From my seat, I could feel it—the shift in the air, subtle but dangerous.
Outside, far beyond the reach of the music and applause, a sniper had already taken position. His scope was steady, aimed straight through the glass walls of the hall.
Waiting for me.
Waiting for the moment I stepped into the spotlight.
Inside, no one noticed. Not the board. Not the guests. Not even the guards.
They were all focused on General Godfrey Barlow.
The tension in the hall had turned thick. His interruption wasn’t out of confusion—it was deliberate. A challenge. And everyone important in the room understood that.
They also knew his history with the former head of the Grayson family. This wasn’t just business. This was resistance.
Before Barlow could push further, Alistair Vance—the richest man in Ve
