A sharp, physical knock at my office door shattered the silence.
Gary Price stepped inside, holding a thick leather folder labeled Creation Systems Acquisition — Final Terms. He froze as his eyes flicked from my pale face to the glowing red headlines visible on my secondary monitor.
"So..." Gary muttered, closing the door behind him with a heavy sigh. "I take it you've seen the internal boards. The whole wing is buzzing like a hornet's nest. They’re claiming your marriage is a tax shelter meant to push through today's 51% controlling stake buyout."
"That is the beauty of rumors, Gary," I said smoothly, uncapping my fountain pen without letting my hand shake. "They thrive on speculation because people are too bored with their own metrics to focus on their actual deliverables. They are st
