The car ride home unfolded in heavy silence. Sarah stared out the window, her fingers tapping a restless rhythm against her knee. Disgust churned within her, not just at the public humiliation Malik had endured, but at the proposal that threatened to dismantle everything she'd built these past five years.
How could Grandfather approve this? The question circled relentlessly in her mind. After successfully steering Roy Enterprises for half a decade, she now found herself battling her own family before every significant board decision. Calling Paul to confirm his support felt like advertising weakness, a concession she couldn't afford.
Malik kept his eyes on the road, the tension radiating from her a palpable force in the confined space. He recognized the source of her silence, understood
