The Negan Family's luxurious villa.
"Father, you wanted to see me?"
Aguesid had summoned Dela back to the study while she was out consolidating the family's businesses.
Seeing her father's slightly burdened silhouette before the floor-to-ceiling windows, Dela's heart sank, but she greeted him first.
Aguesid turned at her words, gave her a long look with weary eyes, then pointed to the leather chair beside him.
"Sit."
Dela hesitated for a moment before pulling out the chair and sitting down.
"Father, you called me back so urgently today. Is it..."
Before she could finish, Aguesid raised a hand, cutting her off with unquestionable authority.
"What have you been doing out there lately?" Aguesid asked without preamble.
"I... just some business matters." Dela's gaze flickered as she skirted the real issue.
"And those factories you asked me to follow up on. The partnership with James Scott is going smoothly, too. As for divesting the family's plantation assets in the Southern Continent..."
Dela gave a scattered account of the commercial moves she had recently made in public.
"Ah..."
Listening to his daughter's report, Aguesid let out a heavy sigh.
"Have you been contacting certain people in private? Newspaper offices and reporters, for instance? And you acquired Mecha Publishing House?"
As a seasoned politician and the prime minister who controlled the machinery of state, he could easily uncover every one of Dela's little maneuvers if he chose to investigate.
"I..." Dela fell silent for two seconds. Knowing she could not hide it, she could only nod.
"This is not what I asked you to do." Aguesid's tone grew stern.
"I told you to stay out of politics for now and focus on managing the family's businesses. Take advantage of the confusion to consolidate our resources and get us safely through this sensitive transition."