The boardroom doors closed softly. But it sounded louder than it should have.
Sophie took a seat beside Ethan at the long polished table, she straightened her back and controlled her expression. Around them, the board members settled into their chairs, murmurs fading into silence. Screens lit up. Documents were placed neatly in front of each director.
At the far end of the table, Adrian Blackwood sat like he had all the time in the world. Waiting. Watching.
The chairman cleared his throat. “Let’s begin.”
No small talk. No delay. This meeting seemed to be more corporate than the last.
“This emergency session has been called to address recent developments concerning Blackwood Holdings’ governance structure,” he continued. “Specifically, the introduction of a new beneficiary into the pri
