The battle dragged on for four agonizing hours. The atmosphere in the conference room grew heavier as despair settled over everyone.
Silas Vinton's voice was hoarse from shouting. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his head throbbing. He knew this short attack was planned long in advance, perfectly timed with the leak about Holden's illness. Simply parading Holden in front of the press wouldn't fix this now. The shorters smelled blood in the water.
The Vinton Group was going to take a massive hit.
Right now, Silas felt the most guilt toward his niece. The shares had just been transferred to Serena, and now this happened. They wanted to give her the best, but instead, she inherited a crisis. His mind raced for solutions.
A knock at the door broke the heavy silence.
Isabella walked in, carrying a cup of coffee and some pastries. She approached the stressed executive with a look of deep concern. "Silas... sorry to interrupt, but I thought since you haven't eaten..."
She set the items down. She wanted to show her thoughtfulness at this critical moment to win back his favor. He was the head of the family; if he sided with her, she could stay!
But Silas's reaction wasn't what she expected. His brow furrowed in deep annoyance. "Who let you in?"
Isabella paled, her voice trembling. "I-I was just worried about you. Work is important, but so is your health. If you collapse... what will Holden and Kiera do?"
She sounded incredibly sincere.
Silas pinched his brow, about to speak, when another noise came from the door.
Serena strolled in, eating an apple, one hand tucked casually in her pocket. The apple was perfectly peeled-clearly Douglas's handiwork.
Seeing her, Silas swallowed his harsh words, his sharp gaze softening. "Serena, what are you doing here?"
Serena took a crisp bite of her apple, sauntering over to stand behind
Silas. She glanced at the
plummeting numbers on the screen
and raised a brow
Before she could speak, a frantic overseas executive on the video feed erupted. Seeing two young girls interrupt their critical meeting, he snapped, "Who let them in? Can't you see we're in the middle of a crisis? Get these unauthorized people out of here!"
Isabella's eyes flashed. She reached out to grab Serena's arm. "Serena, let's not bother Silas. This is a
complex financial war, you wouldn't understand it."
Serena dodged her hand, casting her a chilling sideways glance. Then, she took another loud, crisp bite of her apple. She looked utterly relaxed.
The crunch echoed loudly in the tense room.
Isabella feigned panic, quickly bowing toward the camera. "I'm so sorry! My sister doesn't know any better. I'll take her away right now!"