Unraveling the Past

After a hearty breakfast, Ophelia felt somewhat revived. The events of the previous night still weighed heavily on her, but she knew she needed answers. She knew she could not stay here any longer. She looked at Alexander who had just kept the bowl back on the table and was about to tell him that she would like to take leave now and was thankful for whatever he did. However, it seemed that the business tycoon had already read her mind,

"Don't think about leaving here until you have fully recovered. I know you have a lot of money to stay at whichever place you want to, however, it is dangerous for you to stay outside alone."

Ophelia squinted her eyes and was shocked, 'how did he know?'. She couldn't help but wonder. However, his words made sense. She did not know what was coming for her ahead. Yesterday's unfolding of events gave her a waking call before it was too late. 

"Besides, I heard you are also looking for a partner for your firm's new expansion."

Ophelia was confused at first and could not register what he was talking about. But before she could ask anything, he continued.

"Oh you can wash your hands, we will talk in the study room."

She made her way downstairs to find Alexander in the study, engrossed in his work. The study was an impressive room, lined with shelves filled with books and decorated with a few carefully chosen pieces of art. It was a space that exuded both intellect and power.

Alexander looked up as she entered, a small smile playing on his lips. "Feeling better?" he asked, his tone gentle yet probing.

"Much better, thank you," Ophelia replied, settling into a chair across from him. "But I have so many questions."

"I figured you would," Alexander said, leaning back in his chair. "Let's start with the basics. How much do you know about your family's finances and the business structure?"

Ophelia sighed. "I know quite a bit. I've been groomed to take over, after all. But what I don't understand is why Clarissa would accuse me of being an impostor. And why now?"

Alexander nodded. "Before we get into that, I want to talk about something I noticed about you at the gala. Your potential."

"My potential?" Ophelia repeated, confused.

"Yes," Alexander said. "You have a sharp mind and a strong will. But I'm not talking about the recent startup under Devereux. I'm talking about the company you started three years ago when you were still an MBA student."

Ophelia's eyes widened in surprise. "How do you know about that?"

Alexander smirked. "I do my research. I was looking for a company to help design a five-layer safety channel for my firm. Your expertise caught my eye. And I know you're venturing into natural climate prediction design software for buildings, which means you're looking to enter the real estate sector. My company is the biggest player in that field."

Ophelia was taken aback by how much he knew about her. "I can't believe you know all that."

Alexander's expression softened. "I see potential in you, Ophelia. We could work together in the future. But first, we need to address what happened at the gala."

Ophelia took a deep breath, readying herself to delve into the painful memories. "Alright. Let's start with what you know."

Alexander nodded. "Clarissa's accusation was strategic. Eleanor's family has significant influence over the Devereux empire, and they've used it to maintain control. Your father's marriage to Eleanor was as much a business deal as it was a union."

Ophelia frowned. "So, they're using their financial backing as leverage?"

"Exactly," Alexander confirmed. "Eleanor's family has been siphoning money for their interests. They're not just investors; they're parasites."

Ophelia felt a surge of anger. "Why now? Why did they choose to accuse me at that moment?"

"To destabilize you and assert their dominance," Alexander explained. "They've been planning this for a while. Clarissa's outburst was the culmination of their plotting."

Ophelia's mind raced as she processed the information. "So, what do we do now?"

"We gather evidence and expose them," Alexander said firmly. "But first, you need to regain your strength. Get some more rest. We'll continue this later."

"Also, I asked someone to fetch your all the necessary items. Everything has been kept in the hall, come and check them." Ophelia was shocked but she understood that this guy Alexander was no common business person. She had to be ready for her own research before she would trust him completely. However, since her things were here she went to check them.

Reaching near the hallway she realized that her entire room had arrived with all her laptop and other files that she needed. She looked at Alexander with shock filled eyes however, he only replied with a smirk and innocent blinking eyes. She could not help but shudder, 'this guy is definitely something.' 

Alexander understood what was going inside her head and he could not help but add,

"Don't worry you can check on me later on." 

"Should I keep all your things in the master bedroom?" He asked her again after receiving no reply. 

Ophelia shook her head and replied,

"I can't stay here forever, so I don't think it is a wise decision to keep everything here. I have a flat in the SouthCoast Apartments, I can ask someone to keep things there."

Alexander's eyes darkened before he revealed.

"I received the news that someone had forcefully entered your flat yesterday. Apparently it appeared to be some robbers with their dressing, however the equipment they carried was a war of mercenaries. I hope you can understand it is not safe for you out there."

Ophelia was surprised however, she remained silent. 'Mercenaries?' She did not know what was happening. 

"Besides, who knows you won't stay here forever." Realizing he had spoken a lot, he coughed a little bit before adding.

"I mean it's better we get to know each other, right? Who knows we will be business partners in future. But of course we will discuss it later. You have to regain strength to take back whatever belonged to you."

Ophelia nodded, feeling a mixture of determination and exhaustion. "Alright. I'll rest for a bit."

She made her way back upstairs, her mind buzzing with thoughts. She settled back into the bed, her body aching but her spirit resolute.