The Heiress's Comeback
Chapter 363: [ Volume 1] Chaper 363- Captivate me.

Chapter 363: [ Volume 1] Chaper 363- Captivate me.

Ray’s eyes widened. "That’s... clever. But what about physical theft? What if someone just found the devices?"

Esme grinned mischievously. "That’s where it gets even more interesting. We developed an app that changed our locations every five minutes. So even if someone tracked us down, we were always on the move, impossible to pin down. And..." She paused, her smile fading slightly. "Even if they did find us or tried to access our data, I had one last safeguard."

Ray leaned forward, captivated. "What kind of safeguard?"

Her tone grew serious. "I developed a system that’s tied to the password. If it’s not me, or someone I trust, trying to log in, the entire database gets erased after three failed attempts. Completely gone. No recovery, no backups. Nothing."

Ray blinked, stunned. "You’re telling me that even back then, you thought this far ahead?"

Esme shrugged, her smile returning. "You have to when you’re an outcast trying to survive in a world where people would do anything to see you fail."

Ray stared at her, admiration filling his gaze. "No wonder they never stood a chance."

Esme smirked, leaning back. "Exactly."

.

.

.

As the memories faded, Ray’s smile lingered, but his eyes drifted back to the room. He scanned it idly at first, his gaze brushing past the usual things—the books, the table, the awards. But then, something caught his attention.

In the corner of the room, where the wall met the floor, stood a shelf. At first glance, it looked perfectly ordinary, blending into the room’s understated decor. But the longer he looked, the more he realized how out of place it felt.

It wasn’t flashy or strange in a way that screamed for attention. It was subtle. Too subtle. The wood, a deep mahogany, seemed almost... alive. Its surface was carved with faint, curling patterns that reminded him of vines. The shapes weren’t immediately noticeable, but as the light shifted, the patterns seemed to ripple, as if they were moving just beneath the surface.

Ray frowned, pushing the chair back as he stood. His gaze locked on the shelf, something about it gnawing at his instincts. Slowly, he walked over, brushing his fingers against its surface, tracing the edge of the wood. He slid his hand along its corners, moving from the outer frame to the inner panels, but there was nothing out of place. Just smooth, polished wood.

"This doesn’t make sense," he muttered under his breath.

Determined, he began moving the books stacked neatly on the shelves, carefully setting aside the awards and trinkets Esme had arranged. One by one, he cleared the surface, but no hidden switches, compartments, or clues revealed themselves.

"Damn it," Ray cursed softly, running a frustrated hand through his hair. Yet the strange feeling lingered, gnawing at the edge of his mind. Something was off. He could feel it.

He stepped back, crossing his arms as he stared at the shelf, his mind racing. Then, it hit him. "Oh, damn it, I forgot," he muttered, a rueful smile tugging at his lips.

Closing his eyes, Ray took a deep breath, letting the memory of Esme’s smirk and her constant ingenuity fill his mind. When he opened them again, his irises shimmered faintly with a bluish hue. Everything shifted—the world around him became a network of graphs and grids, layers unfolding before his enhanced vision.

His eyes scanned the shelf, the layers of wood, and the air around it. At first, it seemed like nothing, but then, in the faintest of lines, he saw it—a concealed mechanism embedded deep within the wood, blending seamlessly into the structure.

Ray’s lips twitched into a knowing smirk. "Knew it," he said, shaking his head. "That woman could never be simple."

He stepped closer, now fully confident. With a quick press on the exact spot his enhanced vision revealed.

Ray’s breath hitched as his eyes turned bluish again, a wave of power surging through him. But with it came the all-too-familiar pain, sharp and unrelenting, as if his skull were about to crack under the pressure. He staggered slightly, grabbing his forehead and bending down, trying to ease the pounding ache. His breaths came out shallow, and his body trembled from the effort of keeping himself upright.

"This... again?" he muttered through gritted teeth. It was getting worse every time. He wasn’t sure if it was because his powers were growing beyond his limits or if his body was simply rejecting the strain. Either way, the toll was undeniable.

Forcing himself upright, Ray’s gaze locked on the wooden shelf, his vision still tinged with flickering blue hues. He blinked hard, trying to shake off the haze, when suddenly the fourth wooden panel of the shelf began to shift.

At first, it was a subtle movement, almost imperceptible. But then, with a quiet whir, the panel twisted, flipping upside down as though guided by an unseen mechanism. A faint hiss followed, and a concealed compartment revealed itself, the edges smooth and precise.

Ray’s eyes widened as he saw what was inside. In the center of the hidden space, encased in a pristine glass display, was a trophy. The golden surface gleamed faintly under the dim light, its intricate engravings catching his attention.

"What the hell?" he whispered, disbelief evident in his tone. He took a cautious step forward, his heartbeat quickening.

He raised a trembling hand and grasped the award. The glass was cool against his palm, but the moment he touched it, a strange warmth spread through his fingers, sending a faint shiver up his arm. His grip tightened instinctively as he pulled it free, his mind racing.

"Why would anyone go through this much trouble to hide... an award?" he said aloud, confusion lacing his words.

As he turned it over, inspecting every detail, a faint vibration ran through the trophy. His eyes snapped back to it just as a soft light began to glow from the base. The light spread upward, forming intricate patterns in the air like threads weaving together.