Sebastian’s POV
The estate gates swung open as my convoy pulled in, and whatever calm I’d been holding onto shattered the moment we entered.
The long marble driveway glowed under the evening lights. Everything looked just as it always did–grand, flawless, cold–but something felt… off. I couldn’t explain it. There was this strange pressure in the air, like something had shifted without warning.
I stepped out of the car, loosening my tie as two guards greeted me with sharp salutes. I gave them a brief nod, just as Drey, my secretary, caught up, tablet in hand.
“We’re still finalizing the investor clauses, sir,” Drey reported. “But the board seemed pleased with how the presentation went.”
“They should be,” I muttered. “We didn’t give them control over the AI system. That alone is a win.”
