The call came on a Friday afternoon, and Ruby knew immediately that something was wrong.
She was in the conservatory, repotting orchids, her hands covered in soil. The work was meditative, grounding—a welcome escape from the chaos of the past few weeks. Elle was at school. The twins were with Mrs. MacLeod. For the first time in days, Ruby had a moment of peace. Just her, the orchids, and the soft afternoon light filtering through the glass.
Then her phone rang.
She glanced at the screen. Genevieve.
Ruby answered, pressing the phone to her ear. "Genevieve? Is everything okay?"
There was a pause. Then Genevieve's voice, breathless and shaking: "Ruby. I need you to listen to me. Alistair is making a move. He's called an emergency board meeting. He's trying to force a vote to dissolve the foundation's charitable status."
Ruby's blood went cold. She set down her shears, her hands suddenly trembling. "What? When did this happen?"
