The room was silent.
Not the kind of silence that meant peace.
The kind that meant everyone was waiting for something to break.
Charles Carter stood there with the final agreement in his hand.
A lifetime of secrets.
A lifetime of manipulation.
Everything came down to one choice.
"Save the company."
Charles looked at Damien.
"Or save her."
His eyes moved to Ava.
"And lose everything."
Ava stared at Damien.
She already knew what he was thinking.
She knew the way his mind worked.
Numbers.
Strategies.
Solutions.
He was searching for a way to win.
But this wasn't a business deal.