Word of Desmond's softening stance reached Nathaniel faster than anyone expected, carried through the same quiet network of assistants and junior executives who always seemed to know exactly which conversations mattered before the people actually involved in them realized how far the word had already traveled. By Friday morning, Nathaniel had already set his next plan into motion, understanding clearly that whatever window of opportunity remained was closing quickly, and that hesitation now would cost him everything he'd spent years carefully building toward. And that would be bad, so he needed to do something before it gets bad.
He called an emergency meeting with three minority shareholders, longtime allies who had quietly supported his ambitions for years, gathering in a private dining
