Maya understood one truth better than most people in the room: lies were only dangerous when they were obvious.

The best lies felt reasonable. They slipped into conversations like afterthoughts, carried by concern rather than malice, wrapped in questions instead of statements. Maya had built her survival on that skill long before Davin, before Ethan Group, before Alyssa became the woman standing in her way.

She began quietly.

A private lunch with a mid-level shareholder who liked to talk more than he listened. A carefully timed phone call to an investment analyst known for leaking “off-record impressions.” A glass of wine shared with a board spouse who enjoyed feeling important....