Chapter 129

• Author's POV
• The conference room on the tenth floor of Shaw-Walker Enterprises buzzed with low voices and muted footsteps. Bright daylight spilled in through the wide glass windows, illuminating the polished table that stretched across the room. This was no ordinary business day—it was the pivotal test run that would determine whether Margeaux could handle the creative weight of the brand’s pivot, and whether Claire could manage the coordination under pressure.
• Mr. Yoshida sat at the head of the table, his face unreadable but his presence commanding. Ivan Walker was a few seats away, flipping through his tablet while nodding occasionally at the assistants who whispered updates into his ear. Nathan sat next to Claire, silent but observing closely, as he often did when it came to her professional sphere. Across from them, Margeaux arranged swatches, folders, and slides, her demeanor calm but laser-focused.