‘I’m working on a big project. If it seeds, then the technology in this world will be changed. It’s going to be revolutionary, and things will be easier because everyone will be able to live like geniuses!’


    ‘What’s this project? Will you let me in on it? Can I also partake? I want to be a pioneer!’ A younger Victoria replied excitedly, jumping up and down while looking up at her mother with starry eyes full of respect and hope.


    ‘You are still too young to be part of it, and besides, I told you that you are free to choose your path. You don’t have to be a tech enthusiast like I am,’ the older woman chuckled, giving Victoria a gentle pat on the head.


    Victoria let out a huff and pouted as she crossed her hands on her chest. “I want to be like you! I want to be so cool when I programme and develop something too!’Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ‘Alright, Alright. You are free to do whatever makes you happy. Just know that when you don’t feel like it anymore, you can stop and start all over again.’ Her mother encouraged her with a fond smile.


    ‘So what name will you give the project? Are you going to name it after me?’ Victoria asked, and her mother hummed with a thoughtful expression. ‘I think we should name it…’


    Lily jolted awake with a start, her head soaked in sweat as her hand trembled from the shock of the dream she had. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she looked around the familiar room.


    Letting out a deep breath, she ryed and rested on the headboard, “Are you okay?” na asked with a worried expression while holding a wet towel to wipe Lily’s sweat.


    “Yeah, I’m fine. Why are you here? Is it morning already? Or do you have a question for me?” Lily asked.


    “It’s not. It’s 3 am. I heard you murmuring and gasping, so I came to check. Were you having a nightmare?” She asked worriedly, and Lily sighed.


    ‘Can they be considered nightmares when they are all memories of the past?’ she thought to herself and got out of bed.


    After the initial dream she had about her mother, she saw several others sh through her mind. It was like someone ying a movie about her past life, and thest one was the day she died as Victoria.


    ‘Did I have the dream because I met Bryan?’


    ‘What did she call the name of the project again?’ She mused, forgetting that there was someone else in the room with her.


    “Are you sure you are okay? You look out of it, and your hands keep trembling,” na asked with a frown while her eyes focused on Lily’s trembling hands.


    “Yeah, I’m fine. I must have been stressedtely. How is the sewing going?” Lily asked to change the subject, and na’s eyes lit up in excitement.


    “I’m almost done with it! We’ll be able to start with the embroidery by morning,” she replied.


    “Isn’t that fast? You said it wouldn’t be finished until tonight,” Lily pointed out, and na shrugged. “I guess it was just an added time. Besides, thispetition is my first major project, and I don’t want to ruin it,” she breathed out.


    “Don’t worry, I trust you to do well.”


    ***


    “Someone hacked into thepany’s databasest night. It was after everyone clocked out of work,” Colton reported as he walked into Williams’s office to see him busy typing away on hisptop.


    Hearing his words, William stopped his hand movement and looked with a deep frown. “And did you get the person?” He asked coldly. “You are not here to report to me before trailing, are you?”


    Colton shifted on his feet ufortably, his hand fidgeting with the documents in his hands. “We did track the hacker, but we were unable to locate them. They only left an afterimage to show they were there. It was like a taunt.”


    William leaned back in his chair, his gaze turning contemtive as he considered the implications of someone maliciously hacking into their system. “What information did they ess? Did they steal anything?” William asked, his voice still cold and demanding.


    Colton hesitated with his eyes avoiding William’s before replying, “We’ve been looking, but they don’t seem to have stolen anything. However, a lot of locked files were opened, and they also left a message.”


    “A message?” William asked curiously, and Colton handed him the document. The documents contained a printed version of the message left behind by the hacker, which read:


    ‘Behind closed doors, are you happy with the decisions you’ve made so far?’


    ‘When you are alone with no one around but your thoughts, do you ever regret what you did on May 27th at the family dinner?’


    ‘How has ying the hero helped you so far? Beyond the fake sympathy on the first few days, has anyone cared about your reurring brain injury?’


    ‘Oh! How long do you think you can rely on another’s work before they start seeing you for who you truly are?’


