Author's POV
The meeting time had arrived, but Ryan was conspicuously absent.
The uncomfortable silence quickly dissolved into whispers that grew bolder by the second.
"Is this meeting even valid without Mr. Blackwood present?"
"What's the point of this board meeting anyway?"
"Haven't you seen the news? It's everywhere!"
"Blackwood stock has dropped significantly. Why hasn't Ryan done anything about it?"
The murmurs swelled into a rising tide of discontent, exactly as Kane had planned. I could see the satisfaction in his smile as he observed the growing unrest.
Finally, the door swung open. Ryan entered with Simon trailing behind him. His commanding presence silenced the room instantly—the whispers dying mid-sentence as he took his seat at the head of the table.
