Ivan arrived at Owen’ headquarters fifteen minutes early, a habit that had served him well in his independent life.

The glass-and-steel tower loomed above, its sleek lines piercing the morning sky like a monument to corporate ambition.

"Mr. Vernon? You’re here for the meeting, right?” The receptionist directed him to Henry Owen's executive suite.

"Mr. Owen's expecting you. I’ll take your coat." A crisp voice greeted him as the elevator doors opened. “Right this way.” 

Ivan followed a woman down a hallway lined with photographs of Henry Owen shaking hands with influential figures.

"Word of advice: Mr. Owen doesn’t like fluff”.

“Any other traps I should avoid?”

“Oh, plenty. Mr. Owen’s got a nose for weakness.” 

Ivan nodded and went in.

Henry Owen, with a neat haircut and in a perfectly styled high-end tailored suit. He was standing with an upright posture.

"Ivan Vernon." He extended a hand, eyes locking onto Ivan’s. 

"Mr. Owen." Ivan shook firmly, meeting his gaze. Henry was in complete control.

"Please, sit. We have quite a bit to discuss."

They faced each other across a polished desk. Ivan felt his coin's familiar place in his pocket. 

"I understand you've agreed to take a part."

“What does this role entail?”

"Full partnership. Equal authority with my representative, equal responsibility for decisions.” Henry tapped a finger on the table. “Every step requires both your approvals." 

"And who is your representative?"

"My daughter.” Henry smiled. “I believe you two have already met."

Ivan studied Henry's face. He sensed the trap. Henry had only one daughter.

"Harper Owen?"

“Any issue with that?”

A dozen thoughts crashed through Ivan's mind at once. The woman from yesterday, staring at him like he was a ghost. The enemy's child, sitting across from him in tense meetings.

"I wasn't aware."

“Does that change your decision?”

Ivan forced his expression to remain neutral. "No. It doesn't."

“Why should I trust you on this?” Henry started digging for cracks in Ivan’s confidence. 

“Results depend on the man behind them.” Ivan’s jaw tightened. “I get things done.”

Henry laughed.

"I think you'll find it quite beneficial. For everyone involved," his gaze pinned Ivan. "Did I mention Harper suggested you for this?”

Ivan’s nostrils widened briefly. So it was Harper Owen who had deliberately brought him. Why?

"Her idea?"

"She was quite insistent. This is new to her. And we needed someone from the Vernon side."

Ivan's mind raced. Why did she want him specifically? The coin!.. Was it why she caught it? What was she planning?

"I see."

"She's quite brilliant, my daughter. Graduated top of her class and spent a few years maturing before joining me.” Henry smiled proudly when mentioning her. “I am willing to see how well you guide her.”

Did Harper Owen see him as a tool, but for what?

"When do I start?"

"You already have. Harper is waiting in Conference Room C. My assistant will take you there."

Ivan’s mind churned with possibilities, none of them good. If he was requested, then it was a set up where she gets access to his family’s vulnerabilities through him.

She was going to use him. Had to be. And Ivan needed to find out why.

The conference room was intimate, built for private discussions. Henry’s daughter sat at the far end of a polished table with a stack of papers in front of her. 

Her tailored blazer and cropped hair gave her a no-nonsense edge. Harper held a tablet, her fingers poised over the screen like she was ready to dissect it.

"Ms. Owen, Mr. Ivan Vernon." The assistant said quickly. 

Harper stood slowly, her movements careful, controlled. "Mr. Vernon."

"Ms. Owen."

“There’s a delay with preparing your workspace, so this will be your base for a time,” the assistant sounded flustered. 

New co-leaders stared at each other across the table. 

Harper looked better than the day before, but Ivan noticed dark circles under her eyes again.

“You can let us know if others from your side are joining,” the assistant added. “I’ll leave you to get acquainted.”

As the door closed behind, the certainty grew in Ivan’s mind that he was walking into a trap.

"Please, sit." Harper's voice was steady, professional, but Ivan caught the underlying tension.

He remained standing. “I have a question first.”

"Of course."

"Why me?"

"...” 

Harper blinked, caught off guard.

"Your father said bringing me was your idea. Why me specifically?"

