The Cross Empire tower, usually a bastion of ruthless, unified ambition, was fracturing.
It wasn't visible from the street. The glass facade was as impenetrable as ever. But inside, on the executive floors, the fault lines were widening.
Adrian Cross sat in his office, the door closed. He was the CFO. The "numbers guy." The brother who kept the lights on while Liam built the kingdom.
He was also, according to the whispers in the hallway, the "Successor."
Sterling—the investor who had tried to oust Aurora—had been whispering in Adrian's ear for weeks.
"Liam is compromised, Adrian. He's distracted. He's emotional. The scandal... the trial... it's a liability. The board needs a steady hand. It needs you."
It was a seductive song. Adrian had lived in Liam's shadow his entire life. He was
