Kate’s POV
"There will be a vote!"
The voice crashed through the room like thunder. It was deep, commanding, and possessed a tone that demanded absolute silence.
The heavy double doors swung open, hitting the walls with a violent thud that made the crystal water pitchers on the table rattle. An older man in his sixties strode into the room, flanked by five grim-faced people in dark suits who looked more like executioners than lawyers. He walked with a heavy cane made of polished ebony, but he didn't lean on it for support. He carried it like a scepter of authority.
I squinted slightly behind my sunglasses, my heart rate spiking. He looked familiar. The sharp nose, the ruthless set of the jaw, and the cold jade eyes were undeniable. He looked like an older, harder, and more terrifying v
