The next day, Liora sat pale-faced, her eyes fixed on a phone flooded with messages. Almost all were from Astervale employees.
“Madam, please come. We don’t know what to do anymore.”
“The company is a mess, no one dares to decide anything.”
“We still believe in you. Only you can save Astervale.”
Liora’s heart pounded. Astervale. That name had always held a special meaning for her, the company she had once built through hard work, even after Noah and the Granthams tried to destroy it. Now, in the midst of legal chaos, the employees were placing their hopes in her.
She stood and reached for her long coat. But before she could step out of the room, Xavier’s deep voice came from the doorway.
“Where are you going?”
“Astervale. The employees are looking for me. They need me.”
“No. There
