The market opened tense the next morning, but not chaotic, which alone counted as a victory. After the previous day's collapse in investor confidence, analysts had expected panic selling to continue into the week. Instead, the decline slowed during pre-market trading, stabilising just enough to prevent another major crash.
Financial media immediately noticed, and so did Adrian. He stood inside his office before sunrise, reading the overnight reports while the city remained dark beyond the glass windows.
Three screens displayed live market forecasts, legal updates, and internal communications simultaneously. His untouched coffee sat cooling beside a stack of financial summaries; he had not slept, but unlike most people under pressure, exhaustion did not make Adrian reckless. It made him colder and more focused.
A knock sounded against the office door.
"Come in," Adrian said without looking up.
