“Well, well, well, if it isn’t the good doctor. Corporate Security Audit. We have a warrant to seize all unauthorized biotech and related equipment.” The stern woman leading the phalanx brandished a glowing datapad. Its screen displayed Senna’s name, an image of the bioluminescent orchid, and a stark red stamp: ‘Active Warrant.’ Beside her, Janna’s smile stretched, a predatory gleam in her eyes. Lio, still clinging to Senna’s waist, instinctively tightened his grip. His small body vibrated with a silent hum of fury. “Unauthorized?” Senna’s voice was a low growl, utterly devoid of its usual airy indifference. She gently disentangled Lio, pushing him slightly behind her. Her gaze swept over the intruders, assessing their numbers, their gear. “You break down my door, accuse me of… what, exactly? Saving a life?” “The life of the CEO, using experimental compounds illegally procured from a rival pharmaceutical firm,” the inspection chief stated, her tone flat, devoid of sympathy. Her gaze landed on the bioluminescent residue still clinging to the treatment bay equipment. “The evidence is quite clear. You’re coming with us, Ms. Caris.” One of the dark-uniformed figures stepped forward, a pair of gleaming wrist-restraints hanging from his belt. Janna let out a soft, delighted giggle. “Don’t touch her,” Lio barked, his voice cracking with unexpected ferocity. He scrambled past Senna, planting himself squarely in front of her. His hands, still stained with the glowing orchid serum, balled into tiny fists. His eyes, usually bright with mischief, now blazed with a fierce, protective fire that mirrored his sister’s. Senna placed a hand on his shoulder, pulling him back slightly. “It’s alright, Lio. Let them talk.” Her eyes, however, were not on the inspectors. They were scanning the vast digital monitors mounted across the living room walls, where Lio often played his simulation games. Her brother, still vibrating with frustrated energy, caught her subtle glance. He understood. A mischievous grin, sharp and knowing, momentarily replaced his anger. With a speed that belied his small stature, Lio snatched up his tablet from the nearby console. His small thumbs danced across the holographic interface, a whirlwind of swift, practiced motions. The guards, distracted by Senna’s calm demeanor, barely registered his actions. Suddenly, the entire array of screens, previously showing stylized corporate logos, flickered. The logos vanished, replaced by a grainy, zoomed-in image of Janna Mael. She was sitting opposite a man with a distinctively pointed jaw and slicked-back dark hair—the rival firm's disgraced chief. The scene was the private alcove in the botanical gardens from the recent gala, exactly as Lio had recorded it. Janna’s voice, amplified and echoing through the grand living space, cut through the tense silence. “Reyker BioDynamics will be crippled. His nerve illness will resurface. The board will remove him. Then, with the evidence of his new wife’s illegal treatments, we can invalidate his contracts. Reyker’s shares will plummet. You buy them out for pennies, and I get my cut.” She cackled, a harsh, unpleasant sound. “A hostile takeover, perfectly orchestrated.” The enforcers froze, their grim faces draining of color. The inspection chief's datapad slipped from her slackened grasp, clattering to the polished floor. Janna’s triumphant smirk dissolved, replaced by a mask of absolute terror. Her gaze darted frantically between the screens and the utterly bewildered squad. “What is this?!” Janna shrieked, her voice shrill with panic. “This is a fabrication! A deepfake!” “A fabrication?” A new voice, deep and resonant, cut through the clamor. Every head swiveled towards the bedroom entrance. Kiran Reyker stood there, fully dressed in a crisp, midnight-blue tunic that accentuated his broad shoulders. He walked with a fluid grace, each step firm and unburdened, his posture perfectly erect. There was no tremor, no hesitation, no hint of the debilitating illness that had plagued him for so long. His eyes, clear and sharp, fixed on Janna, then swept over the stunned squad. His presence filled the room, radiating an authority that dwarfed even the official warrant. He looked entirely, magnificently cured. The chief officer stumbled back a step, gaping. “Your associate,” Kiran continued, his voice calm but laced with an icy edge, “is no longer in charge. As of precisely one hour ago, Reyker BioDynamics acquired the enterprise in its entirety. Every patent, every formula, every piece of intellectual property now belongs to my company.” He paused, allowing the information to sink into the stunned silence. “Which means,” he said, his gaze settling on Senna with an almost possessive warmth, “anything Ms. Caris used to save my life, no matter its origin, is now legally my property. And, by extension, hers.” Janna looked as though she’d been struck by lightning. Her face, contorted with rage and disbelief, was a sight of utter humiliation. The officers exchanged frantic glances. The squad leader, finding her voice, stammered, “Mr. Reyker… We… we weren’t aware…” “Clearly,” Kiran interjected, his gaze hardening. “Perhaps you should be more diligent in your research before you attempt to arrest my wife.” He gestured subtly towards Janna. “As for Ms. Mael, I believe you have a clear recording of corporate espionage and conspiracy to commit fraud. I suggest you act accordingly.” Two of the grim-faced security personnel, their expressions now entirely different, stepped forward and seized Janna’s arms. She struggled, screaming obscenities, but their grip was unyielding. Her cries faded as she was forcibly dragged from the penthouse, leaving a stunned silence in her wake. The squad leader, her cheeks mottled scarlet, bowed so low her forehead nearly touched her knees. “Our sincerest apologies, Mr. Reyker, Ms. Caris. We acted… in error. We will ensure this… oversight… is rectified immediately. Our profoundest apologies.” She scrambled to pick up her datapad, her unit already backing out of the broken doorway, their boots scuffing the tiles in an awkward retreat. In moments, they vanished into the hall, leaving only the splintered door frame behind them. Senna watched them go, a triumphant smile easing her lips. Lio cheered, doing a small, excited jig. Kiran, his gaze never leaving Senna, walked towards her. His steps were light, purposeful. The lightness in her heart mirrored the effortless ease of his stride. “So,” Senna said, her voice soft, a hint of playful challenge in her tone, “you bought an entire company to save me from a few legal technicalities?” Kiran stopped before her, a faint flush on his cheeks. “It seemed… efficient.” He reached out, gently cupping her jaw, his thumb brushing her cheek. The touch was feather-light, yet sent a warmth through her. “And necessary.” Lio, oblivious to the simmering tension between them, tugged on Kiran’s tunic. “So, my special treatment is permanent now? No more worries about bad guys or contracts?” Kiran knelt, ruffling Lio’s hair. “Permanently secured, little lion. The best care, always. No more worries.” He rose, meeting Senna’s gaze. Her brother’s safety, the anchor of her entire existence, was truly guaranteed. Senna felt an ease she had not known in years. The burden, the constant anxiety, had lifted at last. She could rest. She could curl up, be lazy, and exist unburdened. Kiran, as if reading her thoughts, glanced at the chronometer glowing on the living room wall. Its digital numbers shone starkly: 11:50 PM. His cheek muscle twitched. “Ten minutes,” he murmured, his voice suddenly thick with a new kind of tension. Senna’s brow furrowed. “Ten minutes until what?” He reached into his inner jacket pocket, pulling out a slim, official-looking document. His hand trembled, not from illness, but from something else entirely. He held it out to her, the paper rustling softly. “Ten minutes,” he repeated, his voice barely a whisper, “until the ninety days are up. Until our marriage becomes permanent.” His eyes, filled with a pain that rivaled his past physical agony, met hers. “Here are the annulment papers. As per our initial agreement, I’m setting you free.”

The Boardroom Blitz