“It’s about the Titanflex Skytower Infrastructure Project,” Camila replied. The seriousness in her tone deepened. “We’ve completed the last internal audits. The engineers at Xavier Tech are ready to begin the final construction and installation phase. I need Master Magnus’s approval on the final plan. Today.”Leonard blinked slowly. “Today?”“Yes,” she answered. “If we don’t get his signature now, the entire schedule will collapse. We’re already cutting it close.”Steward Leonard’s eyes clouded. He looked past her for a second, like he was seeing the jade bed again.“Camila…” he started.She stepped in closer, lowering her voice but not her urgency. “Mr Leonard, Imperium Bank is waiting. Their new headquarters in the capital depends on this. The Titanflex Skytower output is the only construction system powerful and precise enough for their design. No other company has anything like it.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly. So that was the project. Titanflex. A Skytower. Imperium Bank.“Ou

“Please,” she tried again, forcing herself to keep her voice steady. “This isn’t just about me. If Imperium Bank pulls away because we delayed without reason, thousands of jobs are at risk. The Titanflex line, the subcontractors, the city district around that tower. We owe it to them to show we are efficient and reliable.”“You are very good at making other people’s needs sound like leverage,” Ethan said. “But I already told you. I will not entertain company matters until after two days.”Her throat tightened. The hallway seemed to shrink around her. “I spoke out of frustration earlier,” she blurted. “I know I was rude to you earlier on. I was under pressure and I didn’t know who you were. I’m sorry. I truly am. But please, don’t make the company pay for my bad attitude.”He regarded her for a long second. She saw the grief for his grandfather behind his eyes, the restraint wrapped around his anger.“I have no grudge against you,” Ethan said at last. “But you need to learn a lesson. Y

Ethan could see where this was headed. He had tolerated worse in his life. But now, watching this many people put blind faith in a flawed machine, his patience thinned.“I’m an engineer like you,” he said. “And I’m telling you this flaw is dangerous.”“Like us? You are an engineer like us?” Ian barked out a laugh. “You haven’t been here sweating over this beast for four years. You don’t get to say ‘like us.’”Marcus took a step closer, invading Ethan’s space. “I have no time for this,” he said. “The new CEO of Xavier Global holdings is coming soon. We have a full schedule, and I’m not about to let some quack ruin my mood or this team’s focus.”He leaned in further, voice dropping. “Do us both a favor. Do quick, and get out of here before someone in security decides you’re a problem. Trust me, you don’t want to be seen loitering in my hall without authorization.”Ian grinned. “You talk like a drunk man, honestly. And your presence feels like bad luck. We’re at the final stage. We don’t

The silence in the TitanFlex hall felt heavier than steel. Marcus stared at Harland Pierce as if the man had spoken a foreign language.“Suspended?” he repeated. “On what basis? I’ve led the TitanFlex project for four years. No one knows this project better than I do.”Harland didn’t blink. “The basis,” he said, “is that the new CEO of Xavier Global Holdings judged you unfit to continue leading it.”Gasps rippled through the hall. Engineers exchanged confused looks. Someone whispered, “The new CEO said that?”Marcus’s jaw tightened. “That makes no sense. You three have supervised this project for years. You’ve never found fault in my leadership. Why now?”“Orders are orders,” Harland replied. “This comes from the highest authority in the Xavier group. You are removed.”Marcus stepped forward, his voice rising. “How would he know anything about me? I haven’t met him. He hasn’t even inspected TitanFlex like he was supposed to!”Ian moved next to him. “Mr. Pierce, this is unreasonable. I

The orphanage sat on the outskirts of Avalora, squeezed between half-finished buildings and a dusty, uneven road. The gate was rusty. The walls were cracked. Inside, the sound of children didn’t sound like playtime. It sounded like hunger.In a small, tired office that doubled as a bedroom, Mama Ruth held her old phone to her ear.The line rang three times before someone picked up.“Yes?” a man’s voice said.“Mr. Ferdinand, it’s Ruth… from Grace Haven Orphanage,” she said carefully. “I just wanted to—”“I told you not to call this number again,” he snapped. “We’ve stopped donations. Times are hard.”“But the children—” she began.“Madam, I have my own family to feed,” he cut in. “Please do not disturb me.” The line went dead.Ruth lowered the phone, her hand started trembling. She tried another number.A woman answered. “Hello?”“This is mama Ruth,” she said softly. “From the orphanage you used to—”The woman sighed loudly. “Ah, Mama Ruth, I am tired of this. Please, we have our own p