Adrian's POV
The board meeting was on a Wednesday.
Marcus set up the laptop on the hospital tray table at eight-fifty and ran a connection test while I buttoned the top of a shirt Diana had brought from the apartment. I was still in a hospital bed. The shirt was the compromise — professional from the chest up, cardiac ward from the waist down. Harland would read into it regardless. Let him.
"Twelve members confirmed," Marcus said. "Harland brought Patterson. That's expected."
"What's Patterson's current position?"
"Neutral. Waiting to see which way the wind goes." He adjusted the camera angle. "The others are mostly steady. Two are nervous about the stock drop. That's manageable."
"Alright."
At nine exactly I opened the meeting.
I didn't apologize for the setting. I didn't acknowle
