t something had sh

or a crisis, but in the way Todd Blackwo

purposeful. Now it lingered. Not openly. Not improperly. But l

ight have dismissed

ld, nothing chang

arrived two

orning meeting-or

enior executives, legal counsel, and strategic advisors whose combined authority could bend markets. Todd s

quisition timelines. Regula

appeared o

spine st

e-but she recognized the

Quiet. Patient

upposed t

t disclosed," T

oom s

"It came in late last night. Structured throug

harpened. "On

a, cross-referencing entities, tracing patterns. Her he

n't a ra

s a p

e time," Ellie said befo

om wen

ough to acknowledge her fully. Just e

in," h

. polite. Deliberately so. That suggests they're more interest

pa

d, more confident now. "How quickly. Who s

d the scree

e nodd

said. "And they tim

Ellie-not approvin

o the group. "With

rs er

executive began, "

" Todd interrupted. "And th

d down t

denies t

ision w

rface. Todd had validated her insight publicly. That alone changed

ty was d

, Todd called her

d. The privacy

your place," h

art thudde

continued, "yo

aze. "You put

e said.

be

you are now visible to peo

erstood i

become a

warning?"

sequence,"

ersonal space. "People who can't reach me will

tened. "I'm n

quietly. "Yo

ed heavily-bu

le one,"

was w

idn't take lon

ails rerouted, calendar changes she hadn't authori

came th

te Nu

your loyalty. Some games

eath c

d Todd im

ssage once, th

who it's from

" he

nd

ng gives t

d. "So wha

er gaze. "

was immediate

his direct strategic te

stunned t

ked pedigree. And yet, the announcement was unmi

as in

y intensifi

ers, the sudden politeness layered with suspici

To

rew qu

contr

ry conversation. No visible familiarity.

llowed," he told

spiked.

. "Digitally. Social patterns.

ed. "Should I

udied

"But you should

move came disguis

event-exclusive, powerful, strategically useful. T

ught it

expression

a trap,

hy invi

r you move independently," he re

ted. "Should

lent for a

finally. "Yo

dened sligh

es

at'

he finish

gaze. "Then

wing now would s

tion signal

jaw tig

es

slowly. "Th

ision w

rned to leave,

he dress I app

ed. "Exc

," he added coolly. "

squarely. "Everything you do is pe

assed throu

ul," he s

d faintly

event arrived l

dress Todd had selected-elegant, understa

ecora

pon

. Conversations layered with subt

listening more than speaking

n she f

on

t. Calc

confident, dangerous in the

t to place," he

ntional," El

kwood doesn't usually

ze. "He doesn't d

what a

iled s

xtens

lightly-but hi

how long t

did

iting when

't drink,

n't ne

dn't ov

wanted

't take t

gaze. "You

retched be

id something

did w

appr

wledg

nt eve

ightened

st chosen to protect a variab

d just survived her

e had c

uld never