The boardroom felt smaller after Victor left.
Not physically.
Just heavier.
Alex leaned back in his chair and stared at the closed door.
"Well," he said quietly.
No one answered.
Halpern remained standing at the end of the table, fingers resting on the surface like he was measuring the room.
Elena closed her tablet slowly.
"That was deliberate."
Alex nodded.
"Yes."
Halpern finally sat down again.
"He wanted us to see him."
Adrian said calmly,
"Yes."
Alex glanced at him.
"You're not impressed."
Adrian didn't respond.
Alex smiled faintly.
"That's disappointing for Victor."
Halpern looked at Adrian.
"He's forcing the vote."
Adrian nodded once.
"Yes."
Another board member spoke.
"When?"
Elena checked the tablet again.
"Forty-eight hours."
The room shifted slightly.
Alex rubbed his chin.
"That's fast."
Halpern frowned.
"He wants momentum."
Alex nodded slowly.
"Exactly."
Adrian remained silent.
Halpern folded his hands again.
"You're still confident."
Adrian looked at him.
"Yes."
Alex leaned back.
"That's the part everyone keeps forgetting."
Halpern glanced toward him.
"What part?"
Alex gestured toward Adrian.
"He doesn't panic."
Halpern didn't respond.
Alex continued.
"And Victor really wants him to."
Elena spoke again.
"We need to speak to the shareholders."
Alex nodded.
"Yes."
Halpern frowned.
"That's obvious."
Alex smiled faintly.
"But not aggressively."
Halpern looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Alex leaned forward slightly.
"Victor is pushing hard."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
Alex shrugged.
"So we stay calm."
Halpern studied him carefully.
"You think patience wins."
Alex smiled.
"I think pressure reveals mistakes."
Adrian said quietly,
"Yes."
Alex blinked.
"Well."
"That sounded supportive."
Adrian didn't respond.
Halpern tapped the table once.
"We still need numbers."
Elena turned the tablet toward them.
The shareholder chart filled the screen.
Alex leaned forward.
"Well."
Halpern asked,
"What?"
Alex pointed at the chart.
"Victor controls seven percent."
Halpern nodded.
"Yes."
Alex continued.
"The alliance controls another twelve."
Elena nodded.
"Yes."
Alex leaned back again.
"That's nineteen."
Halpern frowned.
"And?"
Alex shrugged.
"They still need more."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex continued.
"Which means Victor will spend the next forty-eight hours convincing people."
Halpern nodded slowly.
"That's obvious."
Alex smiled faintly.
"And that's where the pressure starts."
Elena studied him.
"You think the fraud story will spread."
Alex shrugged.
"Investors talk."
Adrian remained calm.
Halpern looked at Adrian.
"You're relying on uncertainty."
Adrian answered quietly.
"Yes."
Alex leaned back again.
"Uncertainty is very expensive."
Elena's tablet vibrated suddenly.
She checked the screen.
Then she frowned slightly.
Alex noticed immediately.
"That look again."
Elena turned the tablet toward them.
Another market update appeared.
Alex read the headline.
Then he exhaled slowly.
"Well."
Adrian asked quietly,
"What now?"
Elena spoke calmly.
"Victor just bought more shares."
Alex blinked.
"How many?"
Elena checked the numbers.
"Three percent."
Alex leaned back.
"That brings him to ten."
Halpern frowned.
"He's moving fast."
Alex nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex looked at him.
"You're still calm."
"Yes."
Alex laughed quietly.
"You're impossible."
Halpern crossed his arms.
"At this rate he'll reach fifteen percent by tomorrow."
Elena nodded.
"That's likely."
Alex rubbed his face slowly.
"Well."
Adrian looked at him.
"Well what?"
Alex smiled faintly.
"That means he's overcommitting."
Halpern frowned.
"That's not necessarily bad."
Alex shrugged.
"It is if the market turns."
Elena nodded slowly.
"That's true."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex studied him carefully.
"You expected this."
Adrian didn't deny it.
Halpern leaned forward slightly.
"You're letting him spend."
Adrian answered calmly.
"Yes."
Alex smiled faintly.
"That's very cruel."
Adrian didn't respond.
The room grew quiet again.
Outside the glass walls, the city lights reflected across the skyline.
Alex looked at the chart again.
"You know what Victor really wants."
Adrian waited.
"He wants to corner you."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex continued.
"Force you to react."
Halpern nodded slowly.
"That's true."
Alex leaned back again.
"But you're not reacting."
Adrian's voice remained calm.
"No."
Alex smiled faintly.
"That's why he's spending faster."
Elena checked the numbers again.
"The market is already responding."
Alex glanced at the chart.
The share price had climbed again.
"Well."
Halpern frowned.
"That helps Victor."
Alex shook his head.
"No."
Halpern raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
Alex pointed at the screen.
"Now every share costs more."
Elena nodded slowly.
"That's true."
Alex leaned back again.
"So if Victor wants control…"
He spread his hands.
"…he pays more every hour."
Adrian almost smiled.
Alex saw it.
"There."
Adrian looked away again.
"No."
"Yes."
Halpern ignored them.
"If the vote fails…"
He looked at Adrian.
"What happens next?"
Adrian answered calmly.
"Victor retreats."
Alex smiled faintly.
"Or explodes."
Elena almost laughed.
Halpern shook his head.
"This situation is unstable."
Alex nodded.
"Yes."
Halpern looked at Adrian again.
"You're gambling."
Adrian's voice remained steady.
"No."
Alex leaned back.
"He's investing."
Halpern frowned slightly.
"In what?"
Alex smiled faintly.
"Victor's impatience."
The room fell silent again.
Elena closed the tablet slowly.
"We'll know in forty-eight hours."
Alex nodded.
"Yes."
Halpern stood.
"Then we prepare."
The board members began leaving the room one by one.
Soon only three people remained.
Adrian.
Elena.
Alex.
Alex stretched slightly in his chair.
"Well."
Adrian looked at him.
"Well what?"
Alex smiled faintly.
"That was fun."
Elena rolled her eyes slightly.
"This is not fun."
Alex shrugged.
"It's fascinating."
Adrian walked toward the window.
The skyline stretched beneath him again.
Alex watched him for a moment.
"You know something interesting."
Adrian waited.
"Victor thinks he's winning."
Adrian said nothing.
Alex continued.
"But the faster he runs…"
He smiled faintly.
"…the faster he burns money."
Adrian remained calm.
Alex stood and walked toward the window beside him.
The city lights reflected across the glass.
"You're still waiting," Alex said quietly.
"Yes."
Alex nodded slowly.
"That's the dangerous part."
Adrian glanced at him.
"Why?"
Alex smiled faintly.
"Because when the vote happens…"
He looked back at the glowing skyline.
"…Victor will finally realize something."
Adrian waited.
Alex turned toward him.
"That he spent a fortune chasing a company that was never actually for sale."