“What do you want?”
Ethan didn’t raise his voice. He didn’t need to. The control in it was sharper than anger. More dangerous.
The man holding the phone didn’t look away. Didn’t rush. Didn’t hesitate.
“Simple,” he said. “We return to balance.”
Sophie’s chest tightened. “That’s not simple.”
“It is from our side.”
Ethan’s eyes darkened. “Say it clearly.”
A pause. Then—
“You step down.” The man said.
Silence dropped. Heavy. Unforgiving.
Sophie’s breath caught. “From what?” she asked, even though she already knew.
The man answered anyway. “As CEO.”
Ethan didn’t react. Not outwardly. But Sophie felt it— That stillness. That shift.
“No,” he said.
The answer came instantly. Final.
The man nodded slightly. “As expected.”
Sophie’s pulse spiked. “That’s not a negotiation,” she said.
