Melinda’s POV
The news broke before sunrise.
I was sitting at the breakfast table with a still-warm mug in my hands when my phone buzzed. Then buzzed again. And again.
Carrie’s name lit up the screen.
“You need to see this now.”
I opened the link and read the headline out loud.
“Marcus O’Connor Assumes Family Seat — Immediately Freezes Philanthropic Trusts for Review.”
James appeared behind me, holding Elijah, who had just asked for cereal.
“What is it?” he asked.
I turned the screen toward him.
He read the headline.
Said nothing.
Just handed Elijah the spoon and sat down slowly across from me.
At 10:00 a.m., my office conference line exploded.
Five projects were stalled.
Three matching grants had been paused.
One major partnership — a scholarship program for young women in
