The elevator doors opened to a quieter floor—Lucas's executive wing. Sleek, silent, and flooded with filtered afternoon light.
Julius was waiting near the central console, sleeves rolled, tablet in hand. Rhea stood beside him, back straight, arms crossed, eyes narrowed like she was bracing for a diplomatic incident.
"Did you meet with who I think you met with?" she asked without turning.
Lucas stepped out, adjusted his cuffs. "Talia Ren. In the flesh."
Julius looked up. "And?"
"She's sharper than glass, dressed to kill, and she doesn't knock."
He tossed his jacket onto the back of a nearby chair.
ATHENA's voice filtered through the comms."Meeting duration: eleven minutes. Strategic impact: ongoing. Sentiment volatility: high."
Julius whistled low. "That's the Ren family's silent queen. There's an entire economic blog dedicated to decoding her wardrobe."
Lucas looked mildly impressed. "Might be useful."
Rhea frowned. "Or fatal. She's too smart. Too connected. And your father kept her at arm's length for a reason."
Lucas moved to pour himself a glass of water.
"He also left me a video file. Basically told me to be better than him if she ever came knocking."
Julius grinned. "So, did you… metaphorically knock?"
Lucas gave him a flat look.
Julius only grinned wider.
Rhea shook her head. "You know what I hate more than unexpected political players? Smart, beautiful ones with offshore influence and a reputation for disappearing rivals with a phone call."
Lucas sat. "I sent flowers."
Rhea blinked. "Of course you did."
ATHENA added dryly:"Flowers scheduled for all standard romantic benchmarks, with a reminder system in place. Julius, please update media contingency plans accordingly."
Julius was already typing. "Done. If this goes public, we need it clean. Like two legacy dynasties circling, not some billionaire rebound narrative."
Lucas finished his water. "Let's get back on schedule. What's next?"
Rhea flipped her folder open. "GreenTech Expansion Committee—initial strategy briefing. Conference Room Delta. You're due in seven minutes."
Julius added, "And we need to discuss Zurich. I've already had three international correspondents ping me about a secret capital shuffle."
Lucas stood, collected himself.
"Schedule the Zurich trip. Quietly. But GreenTech comes first."
He paused at the door.
"And if either of you finds out who tipped Talia off about my movements—burn the source."
Rhea nodded. Julius grinned.
ATHENA chimed in calmly:"Tracking five likely sources. Two internal. I'll have names by the end of the next meeting."
Lucas stepped out, calm and focused again.
Julius followed at his usual half-step behind, scanning messages on his phone as they walked. "You know," he said offhandedly, "you've done more CEO-ing and empire-building than some guys do in five years. But not one yacht? No tailor visits? Not even a shopping spree?"
Lucas didn't look back. "I don't need the stuff."
Julius gave Rhea a sideways glance. "Is this what restraint looks like? Should we be worried?"
Rhea didn't smile. She tapped the side of her folder with the back of her pen. "Actually, this might be the perfect time to schedule a sit-down with your asset manager. And the family lawyer."
Lucas slowed slightly. "Thought we already handled that during the will reading."
"You were handed the keys," Rhea said, catching up smoothly. "But you haven't gone through all the closets. The estate's layered. Your father's wealth isn't a lump sum—it's a web. The first reading covered legal control. Not strategic access."
ATHENA interjected, polite and precise:"There remain thirty-eight clause-triggered trusts, seven overlapping offshore accounts, and two legacy foundations with active diplomatic exemptions. Total projected assets under conditional management: $1.26 billion USD."
Lucas raised a brow. "Conditional?"
"Correct. Full access pending review with asset counsel and Rothschild-level estate auditors. Cyrus Han believed in leverage, not liquidation."
Julius let out a low whistle. "Translation: your dad was rich enough to keep secrets from accountants."
Rhea handed Lucas a secondary binder. Slim. Sealed.
"This is a preliminary digest. Your next three appointments—asset manager, estate counsel, and an internal security liaison. All vetted by Cyrus himself. If you're going to move on Zurich, or play with someone like Talia, you can't be walking around with legacy traps still wired live."
Lucas took the binder, flipping it once in his hand.
"Fine. Schedule them."
Julius leaned closer. "Still voting we go suit shopping after."
Lucas gave him a dry look. "One suit. You pick it."
Julius fist-pumped. "That's the beginning of your villain arc, my friend."
They entered the glass corridor, the light ahead shifting into the boardroom's sharp blue tones.
Behind them, ATHENA's voice echoed one last dry note—
"Shopping spree scheduled for Thursday. Julius has already selected a venue. Six fitting rooms. Full privacy. Imported espresso."
Lucas slowed just before the door to the meeting room, half-turning with a dry glance toward the air.
"I'll pass," he said. "Not until I've seen my old man's closet."
Julius raised an eyebrow. "You're telling me Cyrus Han didn't have a secret vault of custom Italian suits somewhere?"
"He did," Rhea said evenly, flipping a page in her briefing folder. "Third wardrobe, sealed vault, biometric access. Frances tried to get in the day after the funeral. The locks denied her."
Lucas looked at her. "He locked her out?"
"She was eye candy on a contract," Rhea replied bluntly. "Cyrus gave her status, not equity. Not legacy. She had a prenup so airtight the oxygen had to ask permission."
Julius let out a soft whistle. "That's... surgical."
"She served her purpose," Rhea said. "And now she's trying to make herself relevant again by proximity. But no one serious is taking her calls—because they know the estate didn't."
Lucas nodded once. "Then I'm not dressing up to impress ghosts."
ATHENA chimed in quietly."Cyrus's wardrobe index includes eighty-six bespoke pieces, several still in sealed condition. Five sets were tagged with your initials pre-embroidered. Sizes match your current frame."
Lucas exhaled. "Good to know he planned ahead."
Julius grinned. "You're wearing one of those to Zurich."
Lucas didn't argue.
The boardroom doors hissed open.
He stepped through without hesitation.
And this time, he didn't just feel like the heir.
He felt like the one rewriting the dynasty.