The email arrived at four-thirty on Thursday afternoon, just as Beauty was preparing to leave for her shopping trip with Sandra and Agnes. The subject line made her stomach drop: "Urgent: Peterson Merger, Immediate Review Required."
Beauty stared at her computer screen, watching her evening plans evaporate as she read Marcello's terse message: "Legal complications have emerged regarding the Peterson acquisition. Report to my office immediately to address the outstanding issues. Bring all relevant files."
She glanced around the office, noting that most of her colleagues had already left for the day. The cleaning crew was making their rounds, and even John had departed for his nephew's birthday dinner. Whatever crisis had emerged, it appeared she and Marcello would be handling it alone.
B
