The boardroom in the top floor of the resort villa was minimalist, but the tension inside it was anything but. The long oak table gleamed under the overhead light, reflecting rows of meticulously prepared documents and the presence of three powerful Japanese investors seated across from Luke and his executive team.
Cassie stood off to the side with a tablet in her hands, trying her best to look composed and professional, even though her heart was pounding.
This was it.
The moment everyone had been working toward for weeks.
The investors—Mr. Nakamura, Mr. Hiroshi, and Ms. Takeda—spoke softly amongst themselves in Japanese. Occasionally, they nodded and marked places in the contract with silk-gloved fingers.
Luke sat at the head of the table, exuding the calm confidence that always seem
