Chapter 26
Chapter 26: The Architecture of Us
Daniel stepped into the room, his boots clicking against the marble floor. "You designed Clara? She's a human being, not a piece of intellectual property."
"She is both," Dr. Vance replied coldly. "Decades ago, your grandfather Marcus realized that the Mendoza fortune would eventually be destroyed by greed and incompetence. Look at your father. Look at Tomás. They are volatile. Destructive. So, Marcus and I formed a pact. We created a genetic bloodline that possessed the ultimate traits of calculation, resilience, and strategic intelligence. Clara was the apex of that project. And your son, Alejandro, is the final product."
Daniel felt a sickening wave of revulsion. "You engineered my marriage. You engineered my life."
"We simply guided the variables," Dr. Vance corrected him. "Clara was placed in New York because we knew your psychological profile would react to her vulnerability. You think you rebelled against your family by marrying a poor girl, Daniel? Your rebellion was programmed into your DNA. You did exactly what we needed you to do. You protected the asset."
The door behind Daniel clicked open. He turned sharply, his gun raised.
May you like
Clara walked into the penthouse. She wasn't wearing her emerald gala gown, nor was she the battered girl from the hospital. She wore a sharp black suit, her hair pulled back into a tight, professional bun. She looked like a corporate executioner.
"Hello, Daniel," she said, her voice devoid of warmth. "Give me the baby. The timeline is ready."
