The heavy oak doors of the executive conference hall clicked shut behind the last retreating director, leaving an echoing silence in the expansive room. Within sixty seconds, twenty of the most powerful and self-important men in the financial district had gathered their paperwork, avoided eye contact, and cleared out like schoolchildren caught trespassing in a restricted zone. The boardroom was finally empty.
Elara let out a slow, measured breath, her shoulders finally dropping from the rigid, combat-ready posture she had maintained throughout the entire confrontation. She reached up to adjust the lapel of her emerald-green blazer, feeling the familiar, lingering hum of adrenaline slowly recede into a quiet, pulsing satisfaction.
Across the wide glass table, Alex remained seated for a
