The meeting was scheduled for nine in the morning, but by eight-thirty the atmosphere on Adrian's executive floor had already changed. The building itself remained as flawless as ever. The marble corridors were polished, the glass walls reflected a skyline washed in pale daylight, and assistants moved with the same quiet efficiency that had always defined the company's public image. Yet beneath that carefully maintained order, tension had settled into every conversation and every measured step.
The stock dip from the previous day had not recovered as quickly as expected. Worse, the private reallocations used to support the company's liquidity position had begun to circulate among major shareholders.
Adrian entered the boardroom precisely on time.
The room fell silent.
