Genius Kids' Scheme: Claiming Daddy's Billionaire Empire Chapter 293

Morning light danced across the breakfast table as the Haven-Sterling crew enjoyed their meal together. Adam watched Irene butter her toast, smiling at how normal this all felt. The kids were unusually well-behaved, stealing glances at each other between bites.

"Want more juice, Uncle Adam?" Lily asked, already grabbing the pitcher before Adam could answer.

"Thanks, kiddo." He watched her pour with her tongue sticking out in concentration.

Lucas piped up, "You coming over tonight, Uncle Adam? We could watch that space movie you told us about."

"If Mom says it's okay," Adam replied, looking at Irene.

She nodded, loving how easily they'd fallen into this routine. "Movie night sounds perfect. I'll make popcorn."

Adam's phone buzzed. His expression changed as he read the message.

"Problem?" Irene asked.

"Just work stuff," he said, pushing his chair back. "Gotta handle it in person."

Alex frowned. "You're leaving already, Uncle Adam?"

"Boss life," Adam said, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Save me some popcorn for tonight."

As he passed Irene, he slipped his hand under the table to find hers, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Don't stay at work too late," he whispered, just for her.

She smiled up at him. "I won't. Stop worrying."

The second Adam's car disappeared, the kids turned to Irene with matching grins.

"Sooooo," Lucas dragged out the word, "you and Uncle Adam, huh?"

Irene laughed. "Eat your breakfast, nosy."

"But he makes you happy, right?" Lily asked, suddenly serious. "You smile a lot more now."

Irene's face softened. "Yes, honey. Very happy."

The kids exchanged looks that screamed "mission accomplished."

Outside, the morning traffic picked up as Adam arrived at Haven headquarters. Thomas was already waiting in the office, coffee in hand.

"Got Victor's finances," Thomas said, passing over his tablet. "Better than we thought."

Adam flipped through it, his face giving nothing away. "Highlights?"

"He's mortgaged everything except his house. Been calling in favors left and right." Thomas couldn't hide his smirk. "Funny thing—all those people who used to worship him? Suddenly they're all 'out of office' when he calls."

Adam's mouth twitched with satisfaction. "How's Grandfather taking it?"

"Let's just say 'disappointed' is putting it mildly."

Adam set down the tablet and picked up a pen, spinning it between his fingers. "This is just the beginning. Make sure nobody cuts him any slack. No favors, no exceptions."

"Should we watch him more closely?" Thomas asked. "He might try something stupid."

"Let him try," Adam said, eyes cold. "It'll only make things worse for him." He turned to his computer, clearly done with that topic. "Beef up security around Emerald Garden, especially near Irene's place. Keep it quiet though—don't want to scare the kids."

Thomas nodded. Message received: mess with Irene, and Adam would bring the whole world down on your head.

The morning bustle at Silver City Medical Center greeted Irene as she walked through the lobby. She noticed the sideways glances and whispers following her—clearly, the Adam gossip had spread.

"Morning!" Matthew appeared with a steaming cup. "Made it with honey, just how you like it."

"Thanks," Irene said with a quick smile, already moving toward the lab. "How's Barrett coming along?"

"Right on track. Everyone's waiting for the meeting."

Irene nodded, spotting Jennifer watching them from across the room. The younger doctor quickly looked away when caught staring.

During the meeting, Irene outlined their nerve stimulation project with easy confidence. Her colleagues nodded as she walked them through the latest findings.

"Great stuff," one researcher said when she finished. "Heard about that Hayes Estate conference next month. You presenting?"

Matthew jumped in before she could answer. "Actually, I was hoping Irene would be our keynote. Her work is changing the field."

Irene caught Jennifer's face tightening from the corner of her eye.

As people started making lunch plans afterward, a colleague turned to Irene. "Joining us?"

She shook her head, pointing to her computer. "Need to finish this analysis for the afternoon meeting. Rain check?"

Matthew frowned. "Come on, thirty minutes won't hurt. You need to eat."

"He's right," someone else chimed in. "The data will still be there after lunch."

Jennifer suddenly materialized beside them, her smile not reaching her eyes. "Go ahead, Irene. I can shut down your computer. Your health matters more than work."

Irene hesitated, something about Jennifer's helpfulness feeling off. "Thanks, but I've already saved everything. I'll close it myself."

She quickly shut everything down properly, making Jennifer's smile falter.

"Okay then," Irene grabbed her purse. "Quick lunch it is."

The minute everyone left, Jennifer raced back to the lab. She snapped on gloves and headed straight for Irene's computer.

"Little Miss Perfect," she muttered, powering it up. "Perfect doctor, perfect mom, perfect girlfriend to Adam Haven."

She clicked through folders with practiced speed.

"After all my years here, I'm still just the assistant," she fumed, finding the folder marked "Neurostimulation Project - Final Data." "Meanwhile, you waltz in with three kids and suddenly you're running everything *and* dating the richest guy in Silver City."

Her expression hardened as she selected all the files. Her finger hovered over delete for just a moment before pressing down.

"Let's see how perfect you look without your precious data." She ran a program to wipe any chance of recovery, watching with grim satisfaction as it completed.

After shutting down, she tossed her gloves in the trash and practiced her concerned face in Irene's office mirror.

"Oh no, your data's gone? How awful! What could have happened?"

Satisfied, she left with a smile. The afternoon meeting would be very interesting.

When everyone returned from lunch, they gathered for the data presentation. Irene sat confidently at the head of the table and opened her laptop.

Her fingers froze mid-typing as confusion crossed her face. She clicked through folders with increasing urgency.

"Problem?" Jennifer asked, tilting her head with fake concern.

"My files are gone," Irene said, impressively calm despite the situation. "They were definitely here this morning."

Whispers spread around the table. Jennifer seized her moment.

"We're all waiting for these results," she said loudly. "Maybe we should reschedule? I'd hate for this to look bad for the department."

Irene looked up, eyes sharp. "This wasn't a simple mistake. I saved everything this morning before the meeting."

She stood up. "Let's take a break. Please go back to your stations while I figure this out."

As everyone left, Irene headed straight for security. The guard looked up when she entered.

"Need to see the lab surveillance from lunch hour," she said.

The guard shifted uncomfortably. "Sorry, but protocols say we need department head approval for that."

Irene's jaw tightened. This wasn't an accident—someone had deliberately sabotaged her. After everything that had happened lately, she couldn't help wondering if it was connected.

Walking back through the quiet hallway, she considered her options. Professional data recovery would take days, and she needed those results today. Without them, questions would be raised about her competence.

Suddenly, she stopped, a solution hitting her. A slow smile spread across her face.

"Of course," she whispered. "I have the perfect little helper for this."

Irene found a quiet corner by the window. She pulled out her phone and dialed, the line connecting after two rings.

"Hey," she said, her voice warm with mom-affection. "Can you help me with something? It's about computers." She paused, listening. "Yes, it's important. Very important."

Her eyes sparked with determination, a confident smile lifting her lips. Whoever was behind this had clearly underestimated who they were dealing with—and who she had in her corner.