The One

Back to Conry

 The very morning Karol awoke, the early light streaming through the curtains did little to ease the restless stirrings in her chest. She rose with an unsettling urgency that propelled her straight to Luka's room, where he lay peacefully asleep, innocent to the storm brewing outside. Satisfied for a moment, she turned and made her way back to her room, only to be jolted by the piercing blare of her phone.

"Hello?" she answered, her voice infused with a tension that echoed through the silence of the house.

"Sorry, come again?"

"How come?"

"I specifically told you to handle this mess, Brian! Don't make me replace you with someone who can!" Her low, venomous tone cut sharply through the air.

"Shit, Brian, why didn't you tell me last night?"

"Aright, meet me at Conry."

Without waiting for a response, she slammed down the phone, her frustration barely contained. She immediately dialled her assistant.

"Hello, Jess? I need you to book me a flight to Conry, and if there aren't any available, then arrange for a private jet — economy, whatever it takes; just get me anything," she instructed, her voice laced with urgency before she hung up, her mind racing.

With a sigh, she settled at her desk, pouring her thoughts into a letter to Christian, her steadfast ally. Once the ink dried, she made her way back to Luka, slipping a gentle kiss onto his forehead. She placed the letter atop his dressing table, a soft farewell, before turning and descending the stairs.

"Good morning, everyone!" she declared as she entered the kitchen, her energy revitalised by the bustling warmth. She wasted no time, tearing off a bite of her sister's sandwich and making a grab for another from her plate.

"Morning!" the others mumbled in ascent, their eyes barely lifting from their coffee.

"Listen, I'm heading off to Conry due to an unforeseen incident at the office. Mum, Dad, I could really use your help with Luka while I'm away."

"Don't worry, Aunty," Lex chimed in, his face lighting up with excitement. "Luka will have me to play with, and baby Keira too!"

"Oh, my sweet boy Lex, thank you! You really are the best."

"As Rex said, we'll take excellent care of Luka. When are you coming back?"

"Not long, probably within a month, depending on the damage that has been done. Anyway, I must dash now. Thank you, everyone!"

She strode out of the kitchen, grabbing her cabin-sized luggage before stepping into the cool morning air and into the waiting cab.

At the airport, the chaos of human traffic surged around her as she rushed toward Gate A, barely glancing at the signs before veering towards Gate 4 — the countdown was firm and unforgiving. She boarded the plane moments before the doors closed, slipping into her economy seat, her heart racing faster than the engines.

Once the plane touched down, she darted through the terminal, anxious to escape into the unknown, spotting Jess and Brian waiting for her outside the exit gate.

"Let's go, straight to the office!" she commanded, urgency lacing her words.

"What's the damage?" she asked, glancing at Jess's laptop, which buzzed with unsettling news, Jess scrolling through evidence photos with a furrowed brow.

"Two injured, and the computer room, meeting room, and your office have sustained significant damage," Jess replied, handing over the laptop.

"This again! I know your history, Brian! Clue: Conry?! What the hell did I do twelve years ago to deserve this?"

"Do either of you understand what this lunatic is ranting about?" she shot at Jess and Brian, her patience fraying.

"We don't — who remembers events from twelve years ago?" Jess snorted, tapping to show another photo.

"Did you speak to the victims?"

"Yes," Brian nodded, his focus unwavering on the road. "They both claim they can't remember who attacked them; they were knocked out cold."

"Hmm, and the CCTV? Off, or hacked?"

"The second victim said that there's a circuit breaker, and that's why he went to the core room to reset it. But on his way, he was blindsided from behind," Brian explained, tension evident in his tone.

"What about the other victim?"

"She mentioned that as she descended to the ground floor, she sensed someone was following her. To evade them, she darted to the security floor, but no sooner had she done so than someone blindsided her."

"Hmm. And there's no evidence to validate their accounts, right?"

"Correct, ma'am. One report outlined a circuit failure, while another indicated someone deliberately shut down the entire building's electricity. The perpetrator seems to know it takes thirty to fifty seconds for the emergency backup to activate, meaning they had a window to neutralise the victims and disable the cameras," Brian grimly shared.

"Are you suggesting there's a mole in our company?"

"It's a strong possibility," he replied, unease threading through his voice.

"For what purpose? Our real estate business doesn't offer any vital secrets or crucial assets. Damn it! Could this be driven by revenge?"

"Could be, ma'am," Jess affirmed, her face reflecting a resolute conviction.

"You see here, ma'am," Jess continued, showing another document on the laptop. "The patterns and notes indicate they know what you did twelve years ago — it's an apparent revenge scheme. They initially targeted Filtiarn, which led to this incident. I suspect the casualties tie back to someone with a grudge against you."

"Hmm, let's assess the damage for ourselves," Karol said, steeling herself.

After meticulously scrutinising the scene, they orchestrated a restoration, arranging for slight modifications in the design, a clandestine strategy known only to Karol, Jess, Brian, and the restoration team.

Once satisfied with their plans, the trio ventured back to her grandparents' house, determined to sift through the remnants of their past and extract any threads of information from twelve years ago. Now, as she stood at the threshold of the Aspen Family's home, her heart thudded with uncertainty.

"Apologies for intruding, but I could use something to eat," she called out as she entered the kitchen, where family members were bustling about, settling into their seats.

"Karol! What a delightful surprise!"

"Oh my, Karol, come and join us for lunch!"

"Yes, come, have a seat with us!"

"Thank you, everyone."

After the meal, Karol trailed Peter, Pepper, Leo, and Lovel to their home office, a fortress of soundproofing and secrecy.