Chapter 92

• DOMINIC
• I sat before the board of directors, their eyes boring into me with unyielding scrutiny. The room was thick with tension and the low murmur of anxious voices. One director leaned forward, his tone edged with impatience, and demanded, "Dominic, give us an answer—what’s really going on? Where is Raina, and why are our stocks falling like this?" His words echoed around the table, and I felt my heart sink. I knew I couldn’t tell them the truth—that Raina had been kidnapped. I forced myself to remain composed, even as my mind screamed in silent agony.
• Before I could formulate a lie, another board member, his voice bitter and condescending, interjected, "You know, giving a woman raised from poverty the responsibility to run a company like the Grahams—it's bound to fail." His words stung, and I glared at him, my anger rising with each syllable. Unable to contain my fury any longer, I rose abruptly from my seat and shot back, "Do you have any idea how this company was birthed? The very foundation of the Grahams was built on blood, sweat, and determination—something you clearly know nothing about." The room fell momentarily silent, the weight of my retort hanging in the air.