    William’s hands tightened around the sheet of paper as his heart skipped a beat in fear and apprehension. For a brief moment, Victoria’s dying moment reyed in his mind, and a cold shiver ran down his back.


    ‘Who else knows about what happened that day?’


    ‘How much do they know?’


    ‘Is this a threat?’ William’s mind raced with several questions as he continued to stare at the words written on the paper.


    Thinking about the repercussions of having the information get out into the world, his fear grew bigger. Not only he, but even all his family would be implicated, and everything they’ve worked hard to get for so long will be taken from them.


    ‘That can’t happen! I won’t allow it!’


    ‘I must find the person who hacked the system!’


    He stood up and picked up his jacket. “I’ll have to meet with my father; until then, double up on the security. Have the team set up more traps and more firewalls. And make sure someone is monitoring the database at all times for any intrusion,” he instructed hurriedly.


    “When the persones back, inform me immediately!” He added and walked out. As he got into his car, he called his father, and after the third ring, the old man picked up with irritation in his tone as a feminine moan echoed through the phone.


    William doesn’t have to ask to know his father was having a go at his secretary again. Something had caused a big fallout between his parents.


    The situation had been like this after the death of Victoria’s mother. His father had started sleeping with the female staff closest to him. His secretary, PA, and even some other directors.


    It became even more serious when Williams began to think his father slept around out of guilt for Victoria’s mother.


    But if it was guilt, it would mean he loved her, and that thought was one he never wanted to entertain.


    Given how the older man prefers to spend his time, money, and energy outside the house, William could already tell that his father no longer has feelings for their mother.


    The perfect family had be nothing but a joke. One that outsiders must not hear.


    “Did you call me to just remain silent?” Henry snapped over the phone, bringing William back out of his thoughts as he massaged his nose bridge.


    ‘His mood has worsened too,’ he noted to himself before replying.


    “Someone broke into thepany’s database,” William reported calmly.


    “So? Can’t you deal with it yourself?” Henry snapped angrily, his voice followed by a muffled moan.


    ‘You are not even going to hide it from your son? How shameless,’


    “They left a message, and it’s about the day she died. Someone out there knows,” he reported, and he hung up while driving towards the cemetery.


    Upon arrival at the cemetery, he bought two bouquets from the flower vendor and walked up the path that led to Victoria and her mother’s grave. As he got closer, he noticed fresh flowers sitting on both graves and frowned.


    ‘These weren’t the flowers I brought thest time; was someone else here?” He thought to himself while looking around.


    “I never expected you toe here,” Bryan voiced from his back. The taller man was also holding two bouquets.


    “And why would I note here?” William asked with a frown as he ced the flowers in the grave. “From the flowers you brought, one can tell how much you hate them both, as they are both allergic to tulips,” Bryan replied.


    “And given the flowers I saw herest time, Do you just buy random flowers when youe? Next time, buy orchids or carnations,” Bryan voiced as he ced both flowers on the ground before digging out a hand-rolled cigar from his pocket.


    “Want some?” He offered, and William shook his head. “I quit smoking,” he replied, and Bryan shrugged.


    “Why did you return to the country?” William asked curiously as they both stood in front of each grave.


    “May 26th,” Bryan replied casually while keeping his eyes on the grave. Hearing his words, William’s hands clenched into a tight fist.


    “Is that so? Why didn’t you attend the burial then? Even if her mother cut ties with the family, one of you should have attended.” He probed further.


    “I was here; you just didn’t see me. How else did I know the location of their graves? Even if the family cuts ties, they are both still family, and they’ll forever be treated like one,” he announced, turning to leave.


    “Watch your back. The things you fight to keep might one day slip off your hands, even with your hands on them. After all, Karma is a bitch,” he winked and walked away, leaving William frozen in ce.


    ‘Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!’ William cussed angrily while hitting his steering wheel after returning to his car. “Fuck! Things will be moreplicated if the Roux family gets involved.”


    “I have to find a way to solve all this before they find out.”