WYNE'S POV
I was right. The moment I stepped into Erlington Group, my instincts had started screaming. Something wasn't adding up. Officially, the man sitting across from me was the CEO.
Unofficially... He didn't feel like one. After years in business, I'd learned that titles meant very little. Power wasn't announced. It was felt. People naturally gravitated toward the one who truly held authority. They watched that person's reactions. They sought approval before making decisions.
They unconsciously revealed who they answered to. And throughout the entire meeting... I noticed it.
Whenever an executive presented a report, their eyes would briefly flick elsewhere. Not toward the acting CEO. Toward... Madelyn.
It was subtle. So subtle that anyone else would have missed it. A split sec
