The board conversations happened over four days, in a hotel meeting room off the Avenida that Leonardo had booked on the basis that neutral ground reduced the power differential, which she considered a thoughtful reading of the situation.
There were nine board members. Three were straightforwardly supportive — Rafael had briefed her on their positions and they were exactly what he'd described: people who knew Leonardo, knew the family history, and saw the situation clearly. These conversations were short and warm and she left them feeling the specific gratitude of being understood without having to fight for it.
Three were what Rafael called uncertain, which meant they'd read the Mendes document and had questions that were legitimate rather than hostile. These were the important ones. Sh
