Page 190 of Secret Heir For The Billionaire Twin

“Not because we suddenly decided transparency was fashionable, but because the old system wasn’t built for the level of scrutiny we were under.”

I make a note.

“And now?”

“Now we assume scrutiny is permanent.”

“That sounds exhausting.”

Elena’s expression barely shifts.

“It’s efficient.”

I look up at her. “Those aren’t the same thing.”

“No,” Elena says.

“But Blackwell learned not to confuse comfort with stability.”

That answer is worth writing down.

Adrian is less generous.

He walks into the next interview ten minutes late, removes his jacket, and drops into the chair across from me with the same easy physical confidence I remember, but almost none of the warmth.

“Sorry,” Adrian says.

“Tokyo ran long.”

“No problem.”

He glances at my recorder.

“Are we doing this exactly like last time?”

“Not exactly.”

“That’s probably wise.”

The remark is light enough to pass as nothing.

It isn’t.

I meet his eyes. “Anything specific you want clarified before we start?”

Adrian leans back in his chair.

“No. I’m sure you know what you’re doing.”

There is enough history under that sentence to make the air feel thinner.

I keep my expression neutral and ask about Blackwell’s leadership structure after the antitrust years. Adrian answers cleanly at first, talking about decentralization, international oversight, and the way his role evolved as Julian moved more firmly into the Executive Chairman position.

When I ask what the investigation changed internally, Adrian’s mouth tightens.

“It changed how we define trust,” he says.

I pause with my pen above the page.