention Oliver Finn. Don’t mention the diary."

Everyone nodded.

Liliana looked around the room once more.

"If Arthur is guilty, he’ll be watching every one of us."

The words sent a chill through the room.

Chris reached for her hand.

"And what about you?"

Liliana looked at him.

"What will you do?"

She smiled slightly.

"I’ll act like I’ve never met Arthur before."

Chris raised an eyebrow.

"You haven’t."

"Exactly."

A few people smiled despite the tension.

Liliana had never met Arthur.

She had heard stories about him from her father and the rest of the family, but she had never actually stood face-to-face with the man who might have been responsible for destroying her family.

That made her the perfect person to observe him.

She wouldn’t have memories to betray her. She wouldn’t know his mannerisms. She wouldn’t have to pretend familiarity. She could simply be curious.

And curiosity was exactly what Arthur would expect from someone meeting him for the first time.

Matthew looked at Liliana with concern.

"This is dangerous."

"I know."

"You don’t have to do this."

Liliana looked at the photograph of her parents sitting on the table.

"I do."

Her voice softened.

"For twenty years, everyone thought Mom and Dad died in an accident."

She swallowed.

"Now we know they might have been murdered. I can’t sit quietly and wait for someone else to uncover the truth."

Chris squeezed her hand.

"You won’t do it alone."

Liliana looked at him.

"I know."

That evening, preparations began.

Lucia chose a simple but elegant dress. Robert and Gideon discussed old family memories so they could speak naturally if Arthur brought them up. Nathan and Emily reviewed what they remembered about Arthur.

Matthew studied every name on the guest list.

Chris barely left Liliana’s side.

And Liliana spent hours studying everything they knew about Arthur Jones.

His business history, interviews, philanthropic work, public appearances, his relationships with former Sterling Corporation shareholders and his rise from an adopted son with no inheritance to the chairman of a billion-dollar technology empire.

There was almost nothing scandalous about him. His public image was nearly flawless. Too flawless.

Late that night, Liliana closed the laptop.

"He’s hiding something."

Chris, sitting beside her, looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because nobody becomes that successful while leaving absolutely no trace of their past."

She stared at Arthur’s photograph on the screen.

"Especially not someone who disappeared for twenty years."

Chris remained silent.

Liliana shut the laptop.

"Tomorrow, we’ll meet Arthur Jones."

Chris took her hand.

"And we’ll find out whether he’s the grieving son who disappeared after Edward’s death..."

His expression darkened.

"Or the man who caused it."

Neither of them noticed the security notification that appeared on the laptop screen.

A new message had arrived from CyberFront.

PRIVATE ACCESS GRANTED.

Guest: Liliana St. Claire.

Purpose: Personal Meeting with Arthur Jones.

And beneath it was a final line.

He specifically requested to meet her alone.