When the official announcement appeared on the massive projection screen, Madison Clarke froze.
Not just stunned—her mind went completely blank.
Beside her, Lauren Dalton was in the exact same state, eyes wide, pupils unfocused, as if the words in front of them had suddenly lost all meaning.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
They simply stood there, breathing shallowly, their thoughts crashing into one another in chaos.
This wasn’t just disappointment.
This was the kind of shock that made one’s emotional balance collapse in an instant, as though the floor beneath their feet had vanished without warning.
What… just happened?
Why was the entire real estate sector wiped clean from the investment list?
Not reduced. Not downgraded.
Erased.
And the most terrifying part wasn’
