Luca’s POV
The plane lifted into the sky smoothly, and I watched Switzerland shrink beneath clouds like a chessboard I had temporarily stepped away from.
“Sir,” the man across from me said while holding a tablet carefully, “media inquiries are increasing.”
I held out my hand.
He passed the tablet.
Headlines were already forming narratives.
Financial instability.
Board turbulence.
Questions about leadership.
I read each word without blinking. “They are writing obituaries before the body falls,” I murmured while handing the device back.
The man looked uncomfortable. “Should we respond publicly?” he asked while adjusting his tie nervously.
“Yes,” I said calmly while folding my hands again. “But not defensively.”
He waited.
“We announce expansion,” I continued while staring at th
