Chapter 105:


    The door opened. Arthur Stone walked in, looking as though he had slept in his suit.


    “Isolde,” Stone said, his voice grave. “I saw the video. The father sent it to And.”


    “Is it bad?”


    “It’s damning,” Stone said. “Grayson stepping over you. Leaving the scene of an ident involving a minor. That’s criminal negligence. And Kaiden — using a drone as a weapon — that’s assault with a deadly instrument.”


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    “He’s six,” Isolde whispered.


    “He’s dangerous,” Stone countered. “And he learned it from his father. We need to file — not just for divorce, but for personal injury, custody, and a restraining order.”


    “Do it,” Isolde said. Her voice was weak, but hard as iron. “Protect Effie.”


    Her phone on the bedside table lit up. A notification.


    Alert: Carson Dynamics Business ount — FROZEN. Reason: Fraud Investigation initiated by SkyLine Technologies.


    Isolde stared at the screen.


    “He froze thepany,” she said quietly. “My mother’spany. He’s trying to kill it.”


    Her mother, Ellyn, called a momentter. Isolde answered.


    “Isolde!” Ellyn was sobbing. “The suppliers are pulling out. The bank locked the payroll ount. Grayson called — he said if youe home, he’ll make it stop. He said you’re being stubborn.”


    Isolde felt a fire ignite deep in her chest. It burned through the pain in her arm. It burned through the fear.


    “Mom,” Isolde said. “Don’t panic. Let him freeze it.”


    “But we’ll go bankrupt!”


    “No,” Isolde said. “We won’t. I’m going to fix it.”


    She hung up and reached for the IV pole, a wave of dizziness rolling over her.


    “Isolde, what are you doing?” And rose from the chair.


    “I’m checking out,” Isolde said, swinging her legs over the side of the bed. The room tilted. She gripped the mattress, knuckles white, a sheen of sweat across her forehead.


    “You just had surgery! You’d be signing out against medical advice!”


    “I have one hand left,” Isolde said, her voice tight with pain and resolve. “And I have a brain. That’s enough.” She looked at And. “Take me to Professor Nelson.”


    “Nelson? Why?”


    “The Phoenix-X7,” Isolde said. “The military application rights. I own them. Grayson thinks he does, but the patent is in Sophia’s name.” She steadied herself. “Orbital will acquire a controlling interest in Carson Dynamics — injecting the capital needed to unfreeze its assets. In exchange, Carson Dynamics will grant Orbital the exclusive license to the Phoenix IP.”


    And’s eyes widened. “You’re giving us the Phoenix? That’s worth billions.”


    “I’m giving it to you so you can build it,” Isolde said. “And so Grayson can’t. But can he stop the transfer? Is it legally protected?”


    Stone stepped forward, a grim smile crossing his face. “He can’t. The Phoenix-X7 patent was filed under the Sophia entity, funded by a pre-marital trust your mother established. It is legally firewalled from your marital assets. This isn’t an asset transfer — it’s a corporate acquisition and licensing deal. A legitimate business strategy to rescue a distressedpany. He has no im.”


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