The air shifts the moment the doors close.
Not tense—controlled. That’s worse.
The boardroom is sealed in glass and quiet authority, the skyline of Manhattan flattened behind tinted panels. A digital display scrolls across the far wall: Asset Stabilization Review — Crowe Holdings.
Marcus sits beside Evelyn, jacket unbuttoned, hands folded loosely on the table. Composed. Prepared.
Julian sits at the head.
But he is not leading.
The chair of the board clears her throat. “We’ll begin with portfolio exposure under current litigation and restructuring forecasts.”
Julian nods once. “The volatility is temporary. Reactionary filings always are. Our leverage remains intact.”
His voice is smooth. Confident. Familiar.
But when the first analyst finishes outlining projected risk tied to injun
