The Matriarch remained frozen, her wrinkled fingers clutching the scrap of paper from Cassian as if it were a burning coal. Her sharp, weary eyes scanned the "Reverse Acquisition" lines over and over. Kenneth Stark stood at the lobby entrance, laughing—a mocking laugh, as if watching a comedy performed by those on the brink of death.
"You've truly gone mad, Lianna," the Matriarch hissed, her voice so low it was nearly drowned out by the panic of the staff. "Trying to strike back at a predator as massive as Stark with the remnants of a cash flow that won't even cover next month’s electricity bill?"
Lianna glanced at Cassian for a moment. She saw her husband standing there, incredibly calm, as if this entire chaos were merely a light drizzle that would soon pass. Cassian’s confidence was c
