The first sign that something had changed arrived without warning. At eight thirty on a Tuesday morning, Adrian stood at the head of the executive conference table while the quarterly operations meeting unfolded around him. Senior managers presented reports. Financial forecasts appeared on the screen. Market projections were discussed.
Everything looked normal, and everything sounded normal, yet nobody in the room seemed relaxed. The tension had been building for weeks.
Ever since Evelyn's financial scandal exploded publicly, pressure had spread outward like cracks through glass. Regulators had begun asking questions. Journalists had started revisiting older stories. Investors demanded explanations for decisions they had once praised. Now every conversation felt cautious, and every answer felt rehearsed.
Adrian listened without interruption as one executive finished presenting a growth forecast.
