"Mr. Cole." Victor Salazar's voice carried none of the confident menace Francis had expected from a man responsible for a brick through his father's window, considerably more controlled and careful now that Naomi's call had connected them directly. "I'll admit, I wasn't expecting to hear from you personally.""I imagine there's a great deal about this situation you didn't expect," Francis said, unhurried, reclining in his office chair with the same calm certainty he'd carried through every confrontation this past year. "I'm calling as a courtesy. Tomorrow morning, a detailed investigative piece publishes across three major outlets, documenting Salazar Capital's lending practices over the last eight years. Forty three businesses financed, thirty one failed, twenty six absorbed into shell companies you control. Six victims speaking on record, considerably more corroborating privately."Silence stretched on the line, long enough that Francis wondered if the call had dropped entirely."Th

"She applied for a position at one of our vendor partners," Naomi said, sliding a hiring report across Francis's desk, her expression carrying careful neutrality despite the obvious weight of the subject. "Entry level administrative work. Considerably beneath what she used to command, though apparently exactly what she's currently qualified for, given everything that's happened to Reyes Holdings this year." Francis studied the report, Tina's name printed alongside a modest job title that bore no resemblance to the empire she'd once commanded. "Why bring this to me directly. It's a routine hire, surely." "It would be, if the vendor in question weren't one Skyward has considerable influence over," Naomi said. "The hiring manager flagged it up the chain out of caution, given her history with you specifically. I thought you'd want to know before it moved further, in case you had concerns about the appearance of it." Francis considered the report a long moment, something complicated sett

"You're doing it wrong," Eliza said, hovering over Reginald's shoulder as he attempted to arrange place cards for the upcoming family dinner, her tone carrying the particular precision of a woman who'd organized considerably more formal events than he had in his entire quiet, hidden life. "Gerald cannot sit beside my sister. They haven't spoken civilly in eleven years." "I wasn't aware there was a feud requiring seating diplomacy," Reginald said, something mild and amused in his voice despite Eliza's evident exasperation. "In my defense, nobody handed me a manual for Morrison family dynamics before assigning me this particular task." "Consider this your crash course," Eliza said, rearranging three cards with brisk efficiency. "Francis's mother sits here, beside me, since we've developed something resembling actual friendship this past month. You sit across from us, where I can monitor whether you're actually capable of holding a dinner conversation without mentioning thirty years of

"You've been quiet all morning," Francis said, tightening his tie in the bathroom mirror while Chelsy sat on the edge of the tub, watching him with an expression he couldn't quite place. "Is something bothering you?""Not bothering me," Chelsy said carefully. "Though I do have something to tell you before you leave for the board meeting."Something in her tone made Francis pause, tie half finished, turning to give her his full attention. "That sounds considerably more serious than the tone you're using for it.""It's not bad," Chelsy said quickly, something nervous and hopeful crossing her face at once. "I took a test this morning. Two of them, actually, because I didn't quite trust the first one." She held up a small stick, the two lines unmistakable even from across the room.Francis stood completely still, the tie forgotten entirely, several long seconds passing before he found his voice. "You're pregnant.""I'm pregnant," Chelsy confirmed, something bright and uncertain in her exp

"Something's wrong," Chelsy said, her voice tight with fear over the phone, cutting through the middle of Francis's acquisition signing meeting without preamble. "I'm bleeding, Francis. Not a lot, but enough that the doctor wants me at the hospital immediately."Francis felt every ounce of blood drain from his face, the boardroom around him fading instantly into meaningless background noise. "I'm coming right now.""Francis, the signing—" Chris started, though he fell silent almost immediately at whatever expression had settled onto Francis's face."The signing can wait," Francis said, already gathering his things, voice considerably harder than he intended given the fear coursing through him. "Naomi, reschedule everything for this afternoon. I don't care what it costs us in delay penalties."Naomi was already moving, tablet in hand, though something calculating crossed her expression that Francis recognized immediately from months of watching her navigate crisis. "The other party's t