The doors to the 50th-floor executive boardroom were made of heavy, dark mahogany. They felt like the gates to a fortress. Adelina stood before them for a moment, taking a deep, steadying breath.
She shrugged off her damp trench coat, draping it over the handle of her suitcase. Beneath it, she wore a black, sharply tailored power suit. Armor.
From inside, she could hear her stepfather's voice, amplified by a microphone. Handy Morgan, waxing poetic about his son's supposed leadership skills.
Adelina pushed the doors open.
They swung inward with a low, sonorous groan.
The applause inside the room died instantly, as if a switch had been flipped.
Twelve board members, all men in dark, expensive suits, turned in their seats. Their faces were a mixture of shock, confusion, and annoyance.
At the head of the long, oval table, Javon Finley's smug smile froze on his face. A flicker of pure panic flashed in his eyes.
Standing by the projection screen, Handy Morgan's face turned a blotchy, furious red. The hand holding the laser pointer trembled.
Adelina ignored them all. Her heels clicked a steady, relentless rhythm on the marble floor as she walked toward the table.
Javon was the first to recover. He stood, forcing a wide, false smile. "Adelina! Darling sister, what a surprise. We thought you were still on holiday."
She gave him a look that could freeze water. "Stepbrother, Javon. Let's be precise with our legal definitions."
A few of the older board members murmured amongst themselves. Javon's eye twitched.
Handy slammed his hand on the table, the sound cracking through the tense silence. "What is the meaning of this? You have no right to be here! Get out! This is a private meeting."
Adelina walked to the empty chair at the far end of the table and pulled it out. She sat down with a quiet, deliberate grace, placing her hands, one over the other, on the polished wood.
Her voice, when she spoke, was not loud, but it cut through the room with absolute clarity. "This CEO appointment ceremony is over. Because Javon is not qualified for the position."
"You insolent brat!" Handy roared, his face contorting with rage. He pointed a shaking finger at her. "You, who shamed this family by running away from your own wedding! I'll have you thrown out! I'll cancel your credit cards, freeze your trust fund! You'll be left with nothing!"
The venom in his words, from the man who was supposed to be her father, sent a dull ache through her chest. But she kept her face a mask of ice.
From her Hermès Birkin bag, she pulled out a sealed manila envelope and slapped it down on the table. The sound was like a gunshot.
"Security!" Handy barked at the two guards standing by the door. "Remove her. Now."
The two large men moved forward, their expressions grim. They reached for her arms.
Just as their fingers were about to touch her, a side door to the boardroom opened.
Gage Evans strolled in, his assistant trailing behind him. He looked bored, as if he had just wandered in from a coffee break.
His cold gaze swept over the two security guards. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said, his voice quiet but carrying an unmistakable threat.
The guards froze. They recognized him. Everyone in New York's business world recognized the ruthless CEO of Apex Capital. They dropped their hands and stepped back as if she were radioactive.
Handy's face transformed, the rage replaced by a fawning, sycophantic smile. He clearly thought Gage was here to support Javon. "Gage! My boy! So sorry you have to see this. A little family drama. We'll have her out of your way in just a moment."
Gage ignored him completely. His assistant stepped forward and placed a leather-bound folder in front of the board's chairman. The chairman opened it, his eyes widening as he saw the documented proof of Apex Capital's recent acquisition of a five percent stake in Starlight. Gage walked over to the empty chair beside Adelina and sat down, crossing his long legs. He looked at her, a mocking smirk on his lips. "According to shareholder rights, we're entitled to observe any meeting that affects company control. Please, continue."
Adelina didn't spare him a glance. Her focus was on the man at the other end of the table, the oldest and most respected member of the board.
She pushed the manila envelope across the polished surface. It slid to a stop directly in front of him.
"Uncle Horatio," she said, her voice firm and clear. "Please. Open it."
Every eye in the room swiveled to the unassuming brown envelope. The air grew thick with tension, so heavy it felt hard to breathe.
