Returning to the boardroom, I sat down and casually gave Eric a few minutes to collect himself and join us. Predictably, it didn’t take long for him to reappear, his face a mixture of frustration and defeat. He slipped into his seat quietly, but I could see the storm brewing behind his eyes.
I turned my attention back to Tina Flager, dismissing Eric from my thoughts entirely. "Sorry about that," I said with a calm smile. "Mina left, but I’m confident we can find a way to convince her to return."
Eric’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. His mouth moved soundlessly, no doubt struggling to contain the torrent of words he wanted to unleash. He understood, though. He knew I wasn’t bluffing earlier. So, for once, he stayed silent.
Tina raised a perfectly manicured brow, a sly smile tugging
