Ruby woke to the sound of her phone vibrating nonstop. Not the gentle buzz of a message. Not a reminder. This was frantic. She squinted at the screen, still half-asleep, 27 missed calls. Unknown numbers. Private lines. Media tags exploding faster than her mind could catch up.
Then she saw the headline. BYRON CORPORATION IN CHAOS: NEW CEO "UNQUALIFIED," "EMOTIONALLY COMPROMISED"
Her breath hitched. Another notification slid down. INSIDER SOURCES QUESTION THE LEGITIMACY OF RUBY EMERALD'S APPOINTMENT. Her fingers trembled as she opened her tablet.
Her face filled the screen. Photos, cropped, timed, weaponized. Her walking into the lobby. Her confrontation with Acacia. A still frame of her pouring water down Acacia's blouse, stripped of context and labeled "Public Meltdown."
The words burned. Former housewife. Married the chairman weeks after divorcing his son. No corporate leadership experience. Emotional decisions, reckless firings
