The news of Byron Hyde's Lazarus-like return sent shockwaves through the financial world. Hyde Industries stock, which had been bleeding value since his "death," went into a volatile frenzy.
Byron acted with startling speed. From his bed in the medical wing, he arranged an emergency virtual board meeting. Amelie was instructed to sit beside him, a silent participant.
On the large screen mounted to the wall, the faces of the board members stared back, a mixture of shock, confusion, and suspicion. Lachlan and Sterling were there, their expressions carefully neutral, but Amelie could see the avarice glittering in their eyes.
Byron, propped up in a custom wheelchair with a blanket over his legs, looked the part of the convalescing victim.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his voice practiced and weak. "I apologize for the... confusion my condition has caused."
He let that sink in before delivering the payload. "Given that my physical recovery will be a long-term process, I will be temporarily stepping down from the day-to-day duties of CEO."
A murmur rippled through the virtual meeting.
Lachlan cleared his throat, his voice dripping with false sincerity. "Byron, your health is what's most important. The company is in good hands. You rest."
Byron's eyes, cold and sharp, flickered to his brother's face on the screen. "I'm glad you feel that way. I propose that during my leave of absence, my brothers, Lachlan Hyde and Sterling Hyde, will serve as co-acting CEOs."
The announcement was a masterstroke. It stunned everyone. Pitting two ambitious, distrustful brothers against each other was a guarantee of infighting. They would be too busy watching each other to unite against him.
Lachlan and Sterling exchanged a quick, calculating glance. They both understood the game, but the prize was too tempting to refuse. They accepted with feigned humility.
"Of course," Byron added, as if it were an afterthought, "all major strategic decisions and expenditures over a certain threshold will still require my final approval. My wife, Amelie, will be my proxy. She will convey my directives."
He had just made her the gatekeeper. The most powerful personal assistant in the world.
Amelie sat perfectly still, her face a neutral mask, but her heart was hammering against her ribs. She wasn't a pawn anymore. He had just made her his queen.
The board, seeing no better alternative, ratified the arrangement.
The moment the video call ended, Byron's facade of exhaustion vanished. He turned to Amelie, a glint of cold amusement in his eyes.
"When a lion is wounded, it lets the hyenas fight over the scraps," he said, his voice a low murmur. "When they have torn each other to pieces, the lion returns to a clean kill."
For the first time, Amelie felt the chilling precision of his mind. This wasn't just a man; it was a predator.
That afternoon, Eleanor came to visit. She swept into the room, bringing with her the scent of expensive perfume and old money. In her hands was a velvet box.
"A belated wedding gift, my dear," she said to Amelie, her smile warm and grandmotherly. She opened the box to reveal a stunning set of antique sapphire and diamond jewelry. "From now on, you are the lady of Hyde Manor. You must learn to look the part."
She fussed over Amelie, adjusting the necklace, her touch light and affectionate. But when she looked at Byron, Amelie saw it again-that fleeting, unreadable coldness in the depths of her eyes.
After she left, Byron gestured to the jewelry on the bedside table.
"A beautiful cage," he said with a humorless smile. "In this family, Amelie, the sweetest gifts are often coated with the most potent poison. Remember that."
He was teaching her. Schooling her in the brutal politics of his world.
He then had a thin file brought to him. He slid it across the table to her.
"Lachlan has been siphoning company funds into offshore accounts for years. This is a preliminary taste of the evidence."
Amelie stared at the damning numbers, her breath catching in her throat.
"He will come here tomorrow, to test the waters, to see how weak I truly am," Byron said, his eyes locking with hers. "He will meet with you. This is your first test."
Amelie looked from the file to his unyielding face. The game, she realized, had officially begun. And she was on the board.
