Chapter 25
Chapter 26: The Fifteen-Second Window
The next morning, the proxy vote was scheduled for exactly 9:00 AM.
At 8:59 AM, Elena sat in her office, her hands folded neatly on the glass desk. The clock ticked. The rhythmic, natural breathing of her executive team filled the agonizing silence. The tension was pulled so tight it felt as though the very air might snap.
This was the fifteen-second window that would decide the fate of her empire.
At 8:59:45, Marcus’s phone vibrated violently against the glass. He snatched it up, his eyes flying over the text message. He looked up, his face breaking into a fierce, triumphant smile.
May you like
"Arthur Vance just pulled his capital," Marcus announced, the adrenaline spiking in his voice. "Three other board members followed suit. Victor's stock is in freefall. The hostile takeover is dead."
Elena did not cheer. She simply closed her eyes for a fraction of a second, letting the profound weight of the victory settle into her bones. The trap had snapped shut with flawless precision.
