chapter542

Lysander looked across the table, his gaze steady. “Five hundred million split among so many stakeholders is a standard exit. I prefer a decisive transition. I’ll pay two billion to acquire the institution entirely, ensuring the staff’s retention and a massive upgrade to the facilities.”

The shock in the room was palpable. Elation quickly followed; the offer was far beyond anyone’s expectations. Within ten minutes, a deal was struck that would turn the kindergarten into the most well-funded preparatory school in the country.

While Lysander was reshaping the children’s academic world, Thalassa arrived at the Sinclair Group headquarters, hoping to find him. Instead, she was met by a receptionist who looked at her with genuine regret.

“I’m sorry, Thalassa. Executive instructions have been issued. You’re no longer authorized to enter the building.”

Thalassa frowned, her professional instincts kicking in. “I have pending files. Why the sudden change?”

She called David immediately. His voice was aloof, his tone strictly professional. “Ms. Everhart, your contract with the Sinclair Group has been concluded. Your severance pay has been processed. You should have received the notification.”

Thalassa hung up, a bitter taste in her mouth. She knew Lysander was trying to isolate her, to strip away her proximity to his world. She opened her banking app to confirm the hundred-thousand-dollar severance, but as the screen loaded, the breath left her lungs.

The number staring back at her was astronomical. It wasn't just a hundred thousand. It was over a billion dollars.

This can't be right, she thought, her head buzzing. Is this a system error? Or is this...

She remembered Atticus huddled over his tablet days ago, the intense focus in his eyes. A cold realization washed over her. This wasn't a parting gift from Lysander; this was a digital footprint of her son’s protective genius. She was now in possession of a billion dollars of the Sinclair Group’s capital, a fact that made her not just an outcast, but a potential target in a very dangerous game.