The conference room was a battleground of hushed murmurs and dismissive glares, a fitting stage for yet another test of Jack Knight’s patience.
Seated at the far end of the table, he wore an unassuming gray suit, his tie slightly loosened, and his expression calm to the point of boredom.
To those in the room, Jack was the least impressive figure—a man riding on his father’s legacy, a placeholder at best in Zenith Group’s leadership.
But Jack preferred it that way.
Across from him, Victor Hawthorne, CEO of Hawthorne Dynamics, smirked as he leaned back in his chair, exuding an air of overconfidence. "Mr. Knight," Victor drawled, "I’ll be frank. Zenith’s position in this negotiation is... precarious. If you want to salvage any part of your company’s relevance, I suggest you accept our ter
