--- *Chapter 29: BURNT TOAST & REAL LAUGHTER* 7:15am. No alarm. No board calls. No “Sir, your 8am meeting.” Daniel woke up confused. Sun on his face. Quiet. Too quiet. He was used to 5am. Used to 200 emails before breakfast. Today? Nothing. He got up. Went to the kitchen. CEO instincts: solve problem. Problem today = breakfast. Chioma was still asleep upstairs. Nurse said she needed rest. Daniel could handle one meal. How hard could toast be? 10 minutes later: smoke alarm. Black bread. Kitchen smelled like regret. Daniel opened windows. Fanned the alarm with a magazine. CEO of Okoye Group, defeated by bread. Footsteps on stairs. Chioma. Hair messy. Oversized hoodie. She stopped at kitchen door. Sniffed air. “Are you trying to burn the house down?” she asked. Voice still raspy fr

