The vault sat like a silent monolith behind the paneled wall in Dominic Roth's old office. For years, it had been hidden just another piece of architectural drama in a room designed to intimidate. But Elena had found the key two days ago in her father's desk drawer, tucked inside a hollowed-out book of chess strategies.
It was unlike him to be careless.
And even more unlike him to hide something in plain sight.
The security code was still the same, her childhood birthday. That alone made her uneasy. Dominic Roth didn't do sentiment. If he'd left the code unchanged, it meant whatever was inside wasn't just meant for the next CEO.
It was meant for her.
With a quiet click, the heavy door released. Cold air whispered out as it opened, revealing shelves of meticulously arranged files, black boxes, and labeled envelopes. Most were corporate legal documents, backups of contracts, and quarterly forecasts. But one item stood out.
A plain white envelope, yellowing slightly, resting atop a black ledger book.
Her name was scrawled across it in her father's precise handwriting:
ELENA. OPEN ONLY WHEN YOU ARE TRULY READY.
Her pulse quickened. The door clicked shut behind her, and the silence of the office seemed suddenly suffocating.
She sat behind the desk his desk and opened the envelope with trembling fingers.
Inside was a single sheet of paper. Typed.
To my daughter, Elena Roth.
If you're reading this, it means I'm no longer there to guide you. Or to protect you.
You've stepped into a position surrounded by wolves. Some wear designer suits and sit at your boardroom table. Some are much closer than you think.
There are things I've done to build Roth Industries that cannot be undone. Things I kept from you to shield you from them. And from me.
But now it's your burden. And you must decide how far you're willing to go to protect the empire we built.
There is a file labeled DEVON locked in the subserver. Only two people know it exists: myself… and the one who helped me erase the past.
If Victor Crane gets near it, everything crumbles.
Do not trust anyone without question. Not even the ones who seem loyal. Especially not them.
Dominic Roth
Elena stared at the letter, her heart pounding. The name "Devon" sent a cold shiver down her spine. She'd seen it once before. A photo. A child. The pieces were beginning to form a picture… and it terrified her.
A soft knock jolted her upright.
She quickly folded the letter and tucked it under the ledger just as Liam's voice called through the door, "Elena? You okay?"
She glanced toward the vault, then toward the door.
"Yeah," she called back, trying to sound steady. "Just… finishing something."
"Board's reconvening at twenty. Want me to stall them?"
She hesitated. "No. I'll be right there."
As Liam's footsteps retreated, Elena stared once more at the letter. Her father had left her a map but not the terrain. And if Victor was part of this… then everything was worse than she thought.
She slipped the letter into her briefcase and stood.
It was no longer just about the company.
It was about surviving the secrets that came with it.