Snow, already a raw nerve ending from the crushing revelation about her father, absorbed the details of the will with a terrifying stillness. Her inheritance, the vastness of White Industries, the promise of freedom and power upon her marriage – it all felt hollow. It was tainted by the knowledge that her father's dying wish had been to protect her from a truth that was now, finally, tearing her apart. And the clause about Jeffrey, about working with Ravenna, felt like a cruel cosmic joke.
She spent a day in a silent agony, Andreas a constant, comforting presence, his hand never far from hers, his eyes reflecting her pain. He tried to speak, to offer solace, but her devastation was too profound for words. She moved like a ghost through EdenTech, the vibrant energy of her creation now muted by a suffocating despair. The truth, meant to set her free, had instead shackled her to a guilt more powerful than any legal bond.
Then, late that evening, a flicker of something new ignited in her eyes: cold, quiet fury. It was a fury born not of vengeance, but of a desperate need for answers, for closure, for a confrontation with the woman who had buried the truth and warped her father's love into a weapon.
"I need to see her," Snow finally said, her voice raspy, barely a whisper.
Andreas, who had been watching her intently, knew exactly who she meant. "Ravenna?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. "Snow, are you sure? She's volatile right now. And after… after what you've learned, it might be too much."
Snow shook her head, her jaw set. "I need to know. I need to see her face when I tell her I know. I need to hear her twisted version of 'protection.' This isn't about the lawsuits anymore, Andreas. This is about my father. And my life." Her voice gathered strength with each word, a fragile but undeniable resolve hardening her features.
Andreas looked at her, seeing the raw pain but also an unyielding steel he hadn't fully glimpsed before. He knew arguing was futile. She needed this. "Alright," he conceded, taking her hand. "But I go with you. And Grumpy will ensure we're not alone. No more surprises."