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Author’s POV
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After Donna's announcement, silence blankets the room like a heavy fog while the world around Chase momentarily loses its color. He'd always assumed he was the natural choice for this role even though it hadn't been officially confirmed, and shockwaves ripple through his core at his mother’s words.
His gaze darts around the room, taking in the mirrored disbelief in the eyes of the board members. They, too, seem caught off guard by Donna's decision. He snaps his gaze away from them and looks across the table to his mother again, but she avoids his gaze, her attention seemingly absorbed by everything else in the room.
Chase's mind races with questions in the haze of confusion, and he wonders why his mother made this choice, d
