"I was on the phone with them earlier this morning," Ruby said evenly, hands resting on the table. "I told them they either come down on the interest rate, or we take our business elsewhere. Hopia."
"In Hopia?" Mia scoffed. "That's ridiculous."
"Yes, Hopia," Ruby replied calmly. "Their rates are discounted by thirty percent." She tapped the screen. "If we lock that in for four years, we reduce company debt by roughly eighteen million dollars."
The room went quiet. "And since this board has successfully driven the company into the ground," Ruby continued, unfazed, "we'll be aggressive. Cut expenses and unnecessary expenditures by thirty-four percent for four years."
She looked around the table. "That puts Byron Corporation completely debt-free in five."
Someone swallowed hard. "That leaves the lawsuit," Ruby went on. "I've already started reviewing it." She closed the file.
"So, are we all clear on what we're doing?" No one spoke. "Good," Ruby said, standing. "Have a productive day."
She walked out. Samuel rose immediately and followed, pride written all over his face.
Across town, Max leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the live feed, a slow smile tugging at his lips.
Outside the boardroom, Ruby didn't slow her pace. "Who's Fred?" she asked. "That would be me," a man replied from down the hall. "Good. Come with me." Mia hurried after them. "What do you want with him? He's my driver."
"Get another one," Ruby said without looking back. "He works for me," Mia muttered. Ruby stopped and turned just enough for Mia to feel it. "And you," Ruby said coolly, "work for me now."
She turned away again. "We leave in five minutes," she added to Fred. "Yes, ma'am," Fred replied instantly. Ruby glanced at Samuel. "I assume you have better things to do than babysit me."
Samuel smiled, impressed. "Unfortunately," he said, "I don't think I have much of a choice," Ruby smirked and kept walking. Behind her, Mia stood frozen, furious, powerless, and finally realizing one thing, Max might have figured something out about them.
Back in her office, Ruby finally allowed herself to stop.
The door clicked shut behind her, sealing off the world, and the silence crashed in. Her hands trembled as she dropped them onto the desk. I actually did that.
She closed her eyes and drew in a shaky breath. Then another. And another slow, deliberate until the pounding in her chest eased just enough to think. Her phone was already in her hand.
The doctors answered on the second ring. They spoke gently, carefully, walking her through her mother's condition, what had stabilized, what hadn't. Ruby listened, nodding even though they couldn't see her, asking the right questions, forcing herself to stay calm.
"And the surgery?" she asked quietly. They explained the timeline. The risks. The window.
"All right," Ruby said when they finished. "Thank you, doctor. Please keep me updated, day or night." She ended the call and stared at the blank screen for a moment before slipping the phone back into her bag.
No time to fall apart. Samuel was waiting outside when she stepped out.
"I'll walk you down," he said. They rode the elevator in silence. At the car, Samuel made sure Fred was behind the wheel before stepping back.
"I'll handle a few things here," Samuel said. "Call if you need anything." Ruby nodded. "Thank you." She slid into the back seat just as voices rose near the entrance. Security.
Her eyes lifted in time to see two guards dragging a man toward the curb. Her father. He was shouting now, struggling weakly, his jacket half off his shoulders. "I just need to see Seron!" he yelled. "He owes me, let me talk to him!"
Ruby's breath caught. The car slowed. Through the window, she watched as security pushed him away from the building, his dignity unraveling in public. It wasn't the first time. It wouldn't be the last.
Money again. Always money. Ruby looked away as Fred waited for her instruction, her jaw tightening. "Drive," she said quietly.
The car pulled off, leaving her father behind, still shouting, still chasing what he could never hold onto.
And Ruby sat back, staring ahead, knowing one thing with painful clarity, power didn't erase the past. It only dragged it into the light.
–
Seron slammed his office door so hard the glass rattled. "What the hell just happened?" he shouted, spinning toward Acacia. She stood near the desk, arms crossed, her face tight with fury. "She humiliated me. In front of everyone."
"She humiliated me," Seron snapped. "That was my company. My name. My future." He dragged a hand through his hair, pacing like a caged animal. His phone was still in his hand, his father's number glaring back at him.
No answer. Again. Straight to voicemail. "Why won't he pick up?" Seron muttered, hitting red and dialing again. Acacia scoffed. "Because he planned this. You don't marry your son's ex-wife by accident."
Seron stopped pacing. Slowly, his eyes lifted to her. "He knows," he said. Her expression flickered. Just for a second. "I knew something was off," she said carefully. "But I didn't think this. I thought he was positioning you."
Seron laughed, sharp and hollow. "Positioning me? He made me an assistant in my own company." Silence swallowed the room. Seron's phone buzzed.
Not his father. A message. PRIVATE NUMBER: Now is not the time. His jaw clenched. His hands shook as he typed back.
SERON: When? He is on to us, I can't lose the company or my wife. No reply.
He hurled the phone onto the desk. "She's poisoning him," Acacia said, voice low, dangerous. "She's turning him against you." Acacia stepped closer, placing a hand on his arm. "So stop caring about her, she is no longer the Ruby you knew. Start playing their game."
He looked at her, eyes wild. "He wants to take everything from me," he said. "My wife. My name. My seat." Acacia leaned in, her voice a whisper. "You just need to take her out."
Seron's gaze hardened. No matter what he does, Ruby can not be hurt, but Acacia can't know that; he can't tell her that.
Across town, Max watched the live feed from his tablet, calm, while his stepson unraveled exactly as planned.
Seron straightened, rage settling into something colder. "I will take care of it," he said. A slow, cruel smile curved his mouth.
"Let him enjoy it."