Chapter 130

Elias’s POV

I watched Claudia step into the study, her usual elegance intact—only her attitude had shifted. The haughtiness she normally wore like armor seemed subdued, replaced by an undercurrent of anxiety. She paused at the threshold, then glided across the Persian rug to the chair directly opposite Adrian. Folding one long leg over the other, she leaned forward just enough to show she was fully engaged.

Adrian remained motionless behind the heavy oak desk, his hands resting atop its polished surface, his expression unreadable. Claudia reached into her pristine white Dior bag and retrieved a small black object. She studied it for a moment, squinting. In that instant, I recognized it: a flash drive.

Her hand trembled slightly as she held the drive aloft, hesitation flickering across her face. Then she raised her eyes to meet Adrian’s cold stare