Noah stared at him for a long moment. He was in no mood for Lucien's games. He was in no mood for anything that required patience or subtlety or the careful navigation of someone else's hidden agenda. But the mention of Nicole had hooked something deep in his chest, and he could not ignore it."I am not in the best of moods for anything you are plotting, Lucien. I just told off a fucking member of the board and I have no patience left for scheming or manipulation or whatever it is you do for fun."Lucien's eyebrows rose a fraction of an inch, and something that might have been genuine respect flickered in his eyes. "So you did rip Michael Chen a new one. In his own office. That is bold, Chairman. I am impressed.""I did not do it to impress you.""Oh I know." Lucien grinned then pulled his hands from his pockets and held them up in a gesture of surrender. "But I am not here to plot or scheme or manipulate you. I am here because I want to help."Noah let out a short and humorless la

Noah blinked. "The merger was your idea?""Yes. Several months ago, when Nicholson Industries was first looking for a potential partner, I suggested that Nexus might be a good fit. The numbers looked promising at the time and the company seemed stable. I thought it could be a beneficial arrangement for both parties." She paused, her jaw tightening. "But I was wrong. The more I learned about Nicole Nicholson, the more I saw of her methods and her character, the less comfortable I became with the idea. And then when investigated her more I was provided with a full analytical breakdown of the merger proposal, and my doubts were confirmed.""What did the analysis show you?""Everything I needed to see. The financial irregularities as well as the inflated projections. The way Nicole has been quietly consolidating power within her own company while presenting a completely different face to the public. Chantel figured out the same thing. She is very good at her job, Noah and left no stone u

Suddenly, another sound filled the silence of Noah's office. It was a low and melodic whistle, something classical and vaguely familiar.Noah looked up, already knowing who he would see before his eyes confirmed it.The door unlocked and Lucien Vicker strolled through the doorway as though he owned the place, his hands tucked into the pockets of his charcoal gray trousers, his expression one of theatrical innocence. The whistling stopped as he turned to look at Noah with that familiar grin spreading across his face."Quite the formidable woman, my dear Aunt Victoria," Lucien said, his voice carrying a note of genuine unease beneath its usual amusement. "She has been terrifying me since I was old enough to walk. I remember once, when I was about seven years old, I made the mistake of pulling Evelyn's hair during a family gathering. Victoria appeared out of nowhere like an avenging spirit and told me, in the calmest voice I have ever heard, that if I ever touched her daughter again s

Rebecca followed Chantel through the corridors of Nexus headquarters, her footsteps silent on the polished marble floor, her eyes tracking the familiar details of the executive wing as they passed. The abstract art on the walls. The recessed lighting that cast everything in a warm and flattering glow. The occasional staff member who nodded respectfully as they passed and then hurried on their way.They were heading toward the east wing, a part of the building that Rebecca rarely visited. It housed the guest suites and private lounges, spaces designed for visiting dignitaries and important clients who needed somewhere comfortable to wait between meetings. It was quieter here than in the main corridors, the ambient hum of the building fading into something softer and more distant.Rebecca had known Chantel Dubois for only a few months now, but she had learned to read the woman reasonably well. Chantel was usually composed at all times, her emotions carefully managed behind a mask

Neo blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden shift to professional matters. He had been expecting something else, Rebecca realized. Something more personal. And Chantel was deliberately denying him that satisfaction, steering the conversation back to the business at hand with the swiftness of a person who had no interest in lingering on anything else. "No. The date has not been fixed. There are still some oppositions that need to be resolved before anything can be finalized. My father is working on them, but it is taking longer than he expected.""Oppositions," Chantel repeated, her tone carefully neutral. "From whom, specifically?""From several board members. Victoria Lansing, for one. She made her position very clear during the meeting. She does not support the merger and she is not going to change her mind. And there are others who are wavering, people who were initially supportive but are now having second thoughts after seeing the Chairman's resistance." Neo paused, h