The Denvair Construction Group, a cornerstone of the Denvair family legacy, was more than just a company. For Lyria Denvair, it was a piece of her father's memory and her mother's lifelong dedication. After her college graduation, Lyria took the reins from her mother, who remained in a consultative role, and poured her heart into building the company named in honor of her father.
Now, however, everything was unraveling.
Partner companies were at the gates, voicing outrage over alleged project issues and threatening to terminate contracts while demanding exorbitant penalties. Banks, acting in eerie unison, issued ultimatums: all loans must be repaid in full by the end of the day.
This wasn't just bad luck. Lyria could see the shadow of the powerful Malavant Marquisate behind these events.
"Could they really be making their move now?" she whispered to herself, dread pooling in her chest. The Denvair family, a pale reflection of its former glory, was barely holding onto small-scale operations. Meanwhile, the Malavant family's wealth and influence stretched into the billions.
How could she possibly fight back?
Kael Renforth's voice broke through her spiraling thoughts.
"Do you need my help?"
Lyria looked up, her face pale with worry. Before she could reply, her sister Celine interjected with her usual sharpness.
"Help? You think you can help? Just because you chopped off Valen Malavant's finger, you think you're invincible now?"
Kael's expression didn't change, but a flicker of anger danced behind his calm exterior.
Celine pressed on, undeterred.
"This is your fault in the first place! If you hadn't gotten involved, my sister wouldn't be dealing with this mess. If you were half as rich as you think you are, maybe we wouldn't be in this situation!"
"Enough, Celine!" Lyria cut her off, her voice weary. "Bring me the financial reports."
As she scanned the numbers, the weight of the crisis bore down even harder. The banks' demands were crushing enough, but with contractors also pulling out and seeking damages, the situation was nothing short of catastrophic.
Kael Renforth slipped out of the room without a word, his expression unreadable.
Outside, his restrained anger exploded into decisive action.
The moment he left the building, Kael dialed a number. The call connected almost immediately.
"How's it going?" he asked.
"Nearly there—another 30 minutes, and we'll have full control," came the response.
"Make it 10." Kael's voice was sharp, brooking no argument.
He hung up and strode back inside. By the time he returned to the office, Lyria was on the phone, her usual poise replaced with quiet desperation.
"Please, just give us an extension. The payment deadline hasn't even passed yet. I promise we'll settle everything by then. Please, trust me."
The voice on the other end was cold, curt.
"The timeline on the contract was contingent on your company maintaining a low-risk profile. Our systems have flagged your group for widespread cancellations and operational issues. The bank reserves the right to terminate all agreements immediately."
"Risk assessments..." Lyria started, but the call cut off before she could finish.
She didn't give up. One by one, she called the other banks. The responses were the same: no extensions, no negotiations, no mercy.
Exhausted, she set the phone down and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
When the phone rang again, she picked it up with trepidation. To her surprise, it wasn't another bank or contractor—it was a friend from college.
"Lyria, what's going on? Did you offend someone?"
Lyria's breath caught. "Offend someone? What do you mean?"
Her friend hesitated before explaining, "There's word spreading through Port Avallon's banking circles. They're saying the Denvair family businesses are blacklisted."
The words hit Lyria like a thunderclap. She ended the call in a daze, her mind racing.
"Malavant..." she muttered. Could this really all be their doing?
Kael had been watching from the corner of the room, his concern growing as Lyria's distress deepened. He took a step forward, ready to offer words of comfort.
But before he could speak, the door to the office burst open.