The next afternoon arrived with a quiet sense of expectation.
The office had returned to its normal rhythm after the board meeting, but the leadership team knew that the situation with Hawthorne Capital was not completely finished. Their request for a private meeting suggested that they were exploring another direction.
When investors shifted tactics, it usually meant they were reassessing the balance of power.
I spent most of the morning reviewing operational updates from the international divisions. The numbers continued to confirm what we had presented to the board. The expansion strategy was working exactly as designed.
By the time the afternoon approached, the office had grown calm again.
Adrian stepped into my office shortly after two.
“They are here,” he said.
“Already.”
“Ye
