Liora doesn’t ask for permission.
She sends the invitations before sunrise.
By the time Julian steps into his office, his inbox is already populated with confirmations—three senior stakeholders, one external advisor, and a media liaison tentatively holding a slot for a joint statement.
She stands at his desk when he enters, tablet in hand.
“I’ve scheduled a strategic breakfast,” she says smoothly. “Thursday. Eight a.m. Private room at the Meridian.”
He sets his briefcase down without breaking stride. “With whom?”
She turns the screen toward him. “Carter. Nguyen. Feldman. And I’ve invited Armitage as a neutral presence.”
He scans the list.
Her alliances.
Not his.
“The agenda?” he asks.
She taps once. “Positioning alignment post-governance shift. Narrative reinforcement. Future-fo
