-paneled boardroom like a wet fish, a

like dry leaves in a graveyard. I sat there, a professional smile glued to my face,

duce a diabetic coma. "Could you repeat that for

ound echo against the mahogany. "The, uh, launch date has been mov

part where we actually sell the product? We've been 'fine-tuning' since the last fiscal quarter. At t

more like a sob. The rest stared at the table, pra

on. His silence wasn't neutral; it was deliberate, a heavy weight in the room. He was enjoying my p

le, the sound of a cello in a room full of glass breaking. "Let's not eat the boar

it was.

gitimate miracle who had somehow become the center of their gravity. I could pull

leather chair groaned. "If Joshua White says it's fine, the

the flash of a hunter's knife. "You've got a way of mak

d, the words snapping like a whip. "Espec

ofessional smile that

ot

ctricity humming between us, but today the hate felt m

ologne and even worse intentions. He clapped his hands

into a seat like he'd just been coronated king

political maneuvering. He smiled like a man who enjoyed stabbing people w

" I said coolly

me. His focus was already glued to Josh like a magnet. "Joshua, my boy, brilliant wo

rse th

, the picture of humil

a word of this to me. That's how this gilded cage operated: bac

ked, keeping my tone

s this di

hted to play the role

e suggested consolidating the launch under one execu

ready knowing exactly where

, savoring the mome

merged under his oversigh

ambush. The real reaso

ng smirk, no triumphant gleam, just that steady, unreadab

oice as light and ho

rategic of

ng my gaze. "Until the launch. The board

oard?

and deliberate.

" I countered, the ice in my voice thickening. "Unles

ard members were shifting in their seats, s

ing sound. "Now, now. Let's n

, Sir?" I asked sweetly. "Business just

a thin, grim line. "You should

didn't. Not anymore. I'd tran

he mere mention of corporate tyranny. The entire r

weight that only billions of dollars and decades of ruth

dré," he said with that

e," Raymond chipped in, eager

his voice as cold as the morgue. He turned back to

sends his sin

s timing, something our youth tends to forget." A

ight crack. "We try to learn from our elders, sir. Ev

to defend himself; the entire roo

ical. "I trust you two can manage the merger preparat

ed for a split second.

g. "Yes. WGC is moving forward with Vang

st I'd heard of it. I was be

he transition team. Public relations, finance, me

ay nice, or I'll use your pub

ement robotic. "Of cours

u on the structure. I have another meeting

ving behind a silenc

fully. Joshua, I'll have the documents forwarded to your office. Ruby..."

azor-sharp loo

. Josh walked up to me, the hum of the air

ext time, pick you

tic laugh. "You already d

le and infuriating. "Yo

you enj

host of a smirk to surface on his lips.

nd fast. He was right.

stack. "Don't worry, Mrs. White. You'll

n't playing defense anymore. He was playing to win, and he'

dulterated rage. "Careful, Joshua. When you pull strings

k over his shoulder. "Funny. I was

shut, the sound

pty chair, tasting the metalli

it in four-inch heels. And I will make