CHAPTER 69

The night after the tense board meeting, Philip found himself in the dimly lit study of the Aton mansion. He sat in the old leather chair, his fingers idly tracing the worn edges of the desk. The room, filled with bookshelves and relics of the past, felt like a sanctuary, but even here, the weight of his responsibilities pressed down on him.

He couldn't stop replaying Andrew Lane's words in his mind: "You're a kite dancing in a hurricane." The phrase gnawed at him, its meaning deeper than just a simple threat. Andrew was a dangerous man, not just because of his ruthless business tactics, but because he knew how to get inside people's heads, to shake their confidence.

Philip poured himself a drink, the amber liquid swirling in the glass as he tried to drown out his doubts. Jessica had been strong during the meeting, standing by his side despite everything. But he knew that their alliance was fragile, built on a shared history that was both a blessing and a curse.

As he took a sip, the