Harper looked down at her papers, then backed up at him. 

“Let’s just say I’ve seen your type before.”

"Bullshit."

Harper's composure cracked slightly.

"Excuse me?"

"That’s bullshit, and we both know it." Ivan leaned forward, his hands flat on the table. 

"My brother, you are close to him. But you decided on the Vernon, who was kicked out of the family."

Harper stiffened. "I don't see how that's relevant.."

“Either you’re naive about our family’s history, or you know exactly what you’re doing.”

"And what am I doing?"

Ivan searched for signs of deception on her face. "You tell me."

She sighed. "Aren’t you the only one in your family with any sense?"

Ivan felt his eyebrows rise.

"Sense?"

"Your brother is a disaster. His choices have caused problems everyone knows about, and now we’re here.”

"How do you.."

Harper walked to the window. "I know what was in internal reports."

“I’ve handled worse,” Ivan said. “Who told you?”

"I have my sources, Mr. Vernon." She touched her temple, wincing.

“Oliver? No, he is too proud to spill on his mess. Then..”

Harper turned back to face him. "I know what you’d have done if you weren’t here today."

Ivan laughed. "You’ve got something solid? Care to share? It got me so curious.”

“I wouldn’t rely on your friend too much.”

Ivan's smile faded, and his mind reeled. How could she know about his contacts? Her words hit like a warning shot, too precise to be a guess. 

A shadow moved past the conference room’s glass door. Someone was lingering, perhaps an assistant with ears too eager. If Harper’s knowledge of his plans leaked, the press would feast on the Vernon-Owen grudge, turning their private war into a public spectacle.

“What’s your stake in this? You don’t strike me as just the welcome wagon,” he asked.

Harper looked him in the eyes for a minute. Ivan saw how shadows were flickering in her eyes. Was she testing him?

"I plan to make this work." She said calmly.

"Why?"

"It needs to be done."

"No." Ivan stepped closer. "Nobody digs that deep just for something to run smoothly. Unless you have a very particular reason."

“I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Not even one? Seems like you've been studying my family's private issues."

"I do my research.."

“You’ve been planning this for a while. Using me as part of it?”

Harper's face went pale. "That's not.."

"Give me a teaser. What’s your plan? What do you gain by dragging me into this?”

“Let’s just say I want it to be clean!" She exploded the words out, raw and desperate. 

Ivan raised an eyebrow, impressed but not sold. “Bold.” 

Harper hesitated. "I’m going to save.."

"Save what? Your father only destroys to win. There is nothing to be saved." Ivan leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. 

"I'm just trying to make sure something worthwhile survives."

“And how will you do that?”

Harper's composure got shattered. "Haa. “Your family was already broken! Your father ruined it, and Oliver just buried it!”

"Then let it die!" Ivan's voice rose to a roar. "Let it fail on our terms!“

"No."

"You don't know anything about my family." Ivan's voice cracked like a whip.

"I know your father chose Oliver over you.” 

Ivan met her gaze, unflinching. She did not seem to be lying. 

"Get out," he said quietly.

"What? Why do I.." her face went white.  

"Get out. Leave."

Harper gathered her tablet, rambling something to herself. 

She turned toward the entrance, her heels clicking on the tiles. "For what it's worth, I never wanted it to be like this."

"But it is."

She closed the door, leaving Ivan by himself. The cracking of everything he'd thought he understood felt heavy.

Outside the windows, the city sprawled endlessly. Millions lived unaware that right and wrong could blur into one. And Ivan tried to figure out what choice Harper Owen had made. 

He went to the doors, and pulled it open when his phone rang screening: Oliver.

“Listening.” Ivan stopped holding the door handle.

Through the glass, Ivan saw Harper at the elevator, her phone pressed to her ear. She was looking directly at him.

"Ivan?" Oliver's voice sounded distant. "Are you there?"

Harper stepped into the elevator. Just before the doors closed, she mouthed two words: "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," Ivan whispered into the phone. "I'm here."

"Good. Seems like someone I know has an offer for you."

The elevator disappeared, taking Harper with it.

"What kind of offer?"

"The kind that might save what's left of your pride."