Point of View: Silas AlexandrosWord Count: 1,315
"The signatures require your focus, Julian. The future of the Valerius legacy depends upon this merger."
Alistair Valerius spoke with a hollow authority that grated against my nerves. I stood outside the mahogany doors of the boardroom, my hand resting lightly on the small of Sabrina's back. Through the heavy plum silk of her gown, I felt the erratic rhythm of her heart. It thrummed like a trapped bird, frantic and desperate, yet beneath the fear, a steady current of gold fire began to circulate. She was a weapon I had spent weeks polishing in the dark. Today, she would strike.
I did not wait for the secretary to announce us. I shoved the doors open.
The heavy wood hit the stoppers with a resonant thud that silenced the room. Julian Valerius sat at the head of the quartz table, his fountain pen poised like a scepter. He looked like a prince of industry, a man who believed he had successfully buried his sins beneath a mountain of paperwork.
"Silas," Julian said, his eyes narrowing at the veiled woman by my side. "You are late. This is a legal finalization, not a social call."
"The legalities have changed, Julian," I replied, my voice a low vibration that made the water in the crystal pitchers tremble. "I found a discrepancy in the Valerius assets. A significant omission that renders this contract void."
I stalked into the room, leading Sabrina to the foot of the table. The atmosphere grew thin, oxygen fleeing the space as my silver light began to claim the air. I threw the first stone—not a document, but a challenge.
"I have acquired a new partner," I announced, my gaze pinning Julian to his seat. "The majority shareholder of Alexandros Pharma. And she has questions about the 'death' of your sister."
Julian's hand jerked, a single drop of ink marring the pristine white of the contract. It was the first time in three years he had lost physical control. I felt Sabrina's pulse spike—a mixture of terror and a dark, blooming triumph.
"Who is she?" Alistair whispered, his voice cracking. I reached for Sabrina's hand, our pulses interlocking. "She is the debt you thought the ocean had swallowed."