Chapter 2

Jenkins hung up, his posture puffing up with Sarah's remote endorsement.

"See, Alex? Even your wife knows you're out of your depth," he sneered.

Davies leaned back, openly contemptuous now. "You're a relic, Miller. This is how big business is done."

I moved to leave, but Jenkins stepped in front of me, Davies flanking him.

"Not so fast," Jenkins said, his hand briefly gripping my arm, a little too tight. "We're not finished."

"I believe I am," I replied, my voice low. I noted the pressure on my arm, the deliberate block.

This was a coordinated effort, these two were puppets.

Then, a new figure made an entrance, theatrical and loud.

Victor "Vic" Sterling, all flash and expensive suit, strode into our private dining area.

He was the head of Sterling Equity Partners, a name known in Boston for aggressive, sometimes ruthless, takeovers.

"Gentlemen, and Alex," Sterling boomed, his eyes, cold and assessing, landing on me.

It was clear then, Davies wasn't from Nationwide Lifestyle Brands, or if he was, he was a Trojan horse. Sterling was the real force.

Jenkins and Davies became instantly deferential, their earlier arrogance now sycophancy.

"Mr. Sterling, good to see you," Jenkins gushed.

Sterling ignored him, focusing on me. "So, this is the husband. The... anchor, I hear."

He chuckled, a dry, unpleasant sound.

"Ross & Sons is about to get a dynamic new owner, Miller. And Sarah, well, she's about to get a partner who matches her ambition, not one who holds her back."

His condescension was a physical thing, pressing down.

I saw the whole picture, the layers of deceit, Sarah's ambition being exploited.

My quiet life, my preference for integrity, made me a target for their scorn.

They thought I was just a trophy husband, easily dismissed.

They didn't know about the Northwood Charitable Trust, my father's legacy, the quiet power I wielded.

My warning to them would have to be subtle, for now.

"Ambition can be blinding, Mr. Sterling," I said, my voice calm. "Sometimes it leads to overlooking important details."

Sterling just laughed. "The only detail that matters is I always get what I want."