The morning after the announcement to reopen the old case, the business world was shaken.
The media initially thought Adrian would deny the accusations against Sophia. But the step he took instead reversed the narrative entirely.
Not defensive.
Not a clarification.
But a formal reinvestigation.
Headlines changed.
"Adrian Challenges Scandal Issue with Total Transparency."
Yet for Sophia, this wasn't about reputation.
It was about her mother.
About the night she received news of death that felt too quick, too neat, too quiet.
The archive room of the law firm felt cold.
Sophia sat in front of two senior lawyers. Old files were opened one by one. Yellowed physical documents, patent contracts, audit reports, lawsuits that had once surfaced then suddenly disappeared from the news.
Adrian stood behind her, his hands resting on Sophia's chair.
"We found some irregularities," one of the lawyers said.
"What do you mean?" Sophia asked.
"Technically, this case was never declared guilty or not guilty. The lawsuit was suddenly withdrawn by the plaintiff."
"Why?" Adrian cut in.
"Internal settlement."
Sophia frowned. "My mother never mentioned a settlement."
The lawyer opened additional documents.
"Even more strange, there was a large fund transfer to an external consultant's account a week before the lawsuit was withdrawn."
The room fell silent.
"Which consultant?" Sophia's voice was softer.
The name was clearly written on the document.
Sterling Advisory Group.
Adrian froze.
Sophia read it again slowly.
"Sterling…" she murmured.
The lawyer nodded. "The company was registered as a corporate crisis advisor at the time."
Adrian stood straight.
"Who owns it?"
The lawyer opened another file.
"The founder and chief director back then was… Marcus Sterling."
The name felt like something he had heard before, but not fully realized.
Sophia looked at Adrian.
"Do you know him?"
Adrian was silent for a few seconds.
"He's no small player."
Marcus Sterling.
A name rarely seen in the news, but always present behind major companies "saved" from crisis.
Not a CEO.
Not a majority shareholder.
But a decision-maker in critical situations.
Adrian had heard about him in closed circles.
A negotiator.
A system manipulator.
And someone who never moved without hidden gain.
"Why was he involved in my mother's case?" Sophia whispered.
"That's what we need to find out," Adrian replied softly.
Meanwhile, in a tall downtown building, Marcus Sterling stood in front of his office window.
He was no longer young, but his gaze was sharp. His hair was neat, his suit simple yet expensive.
His assistant entered with a tablet in hand.
"They've reopened the old case, Sir."
Marcus smiled slightly. "I already suspected as much."
"Your name appeared in the transfer documents."
"Legally?"
"Yes."
Marcus looked at the tablet screen.
A photo of Sophia was featured in the latest article.
"That child… she's grown up, it seems."
His assistant was silent.
"Do we need to take preventive measures?"
Marcus shook his head slightly.
"Not yet. Let them dig."
"If they find something.."
"They'll find what I allow them to find."
In the archive room, Sophia read the fund transfer report over and over.
The amount was large.
Too large for ordinary consulting.
"Adrian," she said softly, "could it be that my mother was forced to pay something?"
Adrian looked at the document.
"If Marcus was involved, it's possible."
Sophia closed her eyes for a moment.
Old memories surfaced.
The night her mother sat alone in her study, her face pale, the phone ringing repeatedly.
Sophia was still young then. She didn't understand.
Now she was starting to see the pieces of the puzzle.
"How did my mother die?" Sophia asked softly.
Adrian looked at her.
"Officially, a heart attack."
"And there was never a full autopsy."
It wasn't a question.
It was a conclusion.
Adrian felt something cold crawl up his spine.
If this case was more than just a patent dispute…
Then their battle wasn't just with Ethan.
But with someone far more experienced.
That night, Adrian received a call from an unknown number.
He answered without hesitation.
"Adrian."
The voice on the other end was calm. Deep. Measured.
"It's been a long time."
Adrian recognized the tone before the name was spoken.
"Marcus Sterling."
A small laugh was heard.
"You're quick."
"You're also quick to find out about our move."
"I always follow industry movements."
Adrian didn't beat around the bush.
"Why is your name in Sophia's mother's case?"
Silence for a few seconds.
"I was just a consultant back then."
"With a fantastic fee."
"Big problems require big costs."
Adrian clenched his jaw.
"If there's more to it than that.."
"Adrian," Marcus's voice cut in gently, "you're a smart man. Don't dig too deep into something that's been neatly buried."
It wasn't a harsh threat.
It was too subtle for that.
And because of that, it felt more dangerous.
"I'm not afraid of shadows," Adrian replied coldly.
"Let's hope so. Because some shadows… have hands."
The call disconnected.
Sophia saw Adrian's face as he entered the room.
"You talked to him."
Adrian nodded.
"He didn't deny it."
Sophia wrapped her arms around herself.
"What really happened back then?"
Adrian sat in front of her.
"We don't know yet. But one thing is clear Marcus doesn't want this opened."
"Which means we're getting closer."
Adrian looked at her.
"Closer to something we might not like."
Sophia lifted her head.
"I don't care."
There was fire in her eyes.
"If my mother was forced. If she was pressured. If her death wasn't an accident…"
She held Adrian's hand.
"I want to know."
The next day, the legal team found additional facts.
Sterling Advisory Group not only received payment.
They also arranged a closed-door meeting between Sophia's mother's company and the plaintiff a meeting not recorded in public documents.
And after that meeting, the lawsuit was withdrawn.
A week later, Sophia's mother died.
The pattern was too neat.
Too fast.
Adrian stood in his office, looking at the large board with red strings starting to connect the dots.
Patent case.
Fund transfer.
Secret meeting.
Sudden death.
And now, the reputation attack against Sophia.
"This isn't a coincidence," he murmured.
Sophia stood beside him.
"Marcus wants us to open this."
Adrian turned sharply. "What do you mean?"
"He didn't stop us. He warned us… but didn't prevent us."
Adrian was silent.
True.
If Marcus really wanted to stop the investigation, he had the means.
Yet he chose to call.
To warn.
As if to gauge their reaction.
"He's testing us," Adrian said softly.
Sophia nodded.
"And maybe… Ethan was just a pawn."
The words hung heavy.
If true, then the business battle they thought was the core of the conflict was only the surface layer.
Behind it lay an old game.
Bigger.
Deeper.
And far more dangerous.
That night, Marcus Sterling sat alone in his office.
He opened a small drawer and took out a thin black folder.
Inside was an old photo.
A young woman Sophia's mother sitting across a table, her face tense.
Marcus stared at the photo for a long time.
"You were too stubborn back then," he murmured softly.
He closed the folder.
Then looked at the screen displaying the latest news about the reinvestigation.
"If your child wants to play… we'll see how far she can go."
He pressed a button on his private phone.
"Arrange a meeting with Ethan."
"Yes, Sir."
Marcus smiled slightly.
The board game had changed.
And the pieces were starting to move closer to the center.
On the mansion balcony, Sophia stood looking at the night sky.
Adrian hugged her from behind.
"We've gotten in too deep," he said softly.
Sophia looked at her slightly visible belly.
"No," she replied gently. "We've only just reached the door."
The night wind felt colder.
In the distance, the city lights sparkled as usual.
But now, among those lights, there was one name that was no longer faint.
Marcus Sterling.
Not just a consultant.
Not just a shadow.
But someone who might hold the key to the past.
And if there really was something darker behind her mother's death…
Then this battle was no longer about business.
No longer about reputation.
But about the buried truth.
And truth, like a small flame.
Once lit, it is not easily extinguished.