The Divorced Military Queen Awakens (by Sadie Baxter) novel Chapter 458

Chapter 458 Public Declaration

Chapter 458 Public Declaration

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Everett’s secretary hurried over, whispered a few urgent words, and retreated. A fleeting shadow crossed Everett’s face, but he smoothed it away with a practiced smile. “All right, let’s keep the celebration rolling. Today is a family reunion, and that little incident was merely a hiccup. Enjoy yourselves.”

The savvier guests instantly raised their glasses, fanning the spark of festivity back into a full

blaze.

Quinn’s gaze drifted across the glittering banquet floor just in time to catch Everett darting toward the staircase, his stride clipped, shoulders bristling with urgency.

Is something wrong? I’d seen the color drain from Uncle Everett’s face the instant the secretary bent close and whispered in his ear.

Quinn tipped her head toward Julius. “Julius, I’m going upstairs to check on Everett,” she said, worry bleeding through her whisper.

“I’ll come with you,” Julius offered, already matching her anxious pace.

“All right,” Quinn agreed, relief flickering in her eyes.

Together, they slipped out of the crowd, hugging the wall as they climbed, keeping clear of curious eyes. The moment they reached the second floor, the secretary stepped out of the study, phone still glowing in his hand.

Quinn moved forward. “Is Everett in the study?”

“Yes, Ms. Bridger,” the secretary answered. “Mr. Fane is inside handling urgent business. It would be best not to disturb him.”

“What kind of business?” Quinn pressed.

“The company’s affairs, Ms. Bridger,” he replied, voice clipped. “Mr. Fane is occupied, and I have more calls to make. Please, feel free to stay downstairs.”

Quinn’s brow knit; when it came to the inner workings of Fane Group, her expertise barely scratched the surface.

Yet anything serious enough to drag Everett away from a banquet could not be minor.

Just then, Rowan appeared at the top of the stairs, cellphone still pressed to his ear.

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Chapter 458 Public Declaration

Quinn hurried to him. “Rowan, do you know what’s going on at Fane Group?”

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Rowan nodded once, grim. “The cybersecurity system is under heavy attack,” he said. “The Information Security Department is scrambling to respond.”

“Can they stop it? How severe is the breach?” she asked, pulse racing.

“Bad,” Rowan admitted, mouth set. “This hacker collective is powerful. Right now, we’re losing ground.”

If the hackers succeeded, the fallout for the company would be catastrophic. So they have to move, and fast.

“I’m heading to the study,” Rowan said, striding off.

Quinn gathered her dress and rushed after him.

Julius, however, didn’t follow. He remained by the railing, eyes narrowed.

The moment he heard the words hacker attack, a thoughtful crease cut across his brow.

Is this a coincidence, or is Joaquin’s crew behind the assault?

If Joaquin orchestrated this, it would never stop at a simple cyber–strike. It felt more like a warning shot than a genuine attack.

Julius pulled out his phone and murmured, “Fabian, someone’s hitting the Fane cyber defenses -likely Joaquin. Trace the IPs, locate him, and neutralize the threat.”

When Quinn and Rowan stepped into the wood–paneled study, they found Everett seated before the wide monitor, huddled in a live video conference with the head of Information Security and several senior executives.

The director of the Information Security Department stood frozen at the far end of the study. His complexion had turned the color of wet plaster, and beads of sweat slid from his hairline to his collar. “We… We’re doing everything we can to hold them off, but I’m afraid-”

Everett slammed a palm on the mahogany desk, the sound cracking through the room like a gunshot. “Afraid of what? Every year this company pours a fortune into that department of yours, and now–at the one moment we actually need you–you can’t even lift a finger to fight back?”

What made Everett’s fury burn hotter was the timing. The hackers had chosen the very night of the recognition banquet to strike.

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If the attack broke through, Fane Group’s entire network would crash. By dawn, the headlines would pair the banquet with the blackout, and both Quinn and Rowan would be dragged into a storm of baseless blame.

The terrified director kept wiping at the sweat that would not stop. His mouth opened and closed around flimsy excuses that sounded ragged even to him.

Everyone in the room understood the truth. The firewall was seconds from collapsing. A total shutdown–and the leak of untold internal files–felt less like a threat and more like a ticking certainty.

Quinn stepped forward, the lamplight catching the calm set of her eyes. “Let me try,” she said, her voice steady enough to slice through the panic.

Everett blinked, startled. Even Rowan looked at his sister in surprise. “You?”

Quinn gave a small nod. “I’ve been studying the company’s cybersecurity architecture these past few days. If I team up with the security engineers, we can push back against the breach.”

Rowan snapped back to himself and added, “That’s right. A while ago, Quinn asked me for the system files, and I gave them to her.”

Everett had said the family need not hide corporate matters from Quinn, so when she requested the data, Rowan handed it over without hesitation.

Everett parted his lips to respond, but a crisp female voice cut across the tension.

Jacqueline strode into the study with her chin lifted high, several collateral relatives filing in behind her. “Uncle Everett, if you’re looking for someone to trust, trust me. I helped build the original security framework. When it comes to information–security warfare, I’m the one person who can shield the Fane family. What does Quinn possibly have that rivals my expertise?”

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