Magnus Returns

The sun rose slowly, casting a golden hue over the vast Blackthorne Estate. A soft breeze rustled the tall hedges lining the cobblestone drive. The day was finally here, the day the world would see Blackthorne Corporation as the undisputed king in biometric technology. Elias had been preparing for this moment for years.

Inside the west wing of the estate, Elias stood before a long mirror, adjusting the sleeves of his crisp white shirt. He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply.

"We're not just selling software," he whispered to himself. "We're setting a new global standard."

His phone buzzed on the marble counter. A text popped up.

Magnus Blackthorne: Landed. On my way to the estate. Proud of you, son.

Elias' heart swelled. It had been two long years since he saw his father. Two years of silence, of wondering if he was watching from afar. And now he was back.

Elias sent a quick reply. Can't wait to see you, Dad.

Outside, black SUVs rolled into the estate with tinted windows and security details. The gate guards stood straighter. The staff adjusted their uniforms. The founder of the Blackthorne dynasty was coming home.

News traveled fast. In the east wing, Amara stood frozen in the middle of the corridor, her hands trembling. Dora's voice crackled through the phone.

"He's coming to the launch?" Dora asked, almost breathless.

"Yes," Amara replied, her voice shaking. "He just landed. He'll be at the estate in minutes."

There was a long pause.

"Then today's the day. You hear me, Amara? Today we end this. Before December 28th. Before that cursed anniversary. We destroy the legacy. We destroy the launch. And we kill... Magnus."

Amara's fingers clenched the phone tighter. The name alone stirred something deep in her chest. Magnus Blackthorne, the man who had once thrown her into a fire, branding her a witch, a traitor. The man who took her twin babies and fed Elias a lie: that they were simply survivors of a tragic fire.

"You ready?" Dora asked again.

Amara stared out the window. The convoy was approaching. Her breath hitched; she swallowed.

"I'm ready."

The gate opened slowly. One black SUV, then another, rolled in like royalty returning from exile. Staff lined up outside the grand entrance. The heavy oak doors were open, welcoming. Red carpets unfurled. Photographers stood at a distance, not daring to step closer. Security men spoke in hushed tones through their earpieces.

Magnus stepped out.

His hair was silver now, sleeked back with a kind of practiced power. His suit was dark blue, the fabric smooth and tailored. Every movement he made screamed wealth. His eyes scanned the estate, unimpressed. He walked forward slowly, letting the moment soak.

Elias rushed down the steps. "Dad!"

Magnus smiled faintly, arms open. They embraced. It was brief but real. Elias looked up at him, a boy again in his father's arms. "We're about to change the world in two hours. Just like you always dreamed."

Magnus nodded, grinning. "Then let's make history."

As they entered the estate, Magnus walked past the line of staff standing stiffly in greeting. One by one, they bowed slightly, murmuring welcomes.

Then he saw her. Amara.

She stood still, lips closed, eyes unblinking. No smile, no courtesy.

Magnus slowed, surprised. She didn't move.

Magnus paused, his steps faltering. Her silence hit him like a slap.

He didn't speak. He turned and kept walking.

Minutes later, Elias walked into the small room where Amara was pouring tea for the guests.

"My dad noticed," he said quietly.

Amara turned, trying to hide her emotion.

"He said you didn't greet nor smile. He asked about it. I told him you weren't feeling well."

She nodded, placing the teacup gently on the tray.

"That's true," she said calmly. "I felt lightheaded. I'm sorry."

Elias gave her a gentle look. "See the doctor when you can. You've been working so hard. You need rest."

Amara forced a small smile. "I will. Thank you."

But her hands were shaking.

She walked quickly down the hall to her room. The walls were closing in. Her chest felt tight.

She wanted to scream. She wanted to run to the west wing vault and burn everything. But not yet. Not now.

Not while the twins were still hidden, not while Elias still looked at her like she was someone worth protecting.

She breathed deeply. She needed patience. Dora had told her. 

Two hours passed.

In a long black convoy, Elias and Magnus were driven to the headquarters of Blackthorne Corporation.

Inside the building, a sea of reporters, billionaires, engineers, and investors waited. Cameras flashed. Coffee carts moved. The air buzzed with anticipation.

The stage was set. The screen behind the podium loomed large. The software that had taken years to build would finally come alive.

Elias stood backstage, checking his notes. He looked over at his father.

"You nervous?" Elias asked, half-laughing.

Magnus smirked. "I built this empire from nothing. I don't do nervous."

Elias turned toward the glass walls. Outside, the sun was climbing.

"Let's begin," the host called.

The lights dimmed. The crowd hushed.

A click. The screen lit up.

But it wasn't the interface they had built.

It was fire. Bright, violent fire and sound of screams.

Another image. A child's face crying. A woman's voice sobbing.

The audience gasped. The lights flickered.

"Turn it off!" Magnus barked. The technicians scrambled. One clicked furiously on the keyboard.

Nothing changed. The images looped, fire, screaming, crying.

It was a virus. A deep, buried and clever glitch.

Whispers started in the crowd.

"Is this a joke?" "A protest?" "A hack?"

The host stammered on stage. "We... we're experiencing technical…."

Elias rushed behind the screen. Engineers surrounded him.

"It's not in the display software," one said.

"It's in the core," another added. "It's in the launch drive."

"The main drive?" Elias asked.

"Yes, sir." His heart sank.

The presentation was canceled. The building emptied slowly, with murmurs, with doubt.

On the news that evening, the headlines read: BLACKTHORNE HUMILIATED. TECH LAUNCH FAILS IN DISASTER.

Elias sat in his office, staring blankly at the window. His father stood in the corner, arms crossed.

"This is unacceptable," Magnus hissed. "We're a laughingstock."

Elias said nothing. Just lowered his head.

Across town, Amara sat by her bed, her laptop glowed softly.

The drive had worked. She remembered entering Elias' study the week before. Finding the launch folder. Copying it, tweaking it.

But one of the drives had asked for a passcode. A strange one.

And that passcode, she knew, was the key and she must find it. To destroy the whole empire. To bring it all down.

She stared at the encrypted prompt. Her fingers hovered over the keys.

Then a whisper behind her door.

"Amara?" She turned. It was one of the twins. Her heart stopped. They were awake.

And something was wrong